Books
Twenty-Five Must-Read Books for Fall of 2019
Our staffers and contributors highlight the most urgent and exciting titles coming this fall—from fiction to non-fiction, poetry to prose.
Jia Tolentino Talks to Samantha Irby About 'Trick Mirror'
The New Yorker staff writer discusses her unpublished first novel, and why Americans are perennially obsessed with a good scam.
Lyz Lenz on Faith, Loss, and Sexism in Rural America
The author of God Land discusses misogyny in church leadership—and why so many depictions of Jesus look like Brad Pitt.
What Lisa Taddeo Learned in Eight Years of Reporting on American Desire
Taddeo's new book profiles the intimate wants and needs of three women across the country.
Trap Shooting With Pastors to Bridge the Rural-Urban Divide
An excerpt from Lyz Lenz's God Land.
Can Cities Build Their Way to Housing Equity? A New Book Suggests Not.
Sam Stein's Capital City offers a blistering and persuasive critique of how real estate dominates city planning—to the detriment of most residents.
A Feminist Heist Novel Set in the Aftermath of Hurricane Maria
Aya de Leon discusses her latest book—and why heist and romance novels lend themselves to political content.
The Forgotten History of Jewish Arab Life
I was raised on recollections of a lost world that had existed for as long as we could remember—only to end suddenly in my grandparents' generation.
Three New Books of Florida Fiction Capture the Paradoxes and Richness of the State
Step aside, Florida Man—new books from Karen Russell, Colson Whitehead, and Kristen Arnett have stories to tell about the state that go beyond stereotypes.
'There Aren't Clear Heroes': Eve Ewing on the Chicago Race Riots of 1919
In her new book, Ewing uses poetry as a form of historical investigation, revisiting the deadly riots that tore through Chicago a century ago.
'The Romance of Believing in Justice': On Arundhati Roy's New Book of Essays
Roy's essays about the environmental and human costs of late-capitalist development read as dispatches from a recent past that will also be our future.
In 'Dignity,' Chris Arnade Offers an Empathetic Study of Trump's America
Arnade demonstrates the virtues of a journalism based on empathy. But he also shows that empathy alone is insufficient without a sharper historical and political analysis.
'Any Attempt to Claim Orwell for the Right Is Dishonest': An Interview With Dorian Lynskey
The author of "The Ministry of Truth" discusses Orwell's fight for democratic socialism—and the unfortunate misconceptions that can still dog his memory.
The Secret Life of George Grinnell, One of America's Greatest Conservationists
An excerpt from John Taliaferro's new biography.
'Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come': How Introverts Can Triumph Over Social Anxiety
Jessica Pan's new memoir offers a glimpse at a better world—one where we're open to meaningful interactions, rather than stuck in isolation.
'Radical and Violent Revolution Is a Valid Defense': A Conversation With Nnamdi Ehirim
The writer and entrepreneur discusses his debut novel, the evolution of Nigerian literature, and the psychological toll of economic stagnancy.
A Novel About Renting Your Body to the Wealthy
In her debut novel, Ramos depicts a circle of women optimized to serve as surrogates for the super-rich.
Campsites Among the Stumps: The Unmaking of the Great American Commons
A dispatch from the ongoing war on America’s public lands.
How to Avoid a Fascist Future
Natasha Lennard's new book of essays offers tools for fighting fascism at home and in the street.
The Forgotten Story of How Harper Lee Investigated an Astonishing Murder in Alabama
Author Casey Cep discusses her new book about Harper Lee's unfinished manuscript detailing the alleged crimes of an Alabama preacher and the man who shot him.
A Reluctant Zookeeper's Obsession With Great Apes
An excerpt from Carson Vaughan's Zoo Nebraska.
How Dieting Culture Is Making Women Less Healthy
The body-positivity activist discusses her forthcoming book for teens—and her plans to revolutionize the idea of fat camp.
We're Hiring a Contributing Editor for Books and Culture
Pacific Standard is looking for a part-time contract editor to help us expand and elevate the profile of our books and culture coverage.
A Graphic Memoir About Living Between Cultures
Malaka Gharib discusses her debut graphic memoir and explains how she's navigated white-dominated spaces—as a teenager, and as an adult.