The Magic Touch
Harry Houdini built an elaborate web of deception in his quest for immortality. Nearly a century after his death, his biographer notes, the myths have corroded but his legend lives on
André Bishop
On the first books he loved
Drop That Corn Dog
No platform is better suited for letting candidates bypass the hokey rituals of retail campaigning than the humble, motley podcast
Two-Track Mind
In the lifetime Carrie Fisher spent in the public eye, she became known for her fierce wit and unsentimentality. Three years on from her death, her biographer unveils her vulnerable, virtuous side
George Stubbs, King of the Beasts
The 18th-century British painter was the “Liverpudlian Leonardo,” revered for his portraits of racehorses and other creatures
Cynthia Talmadge
The American artist who takes inspiration from female courtroom villains—and their outfits
Mad About the Girl
Judy Garland, Jeff Buckley, Noël Coward, and more
Cultural Evolution
A young audience, an impressive schedule, and a woman president: the 140-year-old Shanghai Symphony Orchestra is very much of the moment
Eternity’s Gate
The love letter that made it out of Auschwitz intact
All Quiet on the Cameron Front
In a new book, the former P.M. has little to show for the Brexit disaster he gave life to
Crown Jewels
A new book unites fashion and classical dance, from tulle to tutus
Joseph Altuzarra
Recommends three coming-of-age novels
