The Little Old Lady Who Enjoyed Murdering People
After Shakespeare, Agatha Christie is the world’s most widely published author
Nothing to See Here
The author of a new biography on the Dalai Lama demystifies the leader’s unassuming stoicism
Murder Is Her Muse
Writer Sarah Phelps is shocking Agatha Christie purists—and re-inventing the genre
Casey Cep
Harper Lee’s biographer recommends the most revolutionary books in the genre
Novels for the Quarantine
The season’s must-read fiction, from Hilary Mantel’s final Cromwell volume to Lawrence Wright’s book about a killer virus taking over the world. Yes, you read that right.
Erik Larson
From Hemingway to Nancy Drew: for the writer, inspiration comes in many forms
Surfin’ U.S.A.
Before commercialism and branding caught up with the sport, it was just about riding waves. A new book conveys the spirit of 70s surf culture
Child’s Play
Robert Stone’s biographer pieced together the novelist’s life by delving into his early years
Nonfiction Books for the Quarantine
What to read this season, including memoirs by Woody Allen and Princess Margaret’s lady-in-waiting
A Journey to the Center of the Earth
A book showcasing exquisite drawings both ancient and modern captures our evergreen relationship with mapping the world
Some Things Never Change
The author of a book on the Black Death reflects on how little human nature has evolved since that crisis
Seven Score and Fifteen Years Ago …
The author of a new book on Lincoln’s second inaugural address captures the country at a historic crossroads