The New York Review of Books; April 9, 2026

The New York Review of Books is a semi-monthly magazine with articles on literature, culture, economics, science and current affairs. Published in New York City, it is inspired by the idea that the discussion of important books is an indispensable literary activity.

In this issue: 

• Ben Lerner: John Bergen on Love and Liberation
• Cathleen Schine: Gershom Scholem's Yiddishkeit Delight
• Mirana Seymour: The Amazing Escapes of Muriel Spark
• Andrew Katzenstein: Firesign Theatre's Erudite Buffoons
• Fintan 0'Toole: The Emptiness of Trump's Iran War
• Yi-Ling Lin: Why and How does China Build?
• Punkaj Mishra: The Death of the Persian Ideal