The fiction issue

We occupy, or so conventional wisdom tells us, a nonfiction era. Terrorism, the environment, social issues: Such problems seem antithetical to fiction’s thrall. And yet, storytelling continues to move us, illuminating the nuances, the implications, of these times.

Whether taking on Hollywood, Sept. 11 or the role of race and culture in identity, contemporary fiction has a lot to say -- not just about the present but about our very selves. With this issue, Book Review looks at an array of new fiction that speaks to how we live.