John D’Agata wants to redefine the essay as art for art’s sake, but the American tradition is rooted in artful sermonizing and pathological point-making.

THE UNREALITY OF MEMORY And Other Essays By Elisa Gabbert. For more than a year, I’ve been in the daily habit of visiting an online forum where members post about natural disasters, terrible ...

Book Review. We're Alone: Essays. By Edwidge Danticat Graywolf: 192 pages, $26 If you buy books linked on our site, The Times may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support ...