Books and Ideas

The Dream of Open Borders Is Real—in the High Arctic

The Dream of Open Borders Is Real—in the High Arctic The Dream of Open Borders Is Real—in the High Arctic

The Norwegian territory of Svalbard has been open to citizens of the world since 1920. But don’t call it a utopia.

Jul 29, 2019 / Feature / Atossa Araxia Abrahamian

Tom Tomorrow Cartoon

The Donald Trump Decoder Ring! The Donald Trump Decoder Ring!

What did he really mean when he said “Go back to where you're from”? Now you can find out!

Jul 23, 2019 / Tom Tomorrow

A Forgotten Urdu Epic Is Essential Reading for Understanding the Indian Political Situation

A Forgotten Urdu Epic Is Essential Reading for Understanding the Indian Political Situation A Forgotten Urdu Epic Is Essential Reading for Understanding the Indian Political Situation

Qurratulain Hyder’s newly reissued novel, River of Fire, looks at 2500 years of history to reveal how the subcontinent’s nationalist myths formed and why the region fractured.

Jul 22, 2019 / Kamil Ahsan

Philip Roth’s Great American Estate Sale

Philip Roth’s Great American Estate Sale Philip Roth’s Great American Estate Sale

The bidding is sparse, but the late author’s modest effects are revealing.

Jul 19, 2019 / Elizabeth Pochoda

Colson Whitehead Opens Up

Colson Whitehead Opens Up Colson Whitehead Opens Up

In a wide-ranging conversation with The Nation, the author talks about political writing, zombies and horror stories, American history, and his new novel The Nickel Boys.

Jul 19, 2019 / Nawal Arjini

The Migrant Crisis, Through the Eyes of Human Traffickers

The Migrant Crisis, Through the Eyes of Human Traffickers The Migrant Crisis, Through the Eyes of Human Traffickers

Emiliano Monge’s novel Among the Lost leads a reader through the hellish migrant trail from the perspective of its most amoral agents.

Jul 17, 2019 / Books & the Arts / John Washington

Trump thumbs-up

Approval Rating Approval Rating

“Trump’s approval rating has risen to the highest point in his presidency…according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll.”—Front page, The Washington Post “Accounts from a child dete…

Jul 16, 2019 / Column / Calvin Trillin

Tom Tomorrow cartoon

Nancy Pelosi Is Playing the Extremely Long Game Nancy Pelosi Is Playing the Extremely Long Game

Doing nothing is all part of the plan.

Jul 16, 2019 / Tom Tomorrow

There’s One Heresy That Sets Bernie Apart From All Other Dem Contenders to Unseat Trump

There’s One Heresy That Sets Bernie Apart From All Other Dem Contenders to Unseat Trump There’s One Heresy That Sets Bernie Apart From All Other Dem Contenders to Unseat Trump

And it’s not simply that he calls himself a socialist.

Jul 16, 2019 / Feature / Greg Grandin

The Class Politics of the Civil War

The Class Politics of the Civil War The Class Politics of the Civil War

By naming a common enemy—the privileged class of slaveholders—the Republican Party and Union Army were able to build and then steer a coalition of Americans toward the systematic d...

Jul 15, 2019 / Books & the Arts / James Oakes

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