Orlando Figes and Stalin’s Victims Orlando Figes and Stalin’s Victims
A book by the famous British historian was not published in Russia because the Moscow publisher discovered too many errors and misrepresentations—not, as Figes suggested, for...
May 23, 2012 / Books & the Arts / Peter Reddaway and Stephen F. Cohen
Barack Obama and Jeremiah Wright: Reprise Barack Obama and Jeremiah Wright: Reprise
A black divine named Jeremiah Wright Preached scary sermons some would like to cite. They say Obama’s even now Wright’s knight— A Christian pastor’s Muslim acolyte. It’s one way to remind us he’s not white. If this won’t work, there’re other things that might. The Super PACs will find a way. Sit tight.
May 23, 2012 / Column / Calvin Trillin
Extreme Indolence: On the Fiction of Albert Cossery Extreme Indolence: On the Fiction of Albert Cossery
For Albert Cossery, the world is split between those who respect a cause and those who don’t give a tinker's damn.
May 22, 2012 / Books & the Arts / Mark Polizzotti
This Week in Poverty: A Little Help for the Long-Term Unemployed? This Week in Poverty: A Little Help for the Long-Term Unemployed?
230,000 long-term unemployed workers lost their benefits on Sunday and the system is about to get a whole lot worse.
May 18, 2012 / Blog / Greg Kaufmann
Ohio Ohio
(A 2012 version of the Wonderful Town classic) With the rest of the states either solidly red or solidly blue, the election will be decided in nine or ten swing states. —News reports Why oh why oh why oh? Why did I ever leave Ohio? Why did I locate where, since it’s no swing state, Pollsters don’t trouble to track? Zero is my vote’s weight. Reason to vote? That’s what I lack. Oh why oh why oh did I leave Ohio? Maybe I better go O-H-I-O, Where I could have my vote back.
May 16, 2012 / Column / Calvin Trillin
Blind Spot: On Christa Wolf Blind Spot: On Christa Wolf
A postwar German novelist’s complicated legacy.
May 16, 2012 / Books & the Arts / Holly Case
The Ravaging Nothing: On László Krasznahorkai The Ravaging Nothing: On László Krasznahorkai
Satantango will devour you, you and everything you know.
May 16, 2012 / Books & the Arts / Ben Ehrenreich
Mother Natures: On Elisabeth Badinter Mother Natures: On Elisabeth Badinter
In The Conflict, the French intellectual takes American mothering to task.
May 16, 2012 / Books & the Arts / Jennifer Szalai
‘I Was There’: On Kurt Vonnegut ‘I Was There’: On Kurt Vonnegut
Kurt Vonnegut sought to fool us with his eyes wide open.
May 16, 2012 / Books & the Arts / William Deresiewicz
Adieu, Sarkozy Adieu, Sarkozy
We now must bid adieu to Sarkozy He swerved hard to the right, comme Mitt ici (Mais oui: exactement comme Mitt Romnéy), And said austerity is what’s to be. The French apparently did not agree: The voters sent him packing, COD.
May 9, 2012 / Column / Calvin Trillin