How the “American Dream” Became Un-American How the “American Dream” Became Un-American
When plutocrats defend it, and democrats bewail its passing, it’s time to recall the original meaning of the phrase.
Feb 10, 2022 / Maria Bustillos
What Art Spiegelman’s “Maus” Means to the Children of Survivors What Art Spiegelman’s “Maus” Means to the Children of Survivors
On banning the book that changed what we talk about when we talk about the Holocaust.
Feb 4, 2022 / Linda Mannheim
Terry Teachout and the Last of the Conservative Critics Terry Teachout and the Last of the Conservative Critics
He was a generation younger than Joan Didion and her cohort of critics who got their start at National Review. With his death, their strain of criticism seems not only rare but per...
Jan 20, 2022 / Books & the Arts / Jeet Heer
5 Lessons From Hunter S. Thompson 5 Lessons From Hunter S. Thompson
Wisdom from the godfather of gonzo.
Jan 17, 2022 / Peter Richardson
Rebecca Solnit Is Not Giving Up Hope Rebecca Solnit Is Not Giving Up Hope
An interview with the essayist about the need for bread and roses—especially in perilous times.
Jan 14, 2022 / Q&A / John Nichols
When Sidney Poitier Picked Up the Gun When Sidney Poitier Picked Up the Gun
Notes on a couple of native sons.
Jan 10, 2022 / Gene Seymour
Joan Didion’s California Joan Didion’s California
How the splendor and chaos of the Golden State explains the writer’s vision of the world
Dec 29, 2021 / Books & the Arts / Emma Hager
Maggie Nelson and the Evolving Politics of Liberation Maggie Nelson and the Evolving Politics of Liberation
In her new book, Nelson examines the politics of freedom on the left and the right.
Dec 28, 2021 / Books & the Arts / Jennifer Wilson
The Startling Postcolonial Poetics of “Coolitude” The Startling Postcolonial Poetics of “Coolitude”
Khal Thorabully’s epic poem “re-voices” the history of Indian indentured migration, and in the process imagines a new kind of transoceanic political solidarity.
Dec 16, 2021 / Books & the Arts / Aditya Bahl
What Is the Relationship Between Democracy and Authoritarianism? What Is the Relationship Between Democracy and Authoritarianism?
The Age of Revolution inaugurate a new era in modern history defined not only by new democratic institutions but also by despots and charismatic leaders.
Dec 14, 2021 / Books & the Arts / Tyler Stovall