Roberto Abraham Scaruffi

New on nybooks.com: The wonders of the Ajanta caves, the pursuit of happiness in Manhattan, law without history, and why we talk about some books and not others. Plus recommendations in film, theater, music, art, and more. THIS ISSUE SPONSORED BY UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO PRESS

The Greatest Ancient Picture Gallery William Dalrymple The painted caves of Ajanta represent one the most comprehensive depictions of civilized life to survive from antiquity.   ADVERTISEMENT   Find Your Beach Zadie Smith In an exercise class recently the instructor shouted at me, at all of us: “Don’t let your mind set limits that aren’t really there.” You’ll find this attitude all over Manhattan.   Law Without History? John Paul Stevens Robert Katzmann’s new book explains why it is appropriate to seek to understand the intent of Congress when confronted with vague or ambiguous statutory provisions.    ADVERTISEMENT   The Books We Talk About (and Those We Don’t) Tim Parks We tend to categorize novels as well or poorly written, popular or unpopular. Perhaps more usefully, we should distinguish those that make the conversation, and those that do not   ART Geoffrey Wheatcroft:  Considering his stature as one of the greatest Italian painters, it may seem curious that this is the first major Veronese exhibition in Italysince before World War II (Verona, through October 5).   THEATER Fintan O’Toole: Lisa Dwan has emerged with blistering force as the leading embodiment of Beckett’s female figures. To experience her in these searing but poetic performances is at once a haunting and an exorcism (BAM, October 7–12).   FILM J. Hoberman: Hou Hsiao-Hsien is not only Taiwan’s greatest film artist but, heir to Bresson and Ozu, arguably the greatest narrative filmmaker of the past several decades (Museum of the Moving Image through October 17).   READING Novelists Philip Teir and Kathryn Davis will discuss the life and work of writer and artist Tove Jansson, creator of the beloved Moomin cartoons, and her influence on their own fiction (Scandinavia House, October 20).