Books and Ideas

E.L. Doctorow

So Long, E.L. Doctorow, It’s Been Good to Know Yuh So Long, E.L. Doctorow, It’s Been Good to Know Yuh

You were a friend, a supporter of The Nation, and one of America’s great novelists.

Jul 30, 2015 / Victor Navasky

The Virtues of Difficult Fiction

The Virtues of Difficult Fiction The Virtues of Difficult Fiction

If novels aren’t worthy challenges, we have no reason to linger in their pages.

Jul 30, 2015 / Books & the Arts / Joanna Scott

Ferlinghetti in June

Ferlinghetti in June Ferlinghetti in June

Writing Across the Landscape collects the poet’s travel diaries—which, he says, “may pass as news stories filed by a reporter from Outer Space.”

Jul 30, 2015 / Feature / Lawrence Ferlinghetti

at the estuary

at the estuary at the estuary

sandlings dig bait, tailgate the first ripple of a returning tide a mercury whisper of tipped-in light rushed in, in front of itself; swirls of wrung-out rags, scrow clouds scuffed…

Jul 30, 2015 / Books & the Arts / Tom Pickard

Chucky Taylor

Chucky Taylor, Liberia’s Other Monster Chucky Taylor, Liberia’s Other Monster

The fate of Liberia was ensnared by uniquely American pathologies.

Jul 30, 2015 / Books & the Arts / Aaron Leaf

Letters Icon

Letters From the August 17-24, 2015, Issue Letters From the August 17-24, 2015, Issue

Bad weather, useful idiots, the oily truth, telling privilege…

Jul 30, 2015 / Our Readers

Paul Beatty (credit: Hannah Assouline)

Paul Beatty’s Savage Satire Paul Beatty’s Savage Satire

The Sellout takes aim at black middle-class foibles and fantasies.

Jul 30, 2015 / Books & the Arts / Jesse McCarthy

John Kerry Iran Deal

It’s Not a Nuclear-Armed Iran That Israel and Saudi Arabia Really Fear It’s Not a Nuclear-Armed Iran That Israel and Saudi Arabia Really Fear

It’s that the Vienna Agreement opens the door for the United States and Iran to develop important financial and trade ties.

Jul 28, 2015 / Peter Van Buren

Yan Lianke

A Traitor Who Writes A Traitor Who Writes

Chinese novelist Yan Lianke on censorship and the dream of getting published without writing drivel.

Jul 27, 2015 / Yan Lianke

1886 Map of the British Empire

From Opium Wars to Darwin’s Finches: A Brief History of Great Britain From Opium Wars to Darwin’s Finches: A Brief History of Great Britain

History has shown us time and time again that we are only human.

Jul 27, 2015 / Eduardo Galeano

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