This is an edition of the Books Briefing, our editors’ weekly guide to the best in books. Sign up for it here. Though we know about this loophole from the opening pages of the first volume, it is more ...

Few dates on the calendar get shorter shrift than poor old November 18. Bereft of major holidays, all but anonymous, and cold — but not even cold enough to snow (at least in a lot of the U.S.) — it ...

From fake dating in “Love, Lies, and Cherry Pie” to forbidden lovers in “The Unmatchmakers” and forced proximity in “Donut Fall in Love,” Jackie Lau is no stranger to conjuring up creative stories for ...

When life gets really hectic, sitting quietly with a book can feel like an impossible luxury. And when does a smartphone-mediated world feel less than hectic? Any shred of free time is too easy to ...

We tend to think of repetition, especially with regard to novels and other media, in negative terms. To say a work is formulaic or cliched is to say that it repeats exhausted tropes and plots. But ...

This week brings new releases from Joy Williams, Simon Winchester and Tracy K. Smith, among other talented writers. Few dates on the calendar get shorter shrift than poor old November 18. Bereft of ...