Books & the Arts
The Enigmatic Science Fiction of Djuna The Enigmatic Science Fiction of Djuna
The radical visions of South Korea’s mononymous, pseudonymous, and officially anonymous sci-fi novelist and film critic.
The Small Gestures and Big Questions of Annie Baker’s Plays The Small Gestures and Big Questions of Annie Baker’s Plays
In Infinite Life, Baker asks: How do you reach out to others when everyone ultimately suffers alone?
The Year Europe Revolted The Year Europe Revolted
A new history by Christopher Clark on the 1848 revolutions.
Teju Cole and the Forking Paths of Autofiction Teju Cole and the Forking Paths of Autofiction
In Tremor, the novelist and critic explores the limits of storytelling itself.
From the Magazine
The Return of Noname The Return of Noname
In her new album, Sundial, the rapper melds her activism and artistry seamlessly.
The Latin School Teacher Who Made Classics Popular The Latin School Teacher Who Made Classics Popular
A new biography of Edith Hamilton tells the story of how and why ancient literature became widely read in the United States.
The Dark Message of “Killers of the Flower Moon” The Dark Message of “Killers of the Flower Moon”
Unlike the visions of unbounded freedom found in traditional westerns, Martin Scorsese’s new film is a study of a West bounded by the vertical geometry of oil rigs and the violent…
Literary Criticism
Don DeLillo’s Cold Wars Don DeLillo’s Cold Wars
His 1980s novels take the story of America’s postwar years, usually seen as a triumphal rise to perpetual dominance, and converts it into one about a long and chaotic decline.
The Ghosts of Lorrie Moore The Ghosts of Lorrie Moore
An enigmatic new novel retells a disorienting story about death, love, the Civil War, and everything in-between.
Iman Mersal’s Lost Cairo Iman Mersal’s Lost Cairo
In Threshold, the poet revisits a city that transformed her and a generation of radical artists and intellectuals.
History & Politics
Perhat Tursun and the Plight of Uyghurs in Xinjiang Perhat Tursun and the Plight of Uyghurs in Xinjiang
In The Backstreets, the novelist and poet documents the centuries of dislocation imposed on the Uyghur people
Liberties: A Magazine in Revolt Against the New Liberties: A Magazine in Revolt Against the New
Tolerance, rigor, open-mindedness, and a willingness to countenance doubt and contradiction apparently are all values the magazine champions in theory but tends to ignore in pract…
Naomi Klein’s Quest to Understand Her Double Naomi Klein’s Quest to Understand Her Double
In her new book, a case of mistaken identity reveals how life online and off has become more and more polarized.
Art & Architecture
The Curious Case of the Transcendental Painting Group The Curious Case of the Transcendental Painting Group
A touring exhibition of 20th-century painting from the American Southwest is poised to be the next big art world hit. Yet the show forces us to ask: What is fueling the revival?
The Many Ghosts of Juan de Pareja The Many Ghosts of Juan de Pareja
Through the life of the 17th-century artist, we can find an entangled history of slavery, Black figuration, and art.
What’s the Matter With Contemporary Architecture? What’s the Matter With Contemporary Architecture?
In his new book, Reinier de Graaf attempts to work out why his profession appears to be at an impasse.
Film & Television
The Muddled Feminism of Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” The Muddled Feminism of Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie”
In trying to say too much, the film winds up not saying much at all.
Paul Schrader’s Unlikely Optimism Paul Schrader’s Unlikely Optimism
Master Gardener seems designed to provoke. But in his late age, the filmmaker has settled into an earnest style, fixated on love and second chances.
Christian Petzold’s “Afire” Is the Summer’s Most Beguiling Film Christian Petzold’s “Afire” Is the Summer’s Most Beguiling Film
The German director’s latest is a sly comedy about writer’s block, a bad vacation, and the catastrophe of a warming world.
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Søren Kierkegaard Dared to Ask Søren Kierkegaard Dared to Ask
In The Sickness unto Death, the Danish philosopher posed a difficult question: Is despair an essential feature of human life?
Nov 29, 2023 / Books & the Arts / Clare Carlisle
Can the European Union Be Salvaged? Can the European Union Be Salvaged?
New books by Timothy Garton Ash and Loukas Tsoukalis document the moral and political exhaustion of the “EU” generation.
Nov 28, 2023 / Books & the Arts / Mark Mazower
The Radical Art of the Depression Years The Radical Art of the Depression Years
By working within the constraints of the WPA, artists like Philip Guston discovered new modes of representation and irony.
Nov 27, 2023 / Books & the Arts / Rachel Hunter Himes
You Have “The Right to Be Lazy” You Have “The Right to Be Lazy”
Paul Lafargue’s anti-work manifesto is newly relevant in a time when the very idea of labor is changing.
Nov 23, 2023 / Books & the Arts / Clinton Williamson
How “Reservation Dogs” Changed the TV Landscape How “Reservation Dogs” Changed the TV Landscape
The pioneering FX show offered a window into contemporary Native life in all its joys and vicissitudes.
Nov 21, 2023 / Books & the Arts / Vikram Murthi
How Gender Is Policed in America How Gender Is Policed in America
Paisley Currah’s wide-ranging study Sex Is as Sex Does examines how transphobia emerged in America as a result of contradictory and self-serving sex classification policies.
Nov 20, 2023 / Books & the Arts / Sam Huber