Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore
A technological adventure story lurks on these shelves.
Heller McAlpin
Heller McAlpin is a New York-based critic who reviews books for NPR.org, The Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, Christian Science Monitor, and other publications.
This Is How You Lose Her
A cheater’s guide to love is also a poignant study of what keeps us from understanding ourselves.
There but for the
A dinner party attendee’s refusal to leave occasions reflection among his fellow guests.
Workers’ Compensations
Why a writer’s luminous memoir makes inspiring reading for recent graduates — and their families.
The Story of Charlotte’s Web
How a death on a farm led to a monument of children’s literature.
Caleb’s Crossing
A colonial girl and a nativeboy in 17th-century New England are linked by an unusual friendship.
The Three Weissmanns of Westport
A suburban Connecticut town is the setting for an update of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility.
Where the God of Love Hangs Out
Amy Bloom’s new novel of short stories puts the spotlight on cupid’s paradoxical heartlessness.
The Pleasures of Cooking for One
A cookbook for when dinner doesn’t require a party.
The Pattern in the Carpet
Heller McAlpin reviews an intriguing puzzle of a memoir.
The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work
Is the modern conception of work an unpleasant necessity? An evolutionary aberration? Or a key to happiness?