The Enforcer and the Maestro
In an excerpt from his new book, Rich Cohen reveals the closer-than-blood relationship forged between Michael Jordan and Charles Oakley
The Value of Tolkien
Having spent the majority of his life as a struggling academic, J. R. R. Tolkien, who died 50 years ago, would never have dreamed of the influence of The Lord of the Rings
Murder, They Wrote
Underdogs dominate this month’s best mystery books
A Bigger Splash
A new coffee-table book explores the design and history of the world’s most stunning seawater pools, ranging across South Africa, Australia, and Scotland
The Golden Years
An homage to the expansive and hilarious world The Golden Girls offered during the buttoned-up Reagan era
Editor’s Picks
This week, don’t miss a delicate exploration of privilege, a dissection of Russian writers’ tendency to write about existential questions, and a gossipy account of the publishing world
The Man Who Captured Sinatra
On this week’s podcast, Gay Talese reveals the story behind “Frank Sinatra Has a Cold,” his masterpiece of magazine writing
Grace Potter
Starting next week, the singer-songwriter will perform ballads from her latest album, Mother Road, written on her Route 66 road trip, around the U.S.
Exit Laughing
The producer of the legendary comedy show Laugh-In has one regret: allowing Richard Nixon to do a cameo
Barbie Ruins the World
After watching Barbie make its billions, all the toy brands—from Hot Wheels to Play-Doh—want a piece of the action
Buckle Up
A new TV series about the short-lived supersonic Concorde is full of crazy twists, turns, and espionage
Down the Memory Hole
An arresting new biography gives George Orwell’s intrepid first wife her due
Lunch with Patricia Clarkson
On this week’s episode of Table for Two, the actress recalls her early, struggling days, from living in the Upper West Side Y.M.C.A. to seeing Dreamgirls on Broadway 12 times …
Assignment: Sinatra
A legendary editor. A recalcitrant writer. And a subject that was both man and myth. The story behind the writing of what became known as the greatest magazine profile ever
Rumbled
I boxed a speed bag—and came in second place
True Lies
Beware of the quotes on the backs of books, as publishers play fast and loose with critical reviews
The Barbie Girl Variations
A Spanish cellist in Sweden who moonlights on piano gives Aqua’s golden oldie a half dozen makeovers
Shark Tales
Restoring New England’s great-white-shark population presented conservationists with a new challenge: convincing beachgoers it was good news
Editor’s Picks
This week, don’t miss a comic-strip biography of Charles M. Schulz, a look back at Germany’s turbulent 1923, and the story of how Borges, Heisenberg, and Kant challenged reality