Culture
George Packer’s Liberal Imagination George Packer’s Liberal Imagination
What happens when liberalism’s crisis is made into a fable?
The Greatest Love Is Grieving The Greatest Love Is Grieving
I spent years as a labor organizer. Marguerite Duras’s war novel taught me that the strongest fighters are always the women hurting the most.
The Neoliberalism of Robert A.M. Stern The Neoliberalism of Robert A.M. Stern
The passing of postmodern architecture’s last living holdout marks the end of an era—and reminds us that we’re in a new, worse one.
In Memoriam: the Rev. Jesse Jackson (1941–2026) In Memoriam: the Rev. Jesse Jackson (1941–2026)
The civil-rights activist and founder of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition changed what’s possible in politics.
Books
The Riotous Worlds of Thomas Pynchon The Riotous Worlds of Thomas Pynchon
From “The Crying Lot of 49” to his latest noirs, the American novelist has always proceeded along a track strangely parallel to our own.
Letters From the March 2026 Issue Letters From the March 2026 Issue
Basement books… Kate Wagner replies… Reading Pirandello (online only)… Gus O’Connor replies…
How Taiwan Became the Chipmaker for the World How Taiwan Became the Chipmaker for the World
A new book tells the story of the island-nation’s transformation into a central hub for technological development and manufacturing.
Film
The Cinema of Societal Collapse The Cinema of Societal Collapse
This year’s Oscar-nominated international feature films—especially The Secret Agent and Sirāt—tackle what it means to live and die under tyranny.
The Bad Vibes of “Wuthering Heights” The Bad Vibes of “Wuthering Heights”
Keeping its distance from the novel, Emerald Fennell’s film ends up offering us a mirror of our own times.
Werner Herzog Between Fact and Fiction Werner Herzog Between Fact and Fiction
The German auteur’s recent book presents a strange, idiosyncratic vision of the concept of “truth,” one that defines how he sees the world and his art.
Jafar Panahi’s Scenes From a Crime Jafar Panahi’s Scenes From a Crime
His films show how a regime’s wrongdoing can upend one’s sense of self and transform the very rhythm of daily life.
The Exposure Therapy of “A Private Life” The Exposure Therapy of “A Private Life”
In her new film, Jodie Foster transforms into a therapist-detective.
Television
“The Pitt” Shows Doctoring Uncensored “The Pitt” Shows Doctoring Uncensored
The second season tackles everything from the role of AI in medicine to Medicaid cuts. But above all, it is about burnout.
How Big Gaming Is Swallowing Up the Big Game How Big Gaming Is Swallowing Up the Big Game
The Super Bowl will showcase the lords of legalized betting, even as they’ve already colonized every other reach of human experience.
“The Paper” and the Return of the Cubicle Comedy “The Paper” and the Return of the Cubicle Comedy
The new show from the creators of The Office reminds us that their comedic style does now work in every “workplace in the world.”
Architecture
The Neoliberalism of Robert A.M. Stern The Neoliberalism of Robert A.M. Stern
The passing of postmodern architecture’s last living holdout marks the end of an era—and reminds us that we’re in a new, worse one.
Letters From the March 2026 Issue Letters From the March 2026 Issue
Basement books… Kate Wagner replies… Reading Pirandello (online only)… Gus O’Connor replies…
The Line, a Saudi Megaproject, Is Dead The Line, a Saudi Megaproject, Is Dead
It was always doomed to unravel, but the firms who lent their name to this folly should be held accountable.
Music
Bad Bunny’s Stunning Redefinition of “America” Bad Bunny’s Stunning Redefinition of “America”
His joyous, internationalist, worker-centered vision was a declaration of war against Trumpism.
Springsteen Defends the Promised Land Against ICE’s “Gestapo Tactics” Springsteen Defends the Promised Land Against ICE’s “Gestapo Tactics”
Mourning for Renee Nicole Good, the singer decried the Trump administration and the threat to freedom posed by “heavily armed masked federal troops invading an American city.”
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.
Who’s the Boss? Who’s the Boss?
A bowdlerized biopic of Bruce Springsteen, starring Jeremy Allen White, flattens a musician whose politics and identity are much more complicated.
The Sonic Risks of PUP and Rico Nasty The Sonic Risks of PUP and Rico Nasty
On their new albums, the punk rockers and rapper break all the rules.
Publishing
Ishmael Reed on His Diverse Inspirations Ishmael Reed on His Diverse Inspirations
The origins of the Before Columbus Foundation.
Chester Himes’s Harlem Noirs Chester Himes’s Harlem Noirs
Himes helped reinvent the idea of the detective novel. He also transformed it into a powerful vehicle for social criticism.
James Baldwin’s Radical Politics of Love James Baldwin’s Radical Politics of Love
While Baldwin was persecuted in part because of whom he loved, it was love that impelled him to bring about a more utopian future in which such persecution was not possible.
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