Books Update

On the Cover of Sunday's Book Review 'Rin Tin Tin: The Life and the Legend' By SUSAN ORLEAN Reviewed by JENNIFER SCHUESSLER Susan Orlean follows the life of the soulful German shepherd who was born on the battlefields of World War I, conquered Hollywood and emerged victorious as a perfect icon of cold war gunslinging.  Excerpt: 'Rin Tin Tin' Also in the Book Review 'The Stranger's Child' By ALAN HOLLINGHURST Reviewed by THOMAS MALLON Scholars and relatives wrestle with the legacy of a Rupert Brooke-like writer in Alan Hollinghurst's novel. 'My Song' By HARRY BELAFONTE Reviewed by GARRISON KEILLOR As a singer and actor, Harry Belafonte was both a matinee idol and a proud black man. 'Shards' By ISMET PRCIC Reviewed by DANA SPIOTTA The Bosnian hero of Ismet Prcic's first novel is shattered by war.  Up Front: Dana Spiotta 'Nightwoods' By CHARLES FRAZIER Reviewed by RANDY BOYAGODA In Charles Frazier's novel, a young woman becomes the guardian of her murdered sister's twins. VISUALS The Design of Symbols By STEVEN HELLER The symbols found in airports, hospitals and government buildings are ubiquitous, but few people know where they had their origins. 'Why Read Moby-Dick? ' By NATHANIEL PHILBRICK Reviewed by KATHRYN HARRISON Melville's book about sin and redemption should be read by everyone, Nathaniel Philbrick says.  Slide Show: Moby-Dick: A Display of Book Covers 'Deng Xiaoping and the Transformation of China' By EZRA F. VOGEL Reviewed by JONATHAN MIRSKY A look at the career of Deng Xiaoping, who changed China's course. 'Cain' By JOSE SARAMAGO Reviewed by ROBERT PINSKY In José Saramago's final novel, Cain is a flawed Everyman. 'The End' By IAN KERSHAW Reviewed by JAMES J. SHEEHAN A look at Hitler's grip on Germany in the Third Reich's last days. 'The Dovekeepers' By ALICE HOFFMAN Reviewed by SARAH FAY Alice Hoffman's novel reimagines the first-century siege, through the eyes of women. 'Nanjing Requiem' By HA JIN Reviewed by ISABEL HILTON Ha Jin's novel recreates the horrors of the Japanese invasion of Nanjing. 'The Struggle for Egypt' By STEVEN A. COOK Reviewed by THANASSIS CAMBANIS A look at the history behind the Egyptian uprising. 'Where China Meets India' By THANT MYINT-U Reviewed by JAMES FALLOWS Thant Myint-U explains why Myanmar is destined to play an increasingly crucial role in the world. 'The Maid' By KIMBERLY CUTTER Reviewed by SARAH TOWERS In her first novel, Kimberly Cutter explores the life and death of Joan of Arc.

BEST SELLERS Combined Print & E-Book Fiction Combined Print & E-Book Nonfiction Hardcover Fiction Hardcover Nonfiction Paperback Trade Fiction Paperback Mass-Market Fiction Paperback Nonfiction All the Lists RELATED COLUMNS TBR: Inside the List Editors' Choice Paperback Row Back Page ESSAY Dwight Macdonald's War on Mediocrity By DWIGHT GARNER While the critic was on the receiving end of some of the best literary insults of the 20th century, he nearly always gave better than he got. SLIDE SHOW: Moby-Dick: A Display of Book Covers White whales abound in this book cover collection of Herman Melville's masterwork. Book Review Podcast Featuring Susan Orlean on the life of a canine icon in her book "Rin Tin Tin: The Life and the Legend"; and Steven Heller on his latest Visuals column. Revisiting Deng Xiaoping: A Word With Ezra F. Vogel Eichmann Drama Opening in Boston, With Broadway in Mind She Coulda Been a Contender: National Book Award Finalist Withdraws After Mistake