Books & Literary Life
Literary criticism, author interviews, and book culture from within and beyond Harvard.
How Adam Ehrlich Sachs Writes Absurd and Beautiful Fiction
The Gretel and the Great War author on how the Lampoon derailed his science career—and set him on a literary path.
by Eric Olson
The "King of Palindromes"
Mark Saltveit and the art of the palindrome
Off the Shelf
Recent books with Harvard connections
Critique and Joy
Kevin Young’s anthology of African American poetry, from Phillis Wheatley to hip hop
by Elisa New
Origin Stories
Bow and Arrow’s mechanic, James Agee’s creative turbulence
by Primus VI
The Layered Histories in Black Family Keepsakes
Tiya Miles traces a mother and daughter’s story through a cotton sack.
Amartya Sen, a Memoir
The book covers the first thirty years of the Nobel-prize winning economist’s life.
by Sugata Bose
Re-remembering Juneteenth
Annette Gordon-Reed discusses her unusually personal book on the holiday.
A Surfing Author’s Children’s Book
In the swim with Bonnie Tsui
Under Review: Tony Saich on Chinese Communism at 100
The first century of the Chinese Communist Party—and what impends
Open Book: the case for commitment
Pete Davis expands on his Commencement address.