This Week in Calendar

Anne Butterfield reviews “Break Through: From the Death of Environmentalism to the Politics of Possibility” by Ted Nordhaus and Michael Shellenberger.

David L. Ulin reviews “On God: An Uncommon Conversation” by Norman Mailer with Michael Lennon and “A Dynamic God: Living an Unconventional Catholic Faith” by Nancy Mairs.

Tim Rutten reviews “Ghost,” a novel by Alan Lightman.

The following reviews are scheduled:

Carmela Ciuraru reviews “The Worst Thing I’ve Done,” a novel by Ursula Hegi.

Gavin Grant reviews “The Steep Approach to Garbadale,” a novel by Iain Banks.

On the Web

This week at latimes.com/books :

Richard Rayner’s Paperback Writers celebrates the importance of a sometimes-overlooked aspect of American letters, the literary quarterly. In this month’s column, Rayner pays tribute in particular to the Paris Review, now more than 50 years old and still going strong. Why does it have continuing relevance? One reason, Rayner highlights, has to do with all those splendid, lengthy interviews with the literary greats, which, he writes, offer us “the best ongoing inquiry into the creative process ever conducted.” With George Plimpton’s death in 2003 and the arrival of his successor, Philip Gourevitch, the review hasn’t slowed, Rayner writes, but, in fact, “seems as healthy and necessary as it always has, an American treasure with true international reach.”

Lists and blog: Look for expanded bestsellers lists and our guide to local literary events, as well as Jacket Copy, latimesblogs.latimes.com/jacketcopy, our books and publishing information blog.