New_York_Times_Book_Review_2026-09-20

Sep 20, 2026

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New York Times book review and letters pages feature a range of fiction, poetry, nonfiction, essays, and children’s titles. Reviews and commentary discuss works across American history, ancient literature, thrillers, and literary experimentation, including responses to Alexandra Jacobs’s review of Rachel Cusk’s Life of M. Reader letters debate character, plot, and how experimentation can either illuminate or erase human experience, while book pages promote reading through subscriptions and app-based games.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages24

Reading Time37 min

AccessFree to download

Nonfiction

Essay

By the Book

Why do you think men don't read fiction?

CheAew llorkCimes Bombs Away In“All the Presidents'Wars,”thejournalist Peter Bergen traces the manymissteps of U.S.military action in the Middle East.BYSCOTTANDERSON |PAGE 9 正he Aeu Jork cimes Only have a few minutes?Play the MiniCrosswordfrom anywhere. Start solving today inthe New York Times Games app. “The Anniversaryis aboutpatriarchy and familyand thedream of self-determination. Every page is written with lucidity,depth,honesty,and forensic intelligence.”-KATIE KITAMURA,author of IntimaciesbhTranslated by Geofrey Brock 12 TOWER HILL Fiction &Poetry A Plantation on the Edge of Rebellion By Alan Taylor The Anniversary 6 Thrillers Reviewed by Richard Kreitner Reviewed by Sarah Lyall Andrea Bajani 13 American History 8 TAIPEI STORY Reviewed by Alexis Coe By R.E.KuangReviewed by Lauren Christensen 15 CROSSING THE WINE-DARK SEA Journeys Through Ancient Literature 11 SWITZY By Emily Wilson By Emma Cline Reviewed by Jennifer Szalai Reviewed by Alexandra Jacobs 14 MOCK HEART New and Selected Poems Children’s Books By Jill BialoskyReviewed by Carol Muske-Dukes 18 Books for Kids Who Love the"Who Would Win?"Series 17 THE PIRATE QUEEN By Travis Jonker By Ariel Lawhon Reviewed by S.Kirk Walsh 22 BODY LANGUAGE Features By Meg Howrey Reviewed by Joumana Khatib 5 By the Book Anthony Jeselnik “A book that confronts the purityoffact,the tyranny of memory,and the totalitarianism offamily like no other:” # Nonfiction 16 Essay Michael Steinberg By John Adams 7 IS THISIT The Never-Ending Rise and Fall of theStrokes(and Rock'n³Roll)By Steven HydenReviewed by Peter C.Baker 23 Read Like the Wind Swimming in Words By MJ Franklin -JHUMPA LAHIRI,author of Tbe Namesake 9 ALL THE PRESIDENTS'WARSTwenty-Five Years of America'sWar on Terror "Intense,sharply imagined,and fascinating” Etc. By Peter Bergen Reviewed by Scott Anderson 4 Letters -COLM TÓIBÍN,author of Long lsland 19 Best-Seller Lists 10 PROFITS,PROPHETS,COACHES,AND KINGS(When)Do Leaders Matter? 19 Editors'Choice “Bajaniis arare,rarefind.” By Jared Diamond 20 Paperback Row Reviewed by Dan Jones -RICHARD FORD,author o The Sportsoriter Cover illustration by Samplerman “An irreducible talent” -ANDRÉ ACIMAN,Nea York Times Book Reviea 0THER PRESS www.otherpress.com # Letters Autofriction TOTHE EDITOR: Ijust finished reading Alexandra Jacobs'sreview of"Life of M,"and I wholeheart-edly agree with her playful,spot-on take-down of the novel's portrait of an ac-tress's life.As a writer and longtimereader of experimental fiction,I thought Ihad seen it all:Gertrude Stein's experi-ments with automatic writing,VirginiaWoolf's stream of consciousness,evenDaniel Kraus's "Angel Down,"with itsreinvention of narrative history.But Cuskseems to venture into something elseentirely:the gradual demolition of char-acter itself.I say,enough is enough. TO THE EDITOR: Alexandra Jacobs's review of"Life of M,"by Rachel Cusk(Sept.6),begins with asneer that addressesnot the book itselfbut the inane gossip around it.The re-view progresses immediately to mockCusk:"Having denounced the concept ofcharacter,"Jacobs writes,"perhaps plot isnext to go,and all of narrative"will soonbe reduced to math.It ends on plain oldinsults of the novel and of Cusk's writing"these days."For good measure,Jacobsrespectfully refers to information gleanedfrom Page Six. Che Aetu llork cimes Jacobs nails the problem when sheobserves how Cusk's characters havebeen reduced to initials and then quips,"Perhaps plot is next to go,and all ofnarrative will soon be a calculus prob-lem."At what point does experimentationcease illuminating human experience andbegin erasing the very characters whoselives we are supposed to care about?Jacobs saves her sharpest barb for last:"The air up there where Cusk seems tobe living and writing these days is gasp-ingly thin.She's missed down here onEarth." I have been m

FAQs

What kinds of books are covered in the New York Times sections shown?

The pages include nonfiction items such as essays, along with fiction, poetry, thrillers, children’s books, and literary discussions.

What criticism does the letters section make about Life of M?

Letters argue that the novel’s experimental approach reduces characters and risks erasing the human elements readers care about, while also addressing the surrounding gossip and reception.

How does the article explain why some men do not read fiction?

It suggests that men view fiction as a frivolous waste of time and that cultural conditioning de-emphasizes empathy; it also treats reading as something that must be marketed and habits of attention as an obstacle.

Sep 20, 2026

Upload by Rowan