Over the Moon renders the present with an eye toward the timeless
The play rises from social commentary to legitimate art piece, avoiding mere parody and ax-grinding
Books & Arts
Viola’s Room is beguiling
Every detail, every sound, every object feels intentional
Nick Drake’s explosive creativity
The first comprehensive repackaging of any of Drake’s albums does justice to the musician
Eyes of the Storm revisits an era
In early photos, the crowds – and the band members – are eager, curious and frank
Ben Shahn’s work remains as timely as ever
The artist’s unflinching vision of a world gone awry is as powerfully direct as his late-in-life compositions of compassion and hope
Trump is right to take on the Smithsonian
The curators’ political peacocking has long carried no risk
The Life of Violet catches a side of Virginia Woolf that has been obscured
A new Woolf typescript is cause for celebration. Two cheers for Seshagiri. But this new edition is a weak casket
Patrick Ryan’s second novel doesn’t pretend to be perfect
Buckeye is a fine illustration of how drawing-room tensions can fester and become matters of historical significance.
Patricia Lockwood’s latest novel transcends genres
Many books mix fiction and memoir. Successfully incorporating criticism into a novel is more unusual
Two wholly different but complementary ways of looking at Christianity
Twelve Churches is a hugely accomplished and endlessly readable book, rich in historical and ecclesiastical detail