Books & the Arts

What Are They Reading? What Are They Reading?

John Berger, best known for the essay collection Ways of Seeing, is not a timid writer. His oeuvre comprises novels, poems, criticism and plays.

Nov 21, 2003 / Books & the Arts / Rebecca Tuhus-Dubrow

Ears Wide Open Ears Wide Open

It's a cliché to say that an artist draws his power from his contradictions, but the lives of the great composers provide easy grist for the mill.

Nov 20, 2003 / Books & the Arts / Russell Platt

Growing Up All Wrong Growing Up All Wrong

Martin Amis is the most condescended-to novelist of his time. He is also one of the most literate, funny, quotable and (this the condescenders never neglect to mention) talente...

Nov 20, 2003 / Books & the Arts / Keith Gessen

Art Therapy Art Therapy

While filming in Western Australia in May 1999, the critic Robert Hughes survived--barely--a head-on collision with another car.

Nov 20, 2003 / Books & the Arts / Arthur C. Danto

Mystic Poet Mystic Poet

Most biographies of literary figures are a wonderful substitute for actually having to read the work.

Nov 20, 2003 / Books & the Arts / Terry Eagleton

Phantom of the White House Phantom of the White House

"We now live in a culture that's hyperaware of the construction and manipulation of images in politics," David Greenberg writes in Nixon's Shadow.

Nov 20, 2003 / Books & the Arts / J. Hoberman

The Foreign Correspondent The Foreign Correspondent

How we miss Martha Gellhorn, and how we need her right now!

Nov 20, 2003 / Books & the Arts / Neal Ascherson

A Soldier’s Story A Soldier’s Story

In the annals of American politics Winning Modern Wars is an unusual book.

Nov 20, 2003 / Books & the Arts / Frances FitzGerald

The Name of Love The Name of Love

In January 1948 Dutton brought out the third novel of a promising young writer named Gore Vidal. The publishing house was nervous.

Nov 20, 2003 / Books & the Arts / Adam Haslett

Murder, She Wrote Murder, She Wrote

On the page, Patricia Highsmith could inspire a law-abiding citizen to become a willing accomplice to murder, at least within the realm of the imagination.

Nov 20, 2003 / Books & the Arts / Kera Bolonik

x