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
Why We Keep Reading “All Quiet on the Western Front” Why We Keep Reading “All Quiet on the Western Front”
A new translation vividly renders the sadly evergreen influence of the Erich Maria Remarque’s World War I novel.
Dec 29, 2025 / Books & the Arts / Paul Reitter
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.
Dec 23, 2025 / Books & the Arts / Bijan Stephen
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.
Dec 22, 2025 / Books & the Arts / Karrie Jacobs
Why “The Voice of Hind Rajab” Will Break Your Heart Why “The Voice of Hind Rajab” Will Break Your Heart
A film dramatizing a rescue crew’s attempts to save the 5-year-old Gazan girl might be one of the most affecting movies of the year.
Dec 18, 2025 / Books & the Arts / Ahmed Moor