Five books remain in the running: Tommy Orange's There There' Tayari Jones's An American Marriage; David Chariandy's Brother; Jennifer Clement's Gun Love; and Friday Black by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah.

Pitchaya Sudbanthad's novel follows a broad cast of characters who gradually come together in and around a condominium tower in Bangkok. It's a promising debut that expertly evokes a sense of place.

The title essay reveals just how far New Yorker writer Janet Malcolm has evolved from the unassuming reporter who might once have reassured herself before an important interview.

For centuries, people have turned to jesters for relief from the miseries of life. As it turns out, some stand-up performers turn pain and rage into their own coping and catharsis.

A runway model who objected to the impression made by the drawstring says she was initially told to "keep it to yourself."