Books and Ideas

All That’s Utopian Melts Into Asphalt

All That’s Utopian Melts Into Asphalt All That’s Utopian Melts Into Asphalt

Utopia Parkway, which slices through the most diverse borough in New York, began as a dream of cooperative housing for poor Jewish immigrants.

Jul 16, 2021 / Feature / Molly Crabapple

Gay Liberation Front

Can a Novel Capture the Tensions of Recent Queer History? Can a Novel Capture the Tensions of Recent Queer History?

An assimilationist and a liberationist play cat-and-mouse in Zak Salih’s debut novel Let’s Get Back to the Party.

Jul 15, 2021 / Books & the Arts / Jake Nevins

Utopia Is Possible—Yes, Even Now, Especially Now—but We Have to Demand It

Utopia Is Possible—Yes, Even Now, Especially Now—but We Have to Demand It Utopia Is Possible—Yes, Even Now, Especially Now—but We Have to Demand It

Radical faith in grand visions is supercharged by the promise that fundamental change is possible.

Jul 15, 2021 / Feature / John Nichols

In Utopia, I Never Have to Write About Immigration Again

In Utopia, I Never Have to Write About Immigration Again In Utopia, I Never Have to Write About Immigration Again

In a world without borders, migrants can be people—and migrant artists can, perhaps, be free.

Jul 15, 2021 / Feature / Karla Cornejo Villavicencio

Tom Tomorrow cartoon

America Doesn’t Have a Gun Problem America Doesn’t Have a Gun Problem

Guns don’t kill people... I guess?

Jul 14, 2021 / Tom Tomorrow

Shulamith Firestone Wanted to Abolish Nature—We Should, Too

Shulamith Firestone Wanted to Abolish Nature—We Should, Too Shulamith Firestone Wanted to Abolish Nature—We Should, Too

Revisiting her brilliant, irritable, deeply flawed manifesto in the pandemic.

Jul 14, 2021 / Feature / Sophie Lewis

Utopia and Dystopia Are Twins—Both Are Born Out of Criticism

Utopia and Dystopia Are Twins—Both Are Born Out of Criticism Utopia and Dystopia Are Twins—Both Are Born Out of Criticism

But it is only Utopia that allows us to dream together.

Jul 14, 2021 / Feature / Jeet Heer

Brandon Taylor’s Potlucks and Parties

Brandon Taylor’s Potlucks and Parties Brandon Taylor’s Potlucks and Parties

In his new collection of short stories, the Booker-Prize nominated novelist explores the desires and discontents of people living in small university towns. 

Jul 13, 2021 / Books & the Arts / Jennifer Wilson

Kim Jong Un Drops Some Weight

Kim Jong Un Drops Some Weight Kim Jong Un Drops Some Weight

So Kim Jong Un is looking rather svelte. He’s lost at least four notches on his belt. Has illness or a diet made him trim? Have shortages of food reached even Kim? Not yet. But if…

Jul 13, 2021 / Column / Calvin Trillin

The Movement President

The Movement President The Movement President

Did Ronald Reagan help launch a movement—or did a set of movements help launch him? 

Jul 12, 2021 / Books & the Arts / Thomas Meaney

x