The Book Review: Big shots behaving badly

Plus: Dating apps in fiction, 19th-century cults and more

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story February 10, 2023 Illustration by Ben Giles Dear fellow readers, As any fan of "Succession" or "Empire" can tell you, a family business offers lots of potential for drama, with infighting rivals jockeying jealously for power and position. In "Unscripted," the book on our cover this week, the Times reporters James B. Stewart and Rachel Abrams take a close look at the spectacular implosion of Paramount as its founder, Summer Redstone, reached his 90s with no clear plan for who would replace him. The book is rife with bad behavior, from greed to mismanagement to sex scandals, and it's a lot of fun to read. Also in this week's issue, we bring you the weird history of a 19th-century utopian sex cult in Oneida, N.Y., where President Garfield's assassin was briefly a member; a look at Oscar Hammerstein II's Broadway; our February Group Text pick; the latest in crime fiction, Jennifer Wilson's essay about the novel's embrace of reading apps; plus plenty more. If you have time, tell us what you're reading! (We may publish your response, or feature it in an upcoming newsletter.) I'm toggling among several books at the moment, as is my habit, including Salman Rushdie's "Victory City," Daniel Hahn's "Catching Fire: A Translation Diary" and a father-son memoir that will come out in May. You can email me at books@nytimes.com. I read every letter sent. Gregory Cowles Senior Editor, The New York Times Book Review @GregoryCowles Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Like this email? Sign-up here or forward it to your friends. Have a suggestion or two on how we can improve it? Let us know at newsletters@nytimes.com. Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. Subscribe Today We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times with this special offer. THIS WEEK IN THE BOOK REVIEW Dating apps in fiction, 19th-century cults, a debut novel set on the squash court and more. Pavel Popov ESSAY When the Novel Swiped Right Contemporary fiction writers have only just begun to address the dating app revolution, but when they do the results are often new, bold stories about human connection and desire. By Jennifer Wilson Rebecca Clarke BY THE BOOK Jojo Moyes's Grandmother Knew a Bookworm When She Saw One "It wasn't a compliment," says the writer, whose latest novel is "Someone Else's Shoes." "My weekly visits to her were usually spent with my nose buried between the pages." D. E. Smith NONFICTION The 19th-Century Cult That Gave Rise to an Incel Assassin Susan Wels's "An Assassin in Utopia" links President Garfield's killer to the atmosphere of free love and religious fervor that gripped Oneida, N.Y., in the late 1800s. By Mattie Kahn Femme ter Haar FICTION Finding Solace From Grief on the Squash Court In Chetna Maroo's debut novel, "Western Lane," an adolescent girl mourns the death of her mother in the empty reverberations between points. By Ivy Pochoda Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT THE BOOK REVIEW PODCAST 'Lives of the Wives: Five Literary Marriages' Sadie Stein, an editor at the Book Review, discusses Carmela Ciuraru's new group biography with the host Gilbert Cruz. Fiction & Poetry New Crime Novels: A Nun With Very Bad Habits By Sarah Weinman "The Unfortunates," by JK Chukwu Reviewed by Zakiya Dalila Harris "Skull Water," by Heinz Insu Fenkl Reviewed by Spencer Quong Group Text: "My Last Innocent Year," by Daisy Alpert Florin By Elisabeth Egan "After Sappho," by Selby Wynn Schwartz Reviewed by Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore "Sam," by Allegra Goodman Reviewed by Mary Pols The Shortlist: Story Collections to Take Readers Around the World By Sindya Bhanoo Poetry: As Wallace Stevens Once Put It: Hi! By Elisa Gabbert Nonfiction "Unscripted: The Epic Battle for a Media Empire and the Redstone Family Legacy," by James B. Stewart and Rachel Abrams Reviewed by Adam Davidson "Oscar Hammerstein II and the Invention of the Musical," by Laurie Winer Reviewed by Brad Leithauser "The Great Escape: A True Story of Forced Labor and Immigrant Dreams in America," by Saket Soni Reviewed by Farah Stockman "Children of the State: Stories of Survival and Hope in the Juvenile Justice System," by Jeff Hobbs Reviewed by Lauren Sandler Children's Books The Windeby Puzzle: History and Story, by Lois Lowry Reviewed by Laura Amy Schlitz Features Profile: Paul Harding Captures the Quiet Side of Calamity By MJ Franklin Etc. Newly Published: Other books out this week, from "Fresh Fly Fabulous: 50 Years of Hip Hop Style" to "The Hard Parts," a memoir by a Paralympic medalist Editors' Choice: 9 new books we recommend, including Salman Rushdie's "Victory City," a salty historical romp and a biography of Roald Dahl Inside the Best-Seller List: Boring Book Events? Not for Grady Hendrix New in Paperback: Fintan O'Toole's "We Don't Know Ourselves," Jessamine Chan's "The School for Good Mothers" and more Best Sellers Read all of our lists Continue reading the main story Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Books from The New York Times. To stop receiving Books, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, manage your email preferences. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018