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Iceland’s Murder Rate Is Off the Charts (in Its Books, at Least)

24 août 2026 à 09:32
The Nordic nation has almost no homicides, yet crime fiction is its favorite literary genre. That means writers face a challenge: making murder feel believable.

© Sigga Ella for The New York Times

Crime novels on display in a bookstore in Reykjavik, Iceland.

Close and Loving, or Oppressive? A Novelist Takes Aim at Italian Families.

22 août 2026 à 11:22
Many Italians see themselves in Andrea Bajani’s latest novel, a portrayal of the family as a “little totalitarian system” shaped by psychological and physical violence.

© Marilla Sicilia/Mondadori Portfolio, via Getty Images

Andrea Bajani in Rome last year. An English translation of his best-selling novel, “The Anniversary,” will be published on Tuesday.

In a Faltering Chinese Economy, Working-Class Stories Strike a Chord

19 août 2026 à 00:00
Poems, essays and books written by working-class writers have garnered recognition in recent years — as well as increasing government attention.

© Jade Gao/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Hu Anyan’s memoir, “I Deliver Parcels in Beijing,” became a best seller in China and was later translated into English. It is a diaristic account of the 19 jobs he held over two decades across China.
  • ✇NYT > World News
  • Quit Lit
    There are good reasons to abandon books we’re not enjoying, but our attenuated attention might lead us to tap out too early.
     

Takeaways From Jason Arday’s Memoir

10 août 2026 à 17:42
The British scholar resigned from Cambridge after the university, which made him its youngest Black professor in 2023, began investigating his academic qualifications.

© Graeme Robertson/Guardian, via eyevine and Redux

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