Critical Notes

Michael Lindgren reviews this year's NBCC finalists in criticism for the Washington Post. George De Stefano reviews Petra Reski's The Honored Society: A Portrait of Italy's Most Powerful Mafia for the

Jim Carmin reviews Ron Rash's short-story collection Nothing Gold Can Stay for the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Michael Lindgren delivers an appreciation of John Ashbery's The Dream Songs at the Rumpus. Julia M. Klein reviews

Katherine A. Powers reviews P.G. Wodehouse: A Life in Letters for the Barnes & Noble Review. Jim Carmin reviews Karen Russell's short-story collection, Vampires in the Lemon Grove, for the

Kyle Minor praises Eula Biss's Notes From No Man's Land, the NBCC 2009 winner in criticism newly released on audiobook, as “the most accomplished book of essays anyone has written or

After hearing Richard Blanco’s inaugural poem, Washington Post commentator Alexandra Petri wondered if poetry is dead. John Deming has some strong words in response; so does David Biespiel. Daniel Mendelsohn

Last week's announcement of the NBCC finalists generated plenty of coverage, from the Los Angeles Times to the Washington Post to the New York Times to the Minnapolis Star-Tribune to

Poet Harvey Shapiro, editor of the New York Times Book Review from 1975 to 1983, died last week at 88. Jane Ciabattari reviews George Saunders’ short-story collection Tenth of December

“The first piece I assign my feature journalism classes is something a little more revealing: write three pages confessing your most humiliating secret,” Susan Shapiro wrote in an essay for

Chelsea Philpot reviews Lauren Oliver’s young-adult novel The Spindlers for the New York Times. David Haglund is among the many novelists and critics taking part in the Millions’ annual A

Leah Triplett reviews Marianne Mathieu’s study of the French artist Berthe Morisot, Berthe Morisot: 1841-1895, for Bookslut. Heller McAlpin lists her favorite books of the year at NPR.org and commemorates