Books and Ideas

Shelf Life Shelf Life

Nikolai Leskov’s The Enchanted Wandered and Other Stories; Ludmilla Petrushevskaya’s There Once Lived a Girl Who Seduced Her Sister's Husband, and He Hanged Himself...

Apr 30, 2013 / Books & the Arts / Alexandra Schwartz

Risky Business: On Risk and Individualism Risky Business: On Risk and Individualism

A history of how risk management profits from manufacturing new forms of uncertainty and insecurity.

Apr 24, 2013 / Books & the Arts / Stephen Mihm

And Darkness Comes: On Aleksandar Hemon

And Darkness Comes: On Aleksandar Hemon And Darkness Comes: On Aleksandar Hemon

How did everything a writer had known and loved come violently apart?

Apr 24, 2013 / Books & the Arts / Aaron Thier

The Sons of Revolution and Steerage: On ‘City of Ambition’ The Sons of Revolution and Steerage: On ‘City of Ambition’

FDR, Fiorello La Guardia and rebuilding New York City during the New Deal.

Apr 18, 2013 / Books & the Arts / Richard Kreitner

Oligarchs and Graphomaniacs

Oligarchs and Graphomaniacs Oligarchs and Graphomaniacs

No one dies for poetry anymore, not even in Russia. Enter the oligarchs, who steer clear of Putin’s ire by sponsoring literary prizes.

Apr 10, 2013 / Books & the Arts / Sophie Pinkham

My So-Called ‘Post-Feminist’ Life in Arts and Letters

My So-Called ‘Post-Feminist’ Life in Arts and Letters My So-Called ‘Post-Feminist’ Life in Arts and Letters

Slut-shaming, name-calling and no respect: welcome to life in literary America for a twenty-first-century female author.

Apr 9, 2013 / Books & the Arts / Deborah Copaken Kogan

ADHD Diagnoses Rise Sharply ADHD Diagnoses Rise Sharply

So hyperactivity’s now on the rise, Though overprescribing is also suspected. Could this be a hyperactivity plague? At least we know Congress has not been affected.

Apr 3, 2013 / Column / Calvin Trillin

Kircher’s Cosmos: On Athanasius Kircher

Kircher’s Cosmos: On Athanasius Kircher Kircher’s Cosmos: On Athanasius Kircher

How did a man who got so many things wrong become an intellectual celebrity in his own lifetime?

Apr 3, 2013 / Books & the Arts / Paula Findlen

Hunter-Blatherer: On Jared Diamond Hunter-Blatherer: On Jared Diamond

An unreliable anthropologist of traditional societies is a no less dubious diagnostician of the contemporary world.

Apr 3, 2013 / Books & the Arts / Stephen Wertheim

Republican Brawl Republican Brawl

First Palin said that Rove had spent a lot Of other people’s money, and had got For all of that a largely losing slate— Suggesting Rove’s gone past his sell-by date. So Rove, in search of subtle ways to hit her, Implied that she’d turned out to be a quitter. Then John McCain, with careful choice of words, Said Rand and Cruz behaved like “wacko birds.” O’Reilly said that Bachmann’s speech was trite. We can’t choose sides, since everyone is right.

Mar 27, 2013 / Column / Calvin Trillin

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