Topic: Michiko Kakutani

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.

Cheney's memoir: few apologies, some evasion, and critical words for Condi Rice

An early review of Cheney's "In My Time" suggests that readers of the memoir will react more with frustration than with anger.

Before 'O': a 19th-century anonymous sensation

Rather more successfully than 'O,' an anonymous 19th-century novel gripped both Washington insiders and the American public.

How to read "Game Change"

"Game Change" by Mark Halperin and John Heilemann offers more heat than light.

Mary Karr: the buzz about "Lit: A Memoir"

A less-than-kindly greeting for a prized French novel