Adventures in Russian Literature

Shadowing a Swindler

In "No One Would Listen," Harry Markopolos describes his efforts to expose Bernard Madoff's Ponzi scheme. Richard J. Tofel reviews.

The Bible of Bibliomania

Norman Lebrecht reviews "The Oxford Companion to the Book," a million-word, two-volume work on anything and everything about books, from ancient times to the Wiki age.

• Excerpt: 'The Oxford Companion to the Book'

'Cloud Tea Monkeys'

Meghan Cox Gurdon reviews a children's book about a little girl in the Himalayas who faces an uncertain future—until a crew of helpful monkeys comes to the rescue. .

The Success Myth

Author David Shenk on why it pays to put mind over genetic matter. Even Ted Williams had to work to become Ted Williams.

Through a Glass Darkly

A new book by English author Jenny Woolf claims that the unearthing of never-before-published bank statements absolves Lewis Carroll of many of the wild allegations made against him over the years.

A Spirited Take on Death

Lionel Shriver's new novel mixes health insurance and humor.

• Excerpt: 'So Much for That'

Flights to Victory

In "Whirlwind," Barrett Tillman describes the ferocious air war over Japan in World War II, led by the American B-29 bomber. Daniel Ford reviews.

The Little Car That Couldn't

It was small and cheap and badly made. In "The Yugo," Jason Vuic tells the story of Yugoslavia's ludicrous attempt to build and export to the U.S. a fantastically inexpensive car. Dick Teresi reviews.

Chabon on Bay Area Literary Scene

The author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay" talks about which writers he admires and how San Francisco's literary culture compares with other big cities.

• Graphic: Authors by Way of the Bay Area

Iron-Horse Stampede

In "Blood, Iron and Gold," Christian Wolmar traces the history of railroads and how they "transformed the world." Mark Lewis reviews.

• Excerpt: 'Blood, Iron and Gold'

The Trouble With Precision

In "Not Exactly," Kees van Deemter argues that vagueness and ambiguity have hidden virtues, especially in the realm of politics. Andrew Stark reviews.

From Bully to Felon

The slash-and-burn tactics of lawyer Bill Lerach are recounted in "Circle of Greed," Patrick Dillon and Carl M. Cannon's account of the lucrative business of bringing class-action lawsuits against corporations. Kimberley A. Strassel reviews.

In the Black, But No Pink Slips

In "Spark," Frank Koller describes Lincoln Electric's long experience with a no-layoffs policy. Bob Tita reviews.

The Italian Slow Cooker

A trip to Rome and a glance in a restaurant window inspired cookbook author Michele Scicolone's "The Italian Slow Cooker." Aram Bakshian Jr. reviews.

Burkle Presses Barnes & Noble

Billionaire investor sent a new letter to Barnes & Noble directors, challenging the board's position on top executives' holdings in the bookseller.

Too Much of a Good Thing

Biological urges—and goads to action—that made sense in the Stone Age wreak havoc on modern life, argues Deirdre Barrett in "Supernormal Stimuli." Daniel Akst reviews.

What's Wrong With 'Eating Animals'

Jonathan Safran Foer's new book "Eating Animals" makes the case against American animal farming.

Jaipur Sets Bar for Literary Festivals

The Jaipur Literary Festival stands as the symbol of the growing awareness by bibliophiles and big-time editors alike that India has the potential to keep expanding its base of exceptional wordsmiths and energized readers.

• Dalit Writers Come Into Their Own

Wandering, Waiting

In "Conspirator," Helen Rappaport describes Vladimir Lenin's peripatetic years of exile in Europe before his fateful return to Russia in 1917. Bertrand M. Patenaude reviews.

The Slippery Nature of Secrets

U.S. intelligence agencies misjudged the stability of Iran's regime in 1979 and the existence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq in 2003. What happened? Robert Jervis looks for answers in "Why Intelligence Fails." Gabriel Schoenfeld reviews.

The Rules of the Game

Edward Jay Epstein argues in "The Hollywood Economist" that the movie industry's most imaginative creations appear on its balance sheets. Sonny Bunch reviews.

'The Night Fairy'

Newbery Medal-winner Laura Amy Schlitz tells the story of a night fairy who loses her wings and decides to make the best of her predicament by learning to survive in the daytime world.

The French Connection

The annals of warfare are studded with questionable military decisions, but for sheer hubris it is hard to match what happened before and during the battle for Dien Bien Phu.

• Excerpt: 'Valley of Death'

The 'Fun Hog Expedition' Revisited

A climbing trip in Patagonia in 1968 inspired two of its members to become world-class conservationists—but first they had to become millionaires. Michael J. Ybarra reviews "180° South."

• Excerpt: '180° South'

The Art of Being Ruled

Thomas Hobbes saw the strife and murderous contention of 17-century Europe and developed a set of ideas for securing safety and order in modern societies. Perez Zagorin describes his outlook and philosophy in "Hobbes and the Law of Nature." Jeffrey Collins reviews.

Barnes & Noble Rejects Burkle Bid

Barnes & Noble's board unanimously rejected activist investor Ronald Burkle's bid to raise his stake in the bookseller to 37%

Building Team Spirit

In "Safe Patients, Smart Hospitals," Peter Pronovost, with co-author Eric Vohr, argues that medicine needs a collaborative model of care. At the moment, nurses are afraid to challenge doctors even when doctors are ordering the wrong drug or operating on the wrong limb. Laura Landro reviews.

Clash of the Titans

In "The Death of American Virtue," Ken Gormley gives an exhaustive account of Ken Starr's independent-counsel investigations and Bill Clinton's response to them. Jonathan Karl reviews.