Books Update: Eyes Right

George Will reviews the Library of America's “American Conservatism”

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story April 10, 2020

Matt Dorfman

Dear Reader,

Conservatism as a concept has been much debated and dissected in recent years, with various permutations set against the other: the paleoconservative versus the neoconservative, the Tea Party radical versus the establishment. The “small l” liberal versus the social conservative. The populist Trump supporter versus the Never Trumper. A new anthology of conservative thought from the Library of America, “American Conservatism: Reclaiming an Intellectual Tradition,” edited by Andrew Bacevich, attempts to trace the various strands of modern conservatism, in an effort to understand their differences by delving into their roots and trajectories. Who better to make sense of all that than the essayist and author George Will, whose most recent book is “The Conservative Sensibility”? You can hear Will discuss his own book on the subject on an episode of the podcast from last year.

Many of us are largely confined to indoor spaces these days, often stuck to our computer screens for remote work and so turning to books (of course!) but also to board games, puzzles and other old-fashioned pastimes to get a break. It’s a good time, then, to dive into Adrienne Raphel’s history of the crossword puzzle, “Thinking Inside the Box: Adventures With Crosswords and the Puzzling People Who Can’t Live Without Them.” Our review is from the host of NPR’s “Wait, Wait … Don’t Tell Me!” quiz show, Peter Sagal.

April is National Poetry Month, which means a poetry-related review in each issue this month. This week, check out our review of Natalie Diaz’s “Postcolonial Love Poem.”

Podcast fans: We hear you! We’ve gotten lots of letters asking us to please start up again in this moment when people are casting about for diversion. We’re delighted to oblige, with a new episode this week featuring Robert Kolker and the Book Review’s own Elisabeth Egan.

Please stay in touch and let us know what you think – whether it’s about this newsletter, our reviews, our podcast, our literary calendar, our Instagram or what you’re reading. We read and ponder all of it. I even write back, albeit belatedly. You can email me at books@nytimes.com.

Pamela Paul

Editor of The New York Times Book Review

@PamelaPaulNYT

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THE BOOK REVIEW PODCAST Robert Kolker Discusses ‘Hidden Valley Road’ Kolker talks about a large family beset by schizophrenia, and Elisabeth Egan discusses Lily King’s “Writers & Lovers.”

NONFICTION nonfiction The Mind of Conservatism “American Conservatism,” a collection of pieces edited by Andrew J. Bacevich, demonstrates the wide range of conservative thought in America. By George F. Will nonfiction Reviving Emily Dickinson in 10 Episodes In “These Fevered Days,” Martha Ackmann plumbs pivotal moments in the poet’s life for fresh insight into her mind. By Megan Marshall nonfiction Is There Cosmic Meaning in Life’s Randomness? In a new memoir, “My Meteorite,” the artist Harry Dodge searches for the grand pattern in his life’s myriad coincidences. By Ismail Muhammad nonfiction This Is the Face of an Undocumented Immigrant. Don’t Look Away. Karla Cornejo Villavicencio’s new book combines memoir and reporting to tell the stories behind the headlines. By Caitlin Dickerson nonfiction Here’s Looking at You, Grid: A History of Crosswords and Their Fans In “Thinking Inside the Box,” Adrienne Raphel offers a cultural and personal history of America’s favorite word puzzle. By Peter Sagal The Sometimes Amusing, Sometimes Appalling Life of a Lady-in-Waiting In her new memoir, Anne Glenconner reflects on her nearly three decades of service to Princess Margaret. By Alida Becker nonfiction Facing the Climate Change Crisis, Three Books Offer Some Ambitious Proposals Hope Jahren’s “The Story of More,” Christina Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac’s “The Future We Choose” and Solomon Goldstein-Rose’s “The 100% Solution” offer some novel approaches to global warming.

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FICTION & POETRY poetry Poems of Love and Desire That Push Back Against Oppression In “Postcolonial Love Poem,” Natalie Diaz takes a traditional form and makes it her own, centering the experiences of queer women of color. By Emilia Phillips fiction A Real-Life J.F.K. Lover, Murdered in 1964, Stars in Two New Novels “The Lost Diary of M” and “JFK and Mary Meyer” are both fictional diaries of the A-list Washington socialite Mary Pinchot Meyer. By Michael Callahan fiction Flashback to the ’80s In “We Ride Upon Sticks,” Quan Barry transports readers to the heyday of leg warmers and hair spray. By Marcy Dermansky fiction Step 1: Move to Peru. Step 2: Join the Marxist Struggle. Andrew Altschul’s new novel, “The Gringa,” is based on the true story of Lori Berenson, a New Yorker-turned-leftist rebel. By Alex Cuadros

CHILDREN’S BOOKS children’s books From Haiku to Spoken Word, Picture Books That Bring Poetry to Kids Nursery rhymes, recipes, social justice, even a construction site provide lively fodder for a new selection of illustrated verse. By Gregory Cowles

FEATURES by the book The Nobel-Winning Economist Who Wants You to Read More Fiction “I would encourage anyone interested in understanding the Great Depression or mid-19th century Britain to turn to Steinbeck or Dickens.” essay Ann Patchett on Why We Need Life-Changing Books Right Now The novelist Ann Patchett doesn’t have children and didn’t read middle-grade books. Then she picked up one by Kate DiCamillo and couldn’t stop until she’d read them all. By Ann Patchett sketchbook If You Can’t Go Outside, Read The pleasures of staying indoors and curling up with a book, at a moment when it’s practically mandatory. By Grant Snider

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New & Noteworthy, From Walt Whitman to Harry Houdini A selection of recent books of interest; plus, a peek at what our colleagues around the newsroom are reading. What Lorrie Moore Doesn’t Know About Jane Austen … and Other Letters Readers respond to recent issues of the Sunday Book Review. Looking at the History of Viruses and Public Opinion In 1999, David Papineau wrote for the Book Review about “Flu,” Gina Kolata’s book about the 1918 influenza pandemic and the hunt for the virus that caused it. 9 New Books We Recommend This Week Suggested reading from critics and editors at The New York Times. inside the list Jen Gotch Is Not a Therapist, but She Knows How to Cope The retail guru and best-selling author of “The Upside of Being Down” shares practical advice for readers and ruminators. By Elisabeth Egan New in Paperback: ‘American Carnage’ and ‘Mrs. Everything’ Six new paperbacks to check out this week. By Jennifer Krauss

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New International Books

Illustration by Thoka Maer

Your sneak preview of books coming out in 2019 from around the world. Get globetrotting.

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