Books & Literary Life

Literary criticism, author interviews, and book culture from within and beyond Harvard.

Three climbers seated on a snowy summit, surrounded by clouds, appearing contemplative.

These Harvard Mountaineers Braved Denali’s Wall of Ice

John Graham’s Denali Diary documents a dangerous and historic climb.

by Lydialyle Gibson

1911 Chicago Cubs player cards from the pre-Wrigley Field era, when baseball and smoking were <i>both</i> all-American

The sabermetric revolution

Economist Andrew Zimbalist analyzes the sabermetric revolution

The wrack at your feet, made lovely: Josie Iselin&rsquo;s photograph of <i>Botryocladia pseudodichotoma, </i>sea grapes, from San Clemente Island, California

Recent books with Harvard connections

Recent books with Harvard connections

Thomas Rowlandson&rsquo;s view of the library of the Royal Institution in London, circa 1810

Innovation in humanities courses aims to reach larger numbers of students

New gateways into the humanities for students “still fully molten as human beings”

by Jonathan Shaw

Thursday evening, Dava Sobel read excerpts from her most recent book, on Copernicus.

At Harvard, Dava Sobel discusses what convinced Copernicus to publish his work

At Harvard, Dava Sobel discusses the conversation that convinced Copernicus to publish his lifework.

Justin Kaplan at home

A tribute to Justin Kaplan

In tribute to an old friend

On familiar ground: AMS Jr. at the White House, 1965

Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. letters liberalism

Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr.'s "fighting faith" in liberalism, revealed in his letters

Correspondence on not-so-famous lost words

Correspondence on not-so-famous lost words

Michael Carney (standing left) with friends, and (seated) brothers Tom, Martin, and Paddy.

Recent books on evolution, island Ireland, Jonathan Swift, and more

Recent books with Harvard connections

Claudia Bedrick displays one of Enchanted Lion’s books.

Claudia Bedrick of Enchanted Lion Books for children

Claudia Bedrick ’85 of Enchanted Lion Books offers an international array of stories to young children.

by Kristen Strezo

Aeneas, future founder of Rome, rouses the sympathies of Dido, queen of Carthage, with the tale of the destruction of his home city, Troy.

Virgil Encyclopedia in English

Two Harvard classics professors create the first Virgil Encyclopedia in English.

by Erin O’Donnell