Populism is the villain of Jan-Werner Müller’s new book. But a revitalized democracy needs to engage the people.

Both coffee and opium come from plants. Why embrace one and not the other?

In her rivetingly funny letters, the author of “The Lottery” transformed the stuff of daily life into magic.

The great discoveries of the age captivated his imagination. He almost always misunderstood them.

Narrated by an interpreter for a war criminal at the Hague, Kitamura’s new novel weighs connection and disconnection.

The creator of James Bond had an unremarkable career in intelligence and considered his own books “piffle.”

Legal pundits have failed to pinpoint the greatest problems with the former attorney general.

From “The Old Farmer’s Almanac” to “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People,” what do bestselling guides to self-improvement reveal about the United States?

Helen Scales’s fascinating book about life in the deepest parts of the ocean carries a powerful warning.

According to Amanda Montell’s new book, “Cultish,” the jargon and technical language of fanaticism is surprisingly common.

Joshua Cohen’s inventive new novel imagines Benjamin Netanyahu’s childhood, and digs deep into his father Benzion’s vision of Jewish history.

Fearful of increasing participation, elites of the era attempted to rein in democracy.

Four writers reflect on the legacy of Janet Malcolm, who died this week at 86.

In unflinching prose, Malcolm described the ordinariness of American life and the erratic impulses beneath the surface.

The big publishing houses routinely push out political books that are less than truthful, but the former president’s lies seem to be a bridge too far.

The Federal Writers’ Project created jobs, built trust, and invigorated American literature. We should try it again.

In Kathy Wang’s spy thriller, navigating the pressures of the workplace is a lot like espionage.

The “Beauty Myth” author has gone from being a feminist icon to an anti-vaxxer banned by Twitter. But she’s always struggled with the truth.

What ails democracy in her Supreme Court thriller, “While Justice Sleeps”?

Her new novel, “Second Place,” explores the limits of cool detachment.