Book Review

Reading recommendations from critics and editors at The New York Times.

“It’s my comfort book,” she says of the comic novel about a busted marriage. Her own new thriller is a sequel to “The Last Thing He Told Me.”

In decades of correspondence, the author gave her friend, JoBeth McDaniel, a mix of opinions, advice on writing and insight into the impact of the Civil Rights movement.

By Colin Moynihan

Senator John Kennedy, a garrulous rank-and-file Republican from Louisiana, has struck a nerve with a new book that provides an insider account of Congress and its dysfunction.

By Catie Edmondson

A semi-estranged midlife couple and their three precocious daughters form the center of Madeline Cash’s satirical novel, “Lost Lambs.”

By John Maher

The fourth novel in his Morning Star series follows an ambitious young photographer in 1985 London.

By Randy Boyagoda

In a new book, C. Thi Nguyen looks to his personal passions — from video games to yo-yoing — to illuminate the downside of our increasingly gamified world.

By Jennifer Szalai

The Norwegian writer is known for his sprawling, brutally candid autofiction and speculative epics. Here’s where to start.

By Adam Dalva

“Miracle Children” details how a Louisiana school exploited the demand for stories of Black trauma.

By Kevin Carey

Ancient legends from thousands of years ago often find fresh audiences in new books. Test your memory of recent titles with this short quiz.