Books & the Arts
Helen DeWitt and Ilya Gridneff’s Sweeping Anti-War Novel Helen DeWitt and Ilya Gridneff’s Sweeping Anti-War Novel
Your Name Here dramatizes the tensions and possibilities of political art.
Mahmood Mamdani’s Uganda Mahmood Mamdani’s Uganda
In his new book Slow Poison, the accomplished anthropologist revisits the Idi Amin and Yoweri Museveni years.
Blood Orange’s Sonic Experiments Blood Orange’s Sonic Experiments
Dev Hynes moves between grief and joy in Essex Honey, his most personal album yet.
The Remaking of Trump’s Washington, DC The Remaking of Trump’s Washington, DC
The ballroom and his other proposed building projects are many things, but they are not exactly works of architecture.
From the Magazine
Franz Kafka’s Best Friend Franz Kafka’s Best Friend
Kafka’s late story about a philosopher dog, like most of his stories about animals, is really about our lost humanity.
How Can We Fix American Democracy? How Can We Fix American Democracy?
Preserving our democracy is as urgent a task as ever, but the question is how.
The Messy Campus Thriller of “After the Hunt” The Messy Campus Thriller of “After the Hunt”
Luca Guadagnino’s films have always asked viewers to turn off their brains when it comes to love and sex. In his new film, he asks the opposite.
Literary Criticism
Fady Joudah’s Poetry of Dislocation Fady Joudah’s Poetry of Dislocation
In his new book of poetry, […], the poet, translator, and ER doctor explores Palestinians’ experiences of exile and displacement—and the difficulty of healing amid the ongoing Nak…
The Rebellions of Murray Kempton The Rebellions of Murray Kempton
One of his generation’s most prolific journalists, Kempton never turned a blind eye to the inequalities all around him.
James Baldwin’s Radical Politics of Love James Baldwin’s Radical Politics of Love
While Baldwin was persecuted in part because of whom he loved, it was love that impelled him to bring about a more utopian future in which such persecution was not possible.
History & Politics
The Radical Past and Future of Debt Resistance The Radical Past and Future of Debt Resistance
The deep roots of debt relief activism in the United States.
Angelo Herndon and the Radical Politics of Free Speech Angelo Herndon and the Radical Politics of Free Speech
The story ofhis landmark case reminds us of how powerful a popular front of socialists and liberals can be in protecting our civil liberties.
The Catastrophe of Democratic Foreign Policy The Catastrophe of Democratic Foreign Policy
A new book on the Biden’s wars serves as a stark reminder that the Democrats need to formulate a new foreign policy—as well as reckon with the one they had.
Art & Architecture
The Art and Automatons of Kara Walker The Art and Automatons of Kara Walker
Walker’s new installation at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art offers us visions from both the past and future.
Norman Foster’s 270 Park and the Rise of the New Office Building Norman Foster’s 270 Park and the Rise of the New Office Building
The building’s dramatic and dazzling feats of architecture make it appear as if it were hovering above the street. But is that a good thing?
Film & Television
The Empty Provocations of “Eddington” The Empty Provocations of “Eddington”
Ari Aster’s farcical western is billed as a send-up of the puerile politics of the Covid years. In reality, it’s a film that seems to have no politics at all.
The Apprenticeship of Donald Trump The Apprenticeship of Donald Trump
A new film examines Trump’s formative years under the tutelage of Roy Cohn.
The Revolutionary Politics of “Andor” The Revolutionary Politics of “Andor”
The latest addition to the Star Wars series offers an intricate tale of radicalization and its costs.
Latest in Books & the Arts
TikTok’s Incomplete Story TikTok’s Incomplete Story
The company has transformed the very nature of social media, and in the process it has mutated as well—from tech unicorn to geopolitical chesspiece.
Jan 8, 2026 / Books & the Arts / Erin Schwartz
Did We Get the History of Modern American Art Wrong? Did We Get the History of Modern American Art Wrong?
The standard story of 1960s arts is one of Abstract Expressionism leading into Pop Art and minimalism. A Whitney show proposes an altogether different one centered on surrealism.
Jan 7, 2026 / Books & the Arts / Barry Schwabsky
The Bleak History of the American Work Ethic The Bleak History of the American Work Ethic
In Make Your Own Job, Erik Baker shows just how long Americans have scrambled to pile work on top of work—and at what cost.
Jan 6, 2026 / Books & the Arts / Nick Juravich
The Banal Spectacle of “Avatar: Fire and Ash” The Banal Spectacle of “Avatar: Fire and Ash”
Has James Cameron’s epic sci-fi series run aground?
Jan 5, 2026 / Books & the Arts / Stephen Kearse
The Dislocations of Shuang Xuetao The Dislocations of Shuang Xuetao
The Chinese writer’s fiction details how the country transformed on an intimate level after the Cultural Revolution.
Dec 30, 2025 / Books & the Arts / Ting Lin
An Absurdist Novel That Tries to Make Sense of the Ukraine War An Absurdist Novel That Tries to Make Sense of the Ukraine War
Maria Reva’s Endling is at once a postmodern caper and an autobiographical work that explores how ordinary people navigate a catastrophe.
Dec 30, 2025 / Books & the Arts / Laura Mills