Books
Briefly Noted
“Shakespeare’s Sisters,” “Limitarianism,” “Rough Trade,” and “Leaving.”
Claire Messud’s New Novel Maps the Search for a Home That Never Was
“This Strange Eventful History” traces three generations of an itinerant French family with roots in colonial Algeria.
What the Origins of Humanity Can and Can’t Tell Us
There’s still much to be learned about our prehistory. But we can’t help using it to explain the societies we have or to justify the ones we want.
Briefly Noted
“Knife,” “A Travel Guide to the Middle Ages,” “Neighbors and Other Stories,” and “Butter.”
How Far Should We Carry the Logic of the Animal-Rights Movement?
People who think seriously about the use and abuse of nonhuman creatures often end up calling for changes that might seem indefensible—at least, at first.
The Poet Who Took It Personally
Delmore Schwartz tried to change poetry, often by putting his own painful life on the page. The cost was that failure felt all the more acute.
Briefly Noted
“The Book of Love,” “What Kingdom,” “Rabbit Heart,” and “On Giving Up.”
How Stories About Human-Robot Relationships Push Our Buttons
Two new novels, “Annie Bot” and “Loneliness & Company,” reflect anxieties about A.I. coming for our hearts as well as for our jobs.
Stephen Breyer to the Supreme Court Majority: You’re Doing It Wrong
In our system of government, the Constitution has the final say. But it doesn’t come with a user manual.
The Warhol “Superstar” Candy Darling and the Fight to Be Seen
The sui-generis trans actress inspired works by Warhol, Lou Reed, and others, yet never broke through to the mainstream herself. A new book captures the brilliant persona she created.