Unsparing Truths: On Lucille Clifton Unsparing Truths: On Lucille Clifton
A poet’s reckonings with suffering and indifference.
Jun 19, 2013 / Books & the Arts / Jordan Davis
The Last Unfinished Page: On Euclides da Cunha The Last Unfinished Page: On Euclides da Cunha
A portrait of the journalist and intellectual who championed the caboclos of the young Brazilian republic.
Jun 18, 2013 / Books & the Arts / Lorna Scott Fox
Adieu, Michele Bachmann Adieu, Michele Bachmann
Gigantic tears into our eyes now well As we prepare to say farewell, Michele. We pliers of the small-joke trade are grieving. We so regret to hear that you are leaving. Oh, sure, we often managed to make merry With gaffes by Sarah Palin or by Perry. And Cain was grand; with Trump we had a ball. But you, Michele, were wackiest of all.
Jun 5, 2013 / Column / Calvin Trillin
Rage and Ruin: On the Black Panthers Rage and Ruin: On the Black Panthers
A new history of the party is too close to its subject, and misses the human drama.
Jun 5, 2013 / Books & the Arts / Steve Wasserman
Dirtying White Dirtying White
Why does Benn Steil’s history of Bretton Woods distort the ideas of Harry Dexter White?
Jun 5, 2013 / Books & the Arts / James M. Boughton
White Wigs, Black Masks: On Surveillance Pop White Wigs, Black Masks: On Surveillance Pop
The cameras no longer look at us because we’re famous; we’re famous because they look at us to death.
Jun 5, 2013 / Books & the Arts / Joshua Clover
Another Week in the White House Another Week in the White House
The IRS has made a mess That brings the White House many stresses. They need distractions, which they’ve got— Alas, though, those are other messes.
May 22, 2013 / Column / Calvin Trillin
Shelf Life Shelf Life
Ralph Lemon’s Come Home Charley Patton
May 21, 2013 / Books & the Arts / Marina Harss
Attacks From Within: On Janet Malcolm Attacks From Within: On Janet Malcolm
The war between democracy and aristocracy in Janet Malcolm’s Forty-One False Starts.
May 21, 2013 / Books & the Arts / Mark Oppenheimer
This Week in ‘Nation’ History: Reviewers Have Argued About ‘Gatsby’ Since 1925 This Week in ‘Nation’ History: Reviewers Have Argued About ‘Gatsby’ Since 1925
The debate surrounding Baz Luhrmann’s film adaptation is nothing new.
May 18, 2013 / Books & the Arts / Katrina vanden Heuvel