Books and Ideas

Short Takes Short Takes

Reviews of Half of a Yellow Sun, St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves and The City Is a Rising Tide.

Sep 14, 2006 / Books & the Arts / Fatin Abbas and Christine Smallwood

The Lives They Led The Lives They Led

Claire Messud's The Emperor's Children is a superb comedy of manners, a richly tragicomic view of three thirtysomething Ivy Leaguers in the days leading up to 9/11.

Sep 14, 2006 / Books & the Arts / Kate Levin

George Bush Explains His Policy on Torture To Someone Who Is Being Waterboarded George Bush Explains His Policy on Torture To Someone Who Is Being Waterboarded

Don't worry--it only feels like you're drowning.

Sep 14, 2006 / Column / Calvin Trillin

US Dedicates $64 Billion to Undermining Gates Foundation Efforts US Dedicates $64 Billion to Undermining Gates Foundation Efforts

Director Of National Intelligence John D. Negroponte gives details.

Sep 11, 2006 / From The Onion / The Nation

Unsentimental Education Unsentimental Education

A new memoir by Robert Hughes reveals the idiosyncratic sensibility of a celebrated art critic.

Sep 7, 2006 / Books & the Arts / Christopher Hitchens

Londonistan Calling Londonistan Calling

Gautam Malkani's new novel explores the cross-section of youth culture, heritage and identity in London's polyglot, postcolonial neighborhoods.

Sep 7, 2006 / Books & the Arts / Gary Younge

Ottoman Ghosts Ottoman Ghosts

Caroline Finkel's new book, Osman's Dream, explores the rise and calamitous fall of the Ottoman Empire.

Sep 7, 2006 / Books & the Arts / Daniel Lazare

George Bush’s Pledge to the People of New Orleans on the Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina George Bush’s Pledge to the People of New Orleans on the Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina

The President gives us a lesson in drive-by personal diplomacy.

Sep 7, 2006 / Column / Calvin Trillin

Too Late for Empire Too Late for Empire

Thirty years after Watergate, we again face a constitutional crisis at home and a misconceived war abroad. The United States will remain a helpless giant until we finally learn tha...

Sep 2, 2006 / Books & the Arts / Jonathan Schell

Tavis Smiley’s Covenant Tavis Smiley’s Covenant

Journalist, activist, philanthropist and self-promoter, Tavis Smiley has the political clout and the ability to energize and educate the black community in the best tradition of Ma...

Sep 1, 2006 / Books & the Arts / Amy Alexander

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