Books & the Arts
Red Scares, Past and Present Red Scares, Past and Present
What are the parallels between the rise of McCarthyism in the 1950s and today?
The Art and Genius of Lorna Simpson The Art and Genius of Lorna Simpson
A new exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art tracks what has changed and what has remained the same in the artist’s work.
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.
Mark Twain’s Many Lives Mark Twain’s Many Lives
A new biography depicts the different sides of the American author.
From the Magazine
The Making and Remaking of Karl Marx’s “Capital” The Making and Remaking of Karl Marx’s “Capital”
In the first English translation in half a century, Paul Reitter and Paul North distill the essence of the Marxist masterpiece by going back to basics.
The Cruel World According to Stephen Miller The Cruel World According to Stephen Miller
How did he become the Trump era’s architect of hate?
The Wild Lives of Cargo Ships The Wild Lives of Cargo Ships
A capacious new history examines the remaking of the the global economy through the story a single barge.
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…
Katie Kitamura’s Divided Selves Katie Kitamura’s Divided Selves
Her fiction are studies of fragmentation and ambivalence.
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.
History & Politics
Donald Trump’s Long Con Donald Trump’s Long Con
Trump’s “Art of” trilogy may be full of willful exaggeration but the books also reveal how the 1980s and ’90s formed his dog-eat-dog worldview.
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.
What Happened to the Democratic Party? What Happened to the Democratic Party?
The squalid state of our present political institutions points to a failure of not just individuals but the system as a whole.
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.
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Dec 4, 2025 / Books & the Arts / Dilara O’Neil
Luigi Pirandello’s Broken Men Luigi Pirandello’s Broken Men
The Nobel Prize-winning writer was once seen as Italy’s great man of letters. Why was he forgotten?
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Making Sense of Inflation Making Sense of Inflation
The economic force is often seen as a barometer for a nation’s mood and health. But have we misunderstood it all along?
Dec 1, 2025 / Books & the Arts / Sam Stark
The Inexplicable Logic of Contact Sports The Inexplicable Logic of Contact Sports
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After achieving a rare crossover hit with 2005’s Crush, the poet rebelled against public attention. With I Do Know Some Things, he splays himself open for his readers.
Nov 25, 2025 / Books & the Arts / Yvonne Kim
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Mary Bronstein’s “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You” is at once harrowing and mesmerizing.
Nov 24, 2025 / Books & the Arts / Beatrice Loayza