Category Archives: Books

Soul Man

April 15, 2024 New Yorker cover
April 15, 2024

Stephen Breyer to the Supreme Court Majority: You’re Doing It Wrong
by Louis Menand

In our system of government, the Constitution has the final say. But it doesn’t come with a user manual.

How Elon Musk Went from Superhero to Supervillain

September 18, 2023 New Yorker cover
September 18, 2023

How Elon Musk Went from Superhero to Supervillain
by Jill Lepore

Walter Isaacson’s new biography depicts a man who wields more power than almost any other person on the planet but seems estranged from humanity itself.

The Civil-Rights Showdown Nobody Remembers

August 7, 2023 New Yorker cover
August 7, 2023

The Civil-Rights Showdown Nobody Remembers
by Louis Menand

Clinton High was the first Southern school to be integrated by court order. Why did reluctant acceptance turn to violence?

A Dennis Lehane Novel Investigates Boston’s White Race Riots

April 24 & May 1, 2023 New Yorker cover
April 24 & May 1, 2023

A Dennis Lehane Novel Investigates Boston’s White Race Riots
by Laura Miller

When a working mother goes in search of her daughter, amid the busing protests in 1974, she discovers a toxic brew of clan loyalties and racism, including her own.

The Haunting of Prince Harry

January 23, 2023 New Yorker cover
January 23, 2023

The Haunting of Prince Harry
by Rebecca Mead

Electrified by outrage—and elevated by a gifted ghostwriter—his blockbuster memoir “Spare” exposes more than Harry’s enemies.

Who Paul Newman Was—and Who He Wanted to Be

October 24, 2022 New Yorker cover
October 24, 2022

Who Paul Newman Was—and Who He Wanted to Be
by Louis Menand

He thought his success was just a matter of hard work and good luck. Other people had a different perspective.

Was Rudy Giuliani Always So Awful?

September 26, 2022 New Yorker cover
September 26, 2022

Was Rudy Giuliani Always So Awful?
by Louis Menand

A lively new biography explores how the man once celebrated as “America’s mayor” fell into disgrace.

Bicycles Have Evolved. Have We?

May 30, 2022 New Yorker cover
May 30, 2022

Bicycles Have Evolved. Have We?
by Jill Lepore

From the velocipede to the ten-speed, biking innovations brought riders freedom. But in a world built for cars, life behind handlebars is both charmed and dangerous.

Do Stay for Tea.

March 28, 2022 New Yorker cover
March 28, 2022

How Putin’s Oligarchs Bought London
by Patrick Radden Keefe

From banking to boarding schools, the British establishment has long been at their service, discretion guaranteed.

The Inimitable.

March 7, 2022 New Yorker cover
March 7, 2022

The Crisis That Nearly Cost Charles Dickens His Career
by Louis Menand

The most beloved writer of his age, he had an unfailing sense of what the public wanted—almost.