Siddhartha Mukherjee Talks About ‘The Gene’

The oncologist and Pulitzer-winning science writer discusses his 2016 book about the history of genetics, and the novelist Kate Atkinson talks about her spy novel “Transcription.”

Unknown Author | NYTimes Books | Disclosure

New Story Collections: From Nature’s Wonders to Worldly Hazards

Short fiction by T.C. Boyle, Jane Campbell, Andrea Barrett and Peter Christopher.

BY JUSTIN TAYLOR | NYTimes Books | Disclosure

Shehan Karunatilaka Wins Booker Prize for ‘The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida’

The Sri Lankan writer received the award, one of the most prestigious literary prizes in the world, for his second novel, which examines the trauma of his country’s decades-long civil war.

BY ALEXANDRA ALTER | NYTimes Books | Disclosure

A Posthumous Memoir Reveals Paul Newman in His Own Words

Compiled from interviews he gave to a close friend, “The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Man” sheds light on the self-doubt of the seemingly imperturbable Hollywood star.

BY DAVE ITZKOFF | NYTimes Books | Disclosure

George Saunders on ‘Lincoln in the Bardo’

The writer, celebrated for his short stories, discusses his 2017 debut novel, and the journalist Patrick Radden Keefe talks about “Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland.”

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Chaucer the Rapist? Newly Discovered Documents Suggest Not.

That the author of “The Canterbury Tales” had been accused of rape was long a staple of Chaucer studies. But scholars now suggest it was based on a misreading of court papers from 1380.

BY JENNIFER SCHUESSLER | NYTimes Books | Disclosure

How a Tiny British Publisher Became the Home of Nobel Laureates

Fitzcarraldo Editions is not yet 10 years old and has only six full-time staff members. Already, three of its authors have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.

BY ALEX MARSHALL | NYTimes Books | Disclosure

Bob Dylan on the Songs That Captivate and Define Us

In his first collection of writing since “Chronicles: Volume One,” Dylan takes on the songs that captivate and define us. Here are two excerpts from his new book.

BY BOB DYLAN | NYTimes Books | Disclosure

What Even Is a Nerd Anymore?

In a new book, the cultural critic Maya Phillips explores the impact and evolution of nerd culture, especially in her own life.

BY STEPHANIE BURT | NYTimes Books | Disclosure

What Does Real Political Change Require? Discomfort, for Starters.

“The Persuaders,” by Anand Giridharadas, profiles progressive activists and organizers who are embracing bold tactics to persuade other Americans to change their views.

BY JENNIFER SZALAI | NYTimes Books | Disclosure

Read Your Way Through London

Bernardine Evaristo, whose “Girl, Woman, Other” won the Booker Prize, invites readers into London, a city whose rich literary landscape is “for everyone, not just the privileged few.”

BY BERNARDINE EVARISTO | NYTimes Books | Disclosure

Newly Published Poetry, From Alice Fulton to Saeed Jones

A selection of books published this week.

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In a Debut Novel, a Family Legacy of Resistance

In “Daughters of the New Year,” E.M. Tran explores assimilation, rebellion and the power of ancestry, as seen through the history of one Vietnamese family.

BY QIAN JULIE WANG | NYTimes Books | Disclosure

An Ex-Soldier Seeks Redemption in a Letter to His Daughter

Andrew Miller’s novel “The Slowworm’s Song” reckons with conflicts both personal and national.

BY CAOILINN HUGHES | NYTimes Books | Disclosure

Roaringly Adventurous, in the Wild and in the Bedroom

A dishy biography of the photographer and playboy Peter Beard never fully explains why so many in the artist’s circle overlooked so much bad behavior.

BY ALEXANDRA JACOBS | NYTimes Books | Disclosure

Walking Across America, in Search of Absolution

In Lydia Millet’s 13th novel, “Dinosaurs,” a middle-aged oil heir leaves behind heartbreak in New York City for the “alien beauty” of the Arizona desert.

BY SIGRID NUNEZ | NYTimes Books | Disclosure

Leonardo DiCaprio, Polished Wood and the Zodiac of Dorian Gray

Our critic recommends old and new books.

BY MOLLY YOUNG | NYTimes Books | Disclosure

Here is a guide to Ernaux’s most essential work.

BY JOUMANA KHATIB | NYTimes Books | Disclosure

The bookmakers’ favorite rarely wins the literature prize.

BY ALEX MARSHALL | NYTimes Books | Disclosure

The Icelandic Secret to Happiness? Elf-Actualization.

In “Looking for the Hidden Folk,” Nancy Marie Brown makes a strong case for everyday wonder.

BY LIESL SCHILLINGER | NYTimes Books | Disclosure

Scientists Knew More About Covid-19 Than We Think. And They Still Do.

In “Breathless,” David Quammen explores the predictable lead-up to the global Covid pandemic, and the frantic, belated attempts to stop it.

By MICHAEL SIMS | NYTimes Books | Disclosure

7 Terrifying Horror Novels Perfect for Teens

Kiersten White, the Bram Stoker Award-winning author of “The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein,” “Hide” and more, recommends a few of her favorite horror novels.

BY KIERSTEN WHITE | NYTimes Books | Disclosure