3 Spring Novels Star Trad Wives, Grown-Up Boy Band Fans, and a Pregnant Septuagenarian
Three new spring releases spotlight unconventional female leads: Caro Claire Burke’s “Yesteryear” follows a social‑media trad‑wife thrust into 1855 pioneer life; Emma Straub’s “American Fantasy” celebrates middle‑aged women’s fandom on a boy‑band themed cruise; Laurie Frankel’s “Enormous Wings” tells the provocative story of a 77‑year‑old Texan who becomes pregnant and fights for reproductive autonomy. All three titles are published by major houses (Penguin Random House and Macmillan) and signal a shift toward bold, age‑spanning narratives.
Anthony Horowitz Talks About His New Book, 'A Deadly Episode'
Anthony Horowitz reveals his latest novel, *A Deadly Episode*, the sixth entry in the Daniel Hawthorne series, where a murder on a movie set blurs the line between fiction and reality. He explains the book satirizes Hollywood ego, true‑crime adaptations,...
Author Details the Spy Network that Took on America's Post-WWII Nazi Groups
Steven J. Ross’s new book, “The Secret War Against Hate,” chronicles how the Anti‑Defamation League, the American Jewish Committee, and the Non‑Sectarian Anti‑Nazi League infiltrated post‑World War II American Nazi groups. The interview links those historic spy operations to the Justice...
Family Influencers Make the Lifestyle Look Good. But Kids Pay the Price, New Book Says
Fortesa Latifi’s new book, *Like, Follow, Subscribe*, examines how family influencers turn children’s lives into monetized content, tracing the evolution from mid‑2000s mommy blogs to today’s high‑production vlogs. The work spotlights cases like Mormon mom‑influencer Aubree Jones, whose pregnancy announcements...
Whiting Foundation Names Its 10 Emerging Authors of 2026
The Whiting Foundation announced its 2026 cohort of ten emerging writers, each receiving a $50,000 award to support their next projects. The honorees represent nonfiction, fiction, poetry, and drama, reflecting a wide geographic and thematic range—from AI’s human cost to...
Have We Been Reading Toni Morrison All Wrong?
Harvard professor Namwali Serpell’s new book *On Morrison* offers a systematic reading of Toni Morrison’s entire oeuvre, spanning all eleven novels, criticism, plays and poetry. Serpell argues that the surge of reverence for Morrison after her 2019 death has eclipsed close...
'Speakeasies to Symphonies' And 'Cosmic Music' Chronicle 2 Jazz Greats
Two new biographies shine a light on under‑appreciated jazz innovators. Scott Brown’s *Speakeasies To Symphonies* chronicles pianist‑composer James P. Johnson, the stride pioneer whose influence on Fats Waller, Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk was eclipsed by his reluctance to record....
Move over, Mr. Ripley. 'I Am Agatha' Is a Delightfully Duplicitous Debut
Nancy Foley’s debut novel *I Am Agatha* follows a brash, self‑assured artist in 1970s New Mexico who will stop at nothing to protect her ailing lover, Alice. Inspired by minimalist painter Agnes Martin, the story blends artistic ambition with a fraught...
What Draws People Into Cults? A New Book Tracks the Journeys of Two Followers
Harrison Hill’s new book, The Oracle’s Daughter, chronicles the rise and fall of the Aggressive Christianity Missions Training Corps, a fringe American cult led by Deborah Green. The narrative follows two women—Maura Aluzas, who was drawn in through marriage, and...
11 New Books in April Offer a Chance to Step Inside Someone Else's World
April’s literary calendar delivers eleven new titles that span fiction, memoir, science and investigative reporting. The releases range from Ben Lerner’s metafictional novella “Transcription” to Steve Brusatte’s evolutionary deep‑dive “The Story of Birds.” Authors tackle contemporary anxieties, nostalgia, and systemic questions,...
'Stay Alive,' About Daily Life in Nazi Berlin, Shows How Easy It Is to Just Go Along
Ian Buruma’s new book *Stay Alive: Berlin, 1939‑1945* weaves diaries, memoirs and interviews to portray everyday life in Nazi‑ruled Berlin. It follows a cast of characters—from a Jewish guitarist to a teenage idealist and a covert resistance journalist—illustrating how ordinary...
The Oil Industry Is Betting Big on Plastics. Here's What that Means for the Future
The oil and gas sector is increasingly investing in petrochemical plants to produce far more plastic, with companies like ExxonMobil and Shell targeting a 40% rise in U.S. output. Production has surged from roughly 2 million metric tons in the 1950s...
6 Books Named Finalists for the 2026 International Booker Prize
The International Booker Prize has announced its six 2026 finalists, a roster of translated works originally written in languages ranging from Persian to Bulgarian. The shortlist includes titles set against the backdrop of the 1979 Iranian Revolution, Nazi‑era Germany, Japanese‑occupied...
'Nonesuch' Author Francis Spufford Explains the 'Blitz Spirit' Of 1940s London
Francis Spufford’s new novel *Nonesuch* reimagines wartime London during the Blitz, mixing gritty historical detail with magical elements like time‑traveling fascists and angels. The story follows Iris Hawkins, a resourceful woman who defies 1940s gender and class expectations while navigating...
There's Room for Everyone in 'Now I Surrender,' An Epic American Western
Álvaro Enrigue’s new novel *Now I Surrender* reimagines the American West through a sprawling, metafictional lens. The story intertwines a harrowing escape of a Mexican woman named Camila with the historic surrender of Apache leader Geronimo, while the author inserts...