Ron Paul, Still Standing Ron Paul, Still Standing
Mitt’s opposite number is still in the race. Paul has his supporters; he has his own base. He has his own style, which is folksy, not canned. Religion? He’s got one. His prophet’s Ayn Rand. By Rand’s wacko theories he’s fervently gripped, So he won’t do flip-flops. He long ago flipped.
Apr 25, 2012 / Column / Calvin Trillin
The Road to Marjayoun: On Anthony Shadid The Road to Marjayoun: On Anthony Shadid
Anthony Shadid was an exceedingly rare reporter in the thinning ranks of American journalism.
Apr 25, 2012 / Books & the Arts / Scott Sherman
A Charismatic Chameleon: On Luis Buñuel A Charismatic Chameleon: On Luis Buñuel
Hitchcock delighted in manipulating the audience. Early on Luis Buñuel learned to be satisfied with amusing himself.
Apr 25, 2012 / Books & the Arts / J. Hoberman
The Wished and the Willed The Wished and the Willed
Hirikazu Kore-eda’s I Wish, Nanni Moretti’s We Have a Pope, Shirley Clarke’s The Connection, Mia Hansen Love’s Goodbye First Love, Jennifer Baichwal’s...
Apr 25, 2012 / Books & the Arts / Stuart Klawans
Exit Santorum Exit Santorum
With Rick getting out, the Whack-a-Mole’s over. The last mole’s been whacked, and Mitt is in clover. The clover smells good, but here is the riddle: Can Romney now move it a bit toward the middle? By dropping the wacko-right banner he’s gripping, Will he be accused of more flopping and flipping?
Apr 18, 2012 / Column / Calvin Trillin
In Annawadi: On Katherine Boo In Annawadi: On Katherine Boo
Behind the Beautiful Forevers is a superb, empathic account of life in a Mumbai undercity.
Apr 17, 2012 / Books & the Arts / Laila Lalami
Ideology and Electricity: The Soviet Experience in Afghanistan Ideology and Electricity: The Soviet Experience in Afghanistan
Rodric Braithwaite, Jonathan Steele and Artemy Kalinovsky analyze the forgotten history of Afghan communism and the Soviet occupation.
Apr 17, 2012 / Books & the Arts / Christian Parenti
Pikuach Nefesh: On God and Gays Pikuach Nefesh: On God and Gays
Mark Jordan and Jay Michaelson seek hope for gay religious practice in heretical churches and the Hebrew Bible.
Apr 17, 2012 / Books & the Arts / Mark Oppenheimer
Puzzle No. 3236 Puzzle No. 3236
Don’t miss Kosman and Picciotto’s crossword blog, Word Salad.
Apr 17, 2012 / Joshua Kosman and Henri Picciotto
The Drought The Drought
Dip him in the river who loves water… said the cook on the cooking show… Take the hearts of thirty ducks… and here’s the trick… You must keep them wet… the way to go… the way to go is broth… Ok… Broth of hearts of duck… I went to go buy broth stuff… a bay leaf… Oh said the grocer… With duck heart what you want is spice… Curry the thirty hearts he said… Back home… Hurrying… Ok, curry… The mailman smelled the place… Oh Ho he said… I smell blood… he opened the pot… Why if it isn’t 30 duck hearts… Of course you’re going to skewer them…? Skewers… I had to… I had to go… I ran down to the hardware depot… Skewers…? Well it’s not BBQ season… I persisted… I explained the meal… the populace… Meanwhile… customers were coming… buying out all the salt and shovels… for the blizzard… buying out all the fireworks… for the Fourth… buying out all the hammers and nails… for Hurricane Ross… Remained: some rope… I’d hang them… if I had to… It’s not thirty duck hearts is it… asked the clerk… I didn’t dare talk… To skewer the hearts of thirty duckers… he said… you need the beaks of thirty ivory-billed woodpeckers… Are those… rare?… As rare as they come, he said… Better give me 31… Ran home… the kitchen was smelling… majestic… Ok…Ok… Almost ready… The places set… Candles lit… The downstairs neighbor tuning her pipe organ… 29 special guests filed in… Please sit… May I present… In the heart of each duck… there was a glint… majestic… They said, Is that…? Yes, I said… Yes… each one swimming in sauce and broth… Oh, they said… Oh no no no… Had I…? Were they…? No, no no no no … Dip him in the river who loves water… Yes that’s the recipe I followed… That’s not the way it goes… anymore… they said… They said… each heart should be served raw… and drowning… in a sacred diamond-flavored fountain… I was so… I didn’t usually believe in impressing… But these guests!… Honestly… They were just… They were as hungry as I was… One especially kind… one offered to… to pawn the woodpecker skewers… I lied… said they were worthless… said Oh they were free… Oh just papier-mâché… Oh found a ton of them lying around… down… where the river used to be…
Apr 17, 2012 / Books & the Arts / Darcie Dennigan