Agents of Destruction Agents of Destruction
Steven Soderbergh’s Contagion, Göran Hugo Olsson’s Black Power Mixtape 1967–1975, Tate Taylor’s The Help
Sep 14, 2011 / Books & the Arts / Stuart Klawans
Visions and Revisions: On T.S. Eliot Visions and Revisions: On T.S. Eliot
Two volumes of T.S. Eliot's letters elucidate how the momentous achievements of his art were determined by moments of awful daring.
Sep 6, 2011 / Books & the Arts / James Longenbach
Uncertainty and Anxiety: On Khrushchev’s Thaw Uncertainty and Anxiety: On Khrushchev’s Thaw
Why did different segments of the Soviet population experience Khrushchev’s reforms in radically different ways?
Sep 6, 2011 / Books & the Arts / Benjamin Nathans
Shelf Life: On Socrates Shelf Life: On Socrates
Bettany Hughes's biography of Socrates is a book that Socrates himself, on a mean day, would have torn to shreds.
Sep 6, 2011 / Books & the Arts / Emily Wilson
Break Their Hearts: On Chris Bachelder Break Their Hearts: On Chris Bachelder
In his novel Abbott Awaits, Chris Bachelder employs his comic wackiness to great effect.
Sep 6, 2011 / Books & the Arts / Aaron Thier
The New American Jujitsu The New American Jujitsu
In the wake of 9/11, we have summoned up imaginary demons to spare ourselves from facing the all-too-real burdens of our time.
Aug 31, 2011 / Books & the Arts / Jonathan Schell
Epitaph for Another September 11 Epitaph for Another September 11
Chile and the United States offer contrasting models of how to react to a collective trauma.
Aug 30, 2011 / Books & the Arts / Ariel Dorfman
Teaching Peace Teaching Peace
If peacemaking is teachable, why are school so reluctant to offer classes in peace studies?
Aug 30, 2011 / Books & the Arts / Colman McCarthy
Double Vantage: On Jorge Castañeda Double Vantage: On Jorge Castañeda
In Mañana Forever? Jorge Castañeda chronicles the growth of the middle class to argue that Mexico is not a failed state.
Aug 30, 2011 / Books & the Arts / Natasha Wimmer
Moral Portents: On Adam Goodheart Moral Portents: On Adam Goodheart
Capes, torches, secret meetings! Adam Goodheart’s 1861 tells the story of the unyielding idealism awakened by the Civil War.
Aug 30, 2011 / Books & the Arts / Brenda Wineapple