The New York Times asks a handful of writers what books they’ve enjoyed most over the last few months, and why. Their choices are idiosyncratic and instructive. From Salon, from the pursuit of a lost Shakespeare manuscript to a chilling tale of missing sisters, these recommendations will add sizzle to your beach book list; and Opus Day: An interview with Berkeley Breathed, Salon's new Sunday cartoonist. The Skim Trade: At New York's BookExpo, the literary event of a lunchtime. In Praise Of The Small Press: There are numerous other small presses out there. Check them out - you might discover a gem of your own.

From Harper's, an article on Why Dickens Matters. Orhan Pamuk's prosecution for "insulting Turkishness" made headlines around the world but he is not interested in engaging directly with politics. He is

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