Topic: John Updike

The Fun Stuff: And Other Essays

Twenty-three essays showcase preeminent literary critic James Wood as a hungry, happy bookworm.

Chapter & Verse Why is Paulo Coelho slamming James Joyce?

Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho says of Joyce's book 'Ulysses,' 'There is nothing there.'

Why Does the World Exist?

A simple question proves thorny in Jim Holt's new book.

Chapter & Verse Festival of Faith and Writing: the conference that brought John Updike, Salman Rushdie to western Michigan

This year's Festival of Faith and Writing at Calvin College included Jonathan Safran Foer, Marilynne Robinson, Chimimanda Ngoze Adichie, Luis Alberto Urrea, and Leila Aboulela.

Chapter & Verse Is Ann Patchett the female Jonathan Franzen?

In some respects, Jonathan Franzen and Ann Patchett seem separated at birth – except for all the ways in which they are polar opposites.

John Updike: 10 quotes on his birthday

10 quotes to mark John Updike's 80th birthday.

National Book Awards: the 2011 fiction nominees

The 2011 National Book Award winners will be chosen tonight at 8 p.m at a black-tie ceremony in New York hosted by actor and author John Lithgow.  This year's nominees were not without controversy, most notably in the Young Adult category, where author Lauren Myracle was first erroneously listed as a nominee for her novel, “Shine” and then was asked to withdraw her nomination. (At Myracle's request, the National Book Foundation made a $5,000 donation to the Mathew Shephard Foundation in exchange.) In the adult fiction category, judges chose to honor some less-publicized books over some of the bigger “event” novels of the year, such as Ann Patchett's “State of Wonder” and Jeffrey Eugenides's “The Marriage Plot.”  Here's a look at the five finalists for the fiction prize.

iPad book apps designed to thrill serious book lovers

iPad book apps add authors' notes and historical material to classics like "Atlas Shrugged," "On the Road,"and the complete works of Shakespeare.

Still no great 9/11 novel?

Not yet, says our critic. But while we wait for the standout still to come, here are a few near misses.

Fall books: 20 nonfiction titles you don't want to miss

From the energy crisis to The Doors, from Hitler’s Germany to Rin Tin Tin, here are the nonfiction titles that have readers buzzing this fall.

Tom Perrotta talks about "The Leftovers"

"The Rapture is ... a surprisingly rich metaphor for growing older and living with loss," says Perrotta of the end-time theme in "The Leftovers."

What There Is to Say We Have Said: The Correspondence of Eudora Welty and William Maxwell

Two great writers share thoughts on their books, their gardens, their dreams, and their deep caring for one another.

3 short story collections: some of the best I've ever read

When it comes to short stories, the best insight on how to read them I've ever found came from a new book on writing, “Unless It Moves the Human Heart,” by Roger Rosenblatt. One of Rosenblatt's graduate students said, in effect, that the writer begins by saying, “And so, we have come to this.” Of three new collections out this winter, two rank among the best I've ever read. If this is what we've come to, 2011 should be rich indeed.

Classic review: The Lay of the Land

A Thanksgiving story that offers a dark view of America at the close of the 20th century.

The Best American Essays 2010

The essays in this year's anthology – edited by Christopher Hitchens – are both varied and bold.

Classic review: The Only Game in Town

A sparkling, eclectic collection of sports profiles from the pages of the New Yorker.

Reader recommendation: Bungalow Kid

Monitor readers share their favorite book picks.

The Only Game in Town

A sparkling, eclectic collection of sports profiles from the pages of The New Yorker.

Classic review: Poetry collections to cherish

Short reviews of three delightful poetry collections.

Classic review: Hugging the Shore

Updike as critic: versatile, diligent, erudite, entertaining.

"Thanks, Herta Muller!" The Nobel prize lifts a small press

A Gate at the Stairs

Family, race, and religion mingle in Lorrie Moore's incisive coming-of-age novel about a college girl disillusioned by what she sees of adult life.

The Maples Stories

John Updike’s 18 stories charting the marriage and divorce of Joan and Richard Maples.

No more novels for Larry McMurtry?

IndieBound* hardcover bestseller list 7/7/09