An Imperfect Life: On George and W.B. Yeats An Imperfect Life: On George and W.B. Yeats
Perfection of the life or of the work? The correspondence between W.B. Yeats and his wife George shows the complexities of art and life entwined.
May 18, 2011 / Books & the Arts / James Longenbach
Trials: On Janet Malcolm Trials: On Janet Malcolm
Janet Malcolm can be brutal in her judgments, but it is the casual brutality of keen observation.
May 18, 2011 / Books & the Arts / Miriam Markowitz
The Impresario: On Irving Kristol The Impresario: On Irving Kristol
Irving Kristol was wrong about most things. So why was he one of the most politically influential intellectuals of his generation?
May 18, 2011 / Books & the Arts / George Scialabba
Unreal Images: On Javier Cercas Unreal Images: On Javier Cercas
In a nonfiction account of a failed coup, the novelist Javier Cercas tackles the confounding history of Spain's transition to democracy.
May 18, 2011 / Books & the Arts / Jonathan Blitzer
Shelf Life Shelf Life
Daniel Orozco, Orientation and Other Stories; Mercè Rodoreda, The Selected Stories of Mercè Rodoreda.
May 18, 2011 / Books & the Arts / Alexandra Schwartz
The Dumbest Story Ever Told: On David Brooks The Dumbest Story Ever Told: On David Brooks
The Social Animal is a deep and public embarrassment, a lumpy hybrid of fable, neuroscience and social engineering.
May 18, 2011 / Books & the Arts / Gary Greenberg
The Best Thing You Can Be Is CEO The Best Thing You Can Be Is CEO
“CEO Pay Exceeds Pre-Recession Level.” —Associated Press The best thing you can be is CEO. No matter what, you always get your dough. However many people out of work, You still get every single little perk. If fired, you are properly consoled, By floating ‘neath a parachute of gold. The best thing you can be is CEO. No matter what, you always get your dough.
May 11, 2011 / Books & the Arts / Calvin Trillin
Countervailing Powers: On John Kenneth Galbraith Countervailing Powers: On John Kenneth Galbraith
John Kenneth Galbraith was a satirist of economics as much as a practitioner of it.
May 11, 2011 / Books & the Arts / Kim Phillips-Fein
Osama bin Laden Has Been Killed Osama bin Laden Has Been Killed
All cheered as the president said it. ’Midst cheering, though, some folks said, “Let it Be quite clear right now That some way, somehow, The Donald will try to claim credit.”
May 4, 2011 / Books & the Arts / Calvin Trillin
Al-Assad Al-Assad
Al-Assad An autocrat named al-Assad Decided he’d not spare the rod. His thugs kill at will, But we wonder still: What happens when he’s shot his wad? Some say his reaction is odd: They say this Assad is no clod. But he learned from pop To play the bad cop. Who knows how it ends? Maybe God.
Apr 28, 2011 / Column / Calvin Trillin