Books & the Arts
The Invention of Close Reading The Invention of Close Reading
By transforming quotations into evidence, close reading served as way to turn postwar criticism into a specialized knowledge. But what if we treated it more as an art form?
Katie Kitamura’s Divided Selves Katie Kitamura’s Divided Selves
Her fiction are studies of fragmentation and ambivalence.
The Retro Pop of Lady Gaga and Baths The Retro Pop of Lady Gaga and Baths
In their new albums, the musicians look backward as much as forward.
How Should Los Angeles Rebuild After the Fires? How Should Los Angeles Rebuild After the Fires?
In the aftermath of this year’s catastrophic fires, architects and urban planners begin to consider how to rebuild.
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 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.
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?
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.
Sigrid Nunez On and Off the Big Screen Sigrid Nunez On and Off the Big Screen
Two new films—Pedro Almodóvar’s The Room Next Door and Scott McGehee and David Siegel’s The Friend—attempt to adapt her work. Do they succeed?
History & Politics
The Intractable Puzzle of Growth The Intractable Puzzle of Growth
For more than a century, the key measure of a healthy economy has been its capacity to grow and yet if production and consumption continues to expand at their current rate we migh…
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 Cosmopolitan Modernism of the Harlem Renaissance The Cosmopolitan Modernism of the Harlem Renaissance
A new exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art explores the world-spanning art of the Harlem Renaissance.
Rain and Mountains Rain and Mountains
Pages from a novelist’s notebook.
What’s the Deal With Manhattan’s Pencil-Thin High Rises? What’s the Deal With Manhattan’s Pencil-Thin High Rises?
A walk along 57th Street.
Film & Television
The Empty Promise of “Megalopolis” The Empty Promise of “Megalopolis”
Francis Ford Coppola’s long-awaited magnum opus is a flop.
“Anora,” an American Fantasia “Anora,” an American Fantasia
In Sean Baker’s tragicomic film of a sex worker’s brush with wealth, he evokes auteurs of yore, who focused on the social realities of the country’s outcasts.
The Apprenticeship of Donald Trump The Apprenticeship of Donald Trump
A new film examines Trump’s formative years under the tutelage of Roy Cohn.
Latest in Books & the Arts
The Damage Being Done to the Museums in the Nation’s Capital The Damage Being Done to the Museums in the Nation’s Capital
Our art critic visits the Smithsonian American Art Museum to get a closer look at the Trump administration’s attack on DC arts institutions.
Jul 14, 2025 / Books & the Arts / Barry Schwabsky
The Miracles of James Schuyler The Miracles of James Schuyler
Nathan Kernan’s biography of the New York School poet tracks the development of his serene and joyful work alongside the chaos of his life.
Jul 7, 2025 / Books & the Arts / Evan Kindley
Jürgen Habermas Still Believes in Modernity Jürgen Habermas Still Believes in Modernity
A conversation with the German theorist about the history of Western philosophy and more.
Jul 7, 2025 / Books & the Arts / Daniel Steinmetz-Jenkins
Michael Stewart’s Death Still Haunts New York Michael Stewart’s Death Still Haunts New York
In 1985, police were acquitted in the killing of a graffiti artist and painter, a grisly act that galvanized the city’s art underground. Why has he been forgotten?
Jul 3, 2025 / Books & the Arts / Michael Shorris
Joan Didion Undone Joan Didion Undone
Notes to John, posthumously published journal entries chronicling Didion’s therapy sessions, is a peek into the myths and fears that animated her writing life.
Jul 2, 2025 / Books & the Arts / Emma Hager
Seth Rogen’s Toothless Hollywood Satire Seth Rogen’s Toothless Hollywood Satire
The Studio is pitched as a send-up of the idiocy of the entertainment industry, but its potshots are harmless, even friendly.
Jun 25, 2025 / Books & the Arts / Vikram Murthi