NYT Books

“Impossible Creatures” has prompted comparisons to Tolkien, Lewis and Pullman, but action, not awe, is Katherine Rundell’s strong suit.

“Survival Is a Promise,” a new biography by Alexis Pauline Gumbs, is an unabashed homage to the poet known for her political commitment and community building.

Working in a Louisiana middle school has made Amanda Jones a culture warrior, a process she describes in “That Librarian: The Fight Against Book Banning in America.”

The feminist thinker is celebrated as a prophet of empowerment and self-care. A new biography shows how she saw our future even more keenly.

In “Prisoner of Lies,” Barry Werth tells the story of a young C.I.A. operative who spent two decades waiting out the postwar era in a Chinese jail cell.

Violaine Huisman, who leads programming for the Crossing the Line festival, takes in dance on Little Island, a world premiere at Asia Society and “invigorating” translation projects.

Lisa Lucas was among the big hires meant to shake up the industry. Her departure, alongside other prominent Black editors and executives, has led some to question publishers’ pledge to diversify.

Danez Smith’s “Bluff” represents a notable turning point for the poet — and maybe for American poetry as a whole.

Our columnist takes a look at recent books by Sofia Samatar, Vajra Chandrasekera and Emet North.

In her engrossing book “A Wilder Shore,” Camille Peri tells the story of R.L.S. and his American wife, Fanny Van de Grift.