An Opening in Burma? On Thant Myint-U An Opening in Burma? On Thant Myint-U
Hopes for reform in Burma are starting to be fulfilled, but skepticism of its rulers is still warranted.
Dec 14, 2011 / Books & the Arts / Joshua Kurlantzick
Shelf Life Shelf Life
Anne Rophie’s Art and Madness, Millicent Monk’s Songs of Three Islands, Maisie Houghton’s Pitch Uncertain.
Dec 14, 2011 / Books & the Arts / Elias Altman
Lamentations of the Late-Night Comics Lamentations of the Late-Night Comics
While Jimmy Fallon tears his hair, Bill Maher laments, “It’s just not fair.” Dave Letterman begins to pout. They’ve heard that Herman Cain is out. In common with his late-night peers, Jon Stewart comes quite close to tears, He’d much prefer a case of gout To hearing Herman Cain is out. “The man is threatening our jobs,” Says Leno, as he softly sobs. Colbert is staggering about. He’s heard that Herman Cain is out. They pray together, on their knees: “Could we have Donald Trump back—please?”
Dec 7, 2011 / Column / Calvin Trillin
Of Saints and Caudillos: On Enrique Krauze Of Saints and Caudillos: On Enrique Krauze
A Mexican intellectual takes the measure of liberalism and revolution in twentieth-century Latin America.
Dec 6, 2011 / Books & the Arts / Jorge Volpi
Eels Über Alles: On Julio Cortázar Eels Über Alles: On Julio Cortázar
A novelist’s lyrical attempt to measure the immeasurable.
Dec 6, 2011 / Books & the Arts / Ben Ehrenreich
The Real J. Edgar The Real J. Edgar
Clint Eastwood's cinematic exploration of the FBI chief's rise to power is little more than a comforting myth.
Nov 30, 2011 / Books & the Arts / Beverly Gage
The First and the Last of Everything The First and the Last of Everything
The first fine dawn of life on earth The first cry of Man in the first light The first firefly flickering at night The first Noble Savage with the first erection The first song of love and forty cries of despair The first voyage of Vikings westward The first sighting of the New World from the crow’s nest of a Spanish galleon The first Pale Face meeting the first Native American The first Dutch trader in Mannahatta The first settler on the first frontier The first Home Sweet Home so dear The first wagon train westward The first sighting of the Pacific by Lewis & Clark The first cry of “Mark, twain!” on the Mississippi The first desegregation by Huck & Jim on a raft at night The first buffalo-head nickel and the last buffalo The first barbed-wire fence and the last of the open range The last cowboy on the last frontier The first skyscraper in America The first home run hit at Yankee Stadium The first ballpark hot dog with mustard The last War to End All Wars The last Wobbly and the last Catholic Anarchist The last living member of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade The last bohemian in a beret The last homespun politician and the first stolen election The first plane to hit the first Twin Tower The birth of a vast national paranoia The first president to become an international criminal for crimes against humanity making America a terrorist state The dark dawn of American corporate fascism The next-to-last free speech radio The next-to-last independent newspaper raising hell The next-to-last independent bookstore with a mind of its own The next-to-last Lefty looking for Obama Nirvana The first fine day of the Wall Street Occupation to set forth upon this continent a new nation! Click here to listen to Ferlinghetti read this poem.
Nov 30, 2011 / Books & the Arts / Lawrence Ferlinghetti
Secret Paragraphs: On Alan Hollinghurst Secret Paragraphs: On Alan Hollinghurst
The Stranger's Child traces the vanishing of same-sex love through suppression and then, paradoxically, acceptance and openness.
Nov 30, 2011 / Books & the Arts / Maria Margaronis
Baseness: On Guantánamo Baseness: On Guantánamo
Gitmo in the present millennium is no departure at all from the American tradition in Guantánamo Bay.
Nov 30, 2011 / Books & the Arts / Peter C. Baker
Newt Gingrich and Freddie Mac Newt Gingrich and Freddie Mac
Lambasting pols who got too close to Freddie, Newt failed to say that he himself already Got Freddie payments that were large and steady. As is his custom, Newt was undeterred. Hypocrisy’s not really what occurred. For Newt we’d need to find a stronger word.
Nov 22, 2011 / Column / Calvin Trillin