Arts and Entertainment

Susan Choi’s Big Novel of History

Susan Choi’s Big Novel of History Susan Choi’s Big Novel of History

In Flashlight, Choi examines the tragedies—past and present—that haunt a family living in Japan.

Sep 10, 2025 / Books & the Arts / Sarah Chihaya

The Ghosts of Ingeborg Bachmann

The Ghosts of Ingeborg Bachmann The Ghosts of Ingeborg Bachmann

Haunted by a dark past, the poet and novelist tried to explore the limits of language itself.

Sep 9, 2025 / Books & the Arts / Becca Rothfeld

Joe Biden at a cabinet meeting in 2021.

The Catastrophe of Democratic Foreign Policy The Catastrophe of Democratic Foreign Policy

A new book on the Biden’s wars serves as a stark reminder that the Democrats need to formulate a new foreign policy—as well as reckon with the one they had.

Sep 9, 2025 / Books & the Arts / Matthew Duss

James Baldwin’s Radical Politics of Love

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.

Sep 9, 2025 / Books & the Arts / Elias Rodriques

William F. Buckley Jr.’s Friends and Enemies

William F. Buckley Jr.’s Friends and Enemies William F. Buckley Jr.’s Friends and Enemies

What was it about Buckley that made him so attractive to liberals—and what was it about liberals that caused them to be attracted to conservative figures like Buckley in the first...

Sep 8, 2025 / Books & the Arts / Jeet Heer

Clint Eastwood at the Cannes Film Festival, 2017.

The Enigma of Clint Eastwood The Enigma of Clint Eastwood

Is he merely a reactionary, or do his films paint a more complicated picture?

Sep 4, 2025 / Books & the Arts / Adam Nayman

Tom Cruise repels into the Stade de France during the Closing Ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris, 2024.

Is Tom Cruise the Last Action Hero? Is Tom Cruise the Last Action Hero?

After a strange, controversial career, he has become one of the few figures who upholds the old rules of Hollywood—where the human body is the greatest special effect.

Sep 3, 2025 / Books & the Arts / Vikram Murthi

“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 “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.”

Aug 28, 2025 / Mark Hertsgaard

No, the White House Is Not Getting a 90,000-Foot Extension

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.

Aug 28, 2025 / Kate Wagner

Brandon Jacobs-Jenkins and producers accept the award for Best Play for “Purpose” at the 78th annual Tonys.

Branden Jacobs-Jenkins Remakes the Family Drama Branden Jacobs-Jenkins Remakes the Family Drama

His latest work, Purpose, evokes Chekov in its exploration of faith, parents, and politics.

Aug 27, 2025 / Books & the Arts / Alisa Solomon

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