NYT Books

In “The White Ladder,” the British writer Daniel Light explores the heroes, villains and dramas of early mountaineering.

In an eye-opening collection, Emily Mester considers why she, and we, seek satisfaction by obsessively choosing, buying and rating the objects we desire.

A Japanese tale of “frustrated love and revenge,” and a visual history of bathrooms.

How Americans learned to root for the dark side — from the Joker and “Wicked” to Elon Musk.

Henri Bergson enjoyed a cult following on both sides of the Atlantic in the early 20th century. A new biography explains what the fuss was about.

His blog, The Shatzkin Files, was an essential read for industry insiders. His observations about the changes digital publishing would bring were prophetic.

Gabriel García Márquez’s classic novel about the rise and fall of a rural Colombian village as seen through generations of its founding family remains the leading exemplar of magical realism.

Our critic on November’s best new books.

Two families navigate a pivotal holiday season that transforms their lives.

Sometimes a spoon is just a spoon.