Culture
The Immortal Poetry of Ron Padgett The Immortal Poetry of Ron Padgett
Pink Dust, a collection about aging and death, offers an optimistic vision of life as a continual act of reading.
The Future of Magazines… and the World The Future of Magazines… and the World
A conversation with Thomas Meaney, the editor of Granta, about literature and the left.
How My Grandmother Remembers the Nakba How My Grandmother Remembers the Nakba
In 1948, my family fled Palestine when Zionists took over. I pieced their story together from a box of letters and diary entries.
A Downbeat Take on the Heist Movie A Downbeat Take on the Heist Movie
Kelly Reichardt’s latest, a sly 1970s drama involving a museum theft, probes the broken politics of the decade.
Books
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.
Walter Lippmann’s Phantom Publics Walter Lippmann’s Phantom Publics
Arguably no American journalist wielded as much influence as Walter Lippmann did in the 20th century. But what did he do with that power?
How the Capitalism of the 1980s Created Donald Trump’s Theory of the State How the Capitalism of the 1980s Created Donald Trump’s Theory of the State
The proliferation of privately held companies during the Reagan years laid the foundations for Trump’s approach to government.
Film
A Downbeat Take on the Heist Movie A Downbeat Take on the Heist Movie
Kelly Reichardt’s latest, a sly 1970s drama involving a museum theft, probes the broken politics of the decade.
History’s Lessons for the Second Committee for the First Amendment History’s Lessons for the Second Committee for the First Amendment
Jane Fonda is reviving the Hollywood advocacy group to meet the high-stakes challenges to free expression in the Trump era.
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.
Revolutionary Violence and “One Battle After Another” Revolutionary Violence and “One Battle After Another”
On this episode of The Time of Monsters: David Klion on the historical resonance of Paul Thomas Anderson’s new movie.
Paul Thomas Anderson’s Wild American Epic Paul Thomas Anderson’s Wild American Epic
One Battle After Another, a sensational adaptation of a Thomas Pynchon novel, captures the manic energies of a country on the brink.
Television
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.
Walter Lippmann’s Phantom Publics Walter Lippmann’s Phantom Publics
Arguably no American journalist wielded as much influence as Walter Lippmann did in the 20th century. But what did he do with that power?
How the Kimmel Controversy Echoes Disney’s Dirty China Deal How the Kimmel Controversy Echoes Disney’s Dirty China Deal
Former Disney CEO Michael Eisner berated the company’s capitulation before authoritarian MAGA threats, but in many ways, he set the example.
Architecture
Why Did UChicago Destroy the Humanities? Why Did UChicago Destroy the Humanities?
The answer is simple: to spend untold sums on useless buildings by starchitects.
No, the White House Is Not Getting a 90,000-Foot Extension No, the White House Is Not Getting a 90,000-Foot Extension
But Trump’s doomed proposal does give us a revealing glimpse into his state of mind.
Iranian Brickwork Shows Us Better Architecture Is Possible Iranian Brickwork Shows Us Better Architecture Is Possible
Why the beauty and inventiveness of contemporary masonry in Iran has captured Western audiences.
Music
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.
“It’s a Warning, Set to a Dance Beat”: Jon Batiste on His New Song 20 Years After Katrina “It’s a Warning, Set to a Dance Beat”: Jon Batiste on His New Song 20 Years After Katrina
The New Orleans jazz great tells Covering Climate Now, “When you make a song, you want to inspire people, but you also want to let them know what they can do.”
Ozzy Osbourne, Rock God Despite Himself (1948–2025) Ozzy Osbourne, Rock God Despite Himself (1948–2025)
The Prince of Darkness, who gave us heavy metal as we know it, has been laid to rest.
The Life and Times of Talking Heads The Life and Times of Talking Heads
How influential was the New Wave band?
Billy Hart’s Life in Rhythm Billy Hart’s Life in Rhythm
The legendary jazz drummer played with Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis, and Stan Getz. His new memoir tells all—and lays out his own philosophy.
Publishing
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.
Militarism Has Long Worked to Shield Antisemitism Militarism Has Long Worked to Shield Antisemitism
From the Cold War till Donald Trump, there’s always been a special dispensation for hawkish bigots.
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