Court Life Is Murder In 'The Poison Bed'
Elizabeth Fremantle's twisty, deceptive new novel is based on the real-life story of the Earl and Countess of Somerset, who were convicted in the murder of a friend-turned-enemy in 1616.
Books
In 'What You Have Heard Is True,' A Poet Bears Witness To Devastating Civil War
Though it took poet Carolyn Forché half a lifetime to fully share in a memoir what she saw during her time in El Salvador in the 1970s and the lessons learned, now is precisely when we need to see it.
Reflecting On Kurt Cobain's 'Crystalline Understanding' 25 Years Later
Nirvana's Kurt Cobain died 25 years ago Friday. The band's former manager Danny Goldberg discusses his memories of Cobain and his new book, Serving the Servant: Remembering Kurt Cobain.
'Richard's Valley' Is Worth A Visit — But You Might Not Be Welcome There
Artist Michael DeForge's enigmatic new graphic novel is all about ambivalence — belonging, displacement, escape and return. Also, strangely charming, blobby animals with all-too-human feelings.
'All Ships Follow Me' Rustles Up Questions About The Privilege To Be Heard
Mieke Eerkens has written an engrossing memoir on the interesting, even inspiring, stories of her parents after WWII. Yet despite its careful questioning and analysis, it's an uncomfortable read.
There's No 'Stroke Of Luck' For These Miserable Millenials
Ann Beattie strikes out in her new novel about a disaffected young man who drifts through an unsatisfying series of jobs and relationships until his life is upended by a revelation from the past.
'The Last Stone' Documents A 40-Year Quest For Answers In A Cold Case
Mark Bowden's account of the unsolved 1975 case of two girls who went missing near D.C. is a riveting, serpentine story about the dogged pursuit of the truth, regardless of the outcome or the cost.
Beyond 'Reefer Madness': Box Brown's Graphic History Tells Story Of A Maligned Plant
Box Brown has a knack for using comics to illuminate tricky subjects. Now, with Cannabis: The Illegalization of Weed in America, he's turned his attention to one of the touchiest topics today.
The Internet May Be Just As Omniscient As God In 'Kaddish.com'
Nathan Englander's new novel is a satire on doubt and devotion, and it starts with a death — the death of an observant Orthodox Jew whose secular son is struggling with his religious obligations.
In 'Stony The Road,' Henry Louis Gates Jr. Looks At The Period After Reconstruction
In his new book, the literary scholar presents an absorbing, necessary look at the "Redemption" era, in which the hard-fought gains of African-Americans were rolled back by embittered Southern whites.