Lost in Translation
The moment Japan opened its doors to the West, in the late 1800s, was the moment many of its traditions disappeared. A new volume brings them back
Family Business
To write his second novel, Atticus Lish asked himself, “What hurts?”
Short List
What to read this week, from a history of a secret Nixon meeting to an exploration of French colonialism in Congo and a look back at Bernini’s Rome
The Light at the End of the Tunnel
How did a few German students manage to dig a tunnel under the Berlin Wall?
Betting the Farm
Can we change our approach to agriculture before it’s too late?
A Day in the Life of Leila Slimani
The Moroccan-French author, whose latest book, a novel about a woman navigating an inter-racial marriage, is out now, explains how the magic happens
Short List
What to read this week, including a personal history of a publishing duo that fled Nazi Germany; a searing memoir; and an ode to trees
Animal Attraction
Joachim Schmeisser’s African-wildlife photographs pay homage to the magical creatures of Kenya’s Amboseli National Park
The King of Comedy
Eight questions with David Steinberg, director of Seinfeld, Friends, and Curb Your Enthusiasm, whose new book looks back at the last five decades of comedy
Buddy Movies
Norman Jewison and Hal Ashby were one of Hollywood’s great creative teams. Their unraveling left insiders mystified
Short List
What to read this week, including a look back at home ec, a blow-by-blow of the Watergate scandal, and a history of Oceania
The Techno King of Tesla
Elon Musk may dislike being C.E.O. of the car company, but he wants to remain in power
