Ken O'Brien, Harvard Square Bookseller

In the first installment of Harvard's Neighbors, The Crimson profiles Harvard Square bookseller Ken O'Brien, who speaks about the various jobs he's held over the years, why he sells books in the Square, and the important role that owning a dog has played in his life.

Amy Chua smiles at a reader's positive response to her memoir, The Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, during a question and answer session before her book signing at The Harvard Bookstore.

'Tiger Mom' Defends Herself

At an appearance at the Harvard Book Store yesterday, Amy L. Chua ’84 said that while her book “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother” has garnered significant criticism, she wrote the work propelled by a desire to share the story of her relationship with her two daughters.

History’s Bestseller in Type at Houghton

“The Bible in Type, from Gutenberg to Rogers: An Exhibition Commemorating the Four-Hundredth Anniversary of the King James Bible” celebrates beautifully-crafted examples of history’s best-selling—and arguably most influential—book, the Bible.

‘Kornel Esti’ an Ingenious, Wild Romp Through Hungary

Throughout Kornel’s stories and the narrator’s recollections, the beautiful is juxtaposed with irritation, boredom, and violence; Kosztolányi favors sweeping statements with fanciful specifics.

'Kornel Esti' by Deszö Kosztolányi releases on Thursday, Feb. 22.

Márai Skewers Love, ‘Marriage,’ and the Bourgeoisie

"Portraits of a Marriage" feels like a fireplace conversation between an older and a younger generation, a passing of knowledge, a sharing not just of memory but of experience.

"Portraits of a Marriage" by Sándor Márai is out now.

Straub's 'Other People' Charm with a Wry Smile

There is not a single plucky heroine or Prince Charming to be found in Emma Straub’s endearing new collection of short stories about love.

Emma Straub's 'Other People We Married' is out now.

Weekend in Photos: (02/22/2011)

Weekend in Photos: (02/22/2011)

The Harvard Horntails, Harvard's quidditch team, hosted a tournament on Sunday, Feb. 20, that included other Boston-area teams as well as a team from the University of Vaasa in Finland.

Juan Munoz '11, playing for the Harvard Horntails, tries to elude the Vaasa Centaurs' defense during Harvard's first home quidditch tournament Sunday afternoon.

Glaeser Presents New Book on Cities

Cities foster the communication of complex ideas, making them key to the future of America and the world, Economics Professor ...

Edward Glaeser

Economics professor Edward Glaeser discusses his new book, "Triumph of the City," at the Harvard Book Store last night.

Lurid Tales of 'Crime' Captivate But Fall Flat

To combine this darkly fascinating subject matter with the author’s straightforward narration initially seems a kind of alchemy; von Schirach promises to extract insights about “human beings—their failings, their guilt, and their capacity to behave magnificently” from the elements of hardboiled detective novels and television serials.

'Swamplandia!' is Murky, Convoluted Despite Charm

At times, Karen Russell’s “Swamplandia!” is an ode to prose, filled with clever turns of phrase, sharp insight, and language so rich and detailed that images of an isolated Florida swamp seem to jump from the pages of the book directly into the mind. However, its murky plot and tiresome back-and-forth narration overwhelm Russell’s stylish prose and the charm of her characters, and the novel sinks into a swampy, convoluted mess.

James Kugel Reflects on Holiness

Kugel’s meditation on religion is a deeply human one—part scholarship, part personal confession.

Oates Mourns, Recounts Devastating 'Widow's Story'

In nostalgic anecdotes about her husband and descriptions of her despair Oates convincingly recreates the thoughts, daydreams, and distractions that make up the process of mourning.

Lepore on Writing Current History

Professor Lepore sees herself as a public historian who “has a civic obligation to contribute to the public debate, not just [to] be ... entertaining.”

Jill Lepore, a staff writer at the New Yorker and a distinguished scholar of American History, reads an excerpt from her new book,"The Whites of Their Eyes: The Tea Party's Revolution and the Battle over American History."

Dasgupta Discusses Historical Creation

The author overcame the challenges of writing about a character so different from himself through extensive research, saying that before working on the novel, he had considered Bulgaria a forgotten country, remote from the history of the 20th century.