Cultural Criticism and Analysis

Jonathan Franzen

Jonathan Franzen Withdraws Jonathan Franzen Withdraws

Why are the agonized liberals in Purity so skeptical of political conviction?

Oct 8, 2015 / Books & the Arts / Jon Baskin

October 3, 1925: Gore Vidal Is Born

October 3, 1925: Gore Vidal Is Born October 3, 1925: Gore Vidal Is Born

“In hindsight, I can see that our ending was implicit in our beginning.”

Oct 3, 2015 / 150th Anniversary / Richard Kreitner

September 30, 2005: Cartoons of the Prophet Muhammed Appear in a Danish Newspaper

September 30, 2005: Cartoons of the Prophet Muhammed Appear in a Danish Newspaper September 30, 2005: Cartoons of the Prophet Muhammed Appear in a Danish Newspaper

“The cartoon scandal is about much more than freedom of speech. At its heart the controversy is about power.”

Sep 30, 2015 / 150th Anniversary / Richard Kreitner

Our First Advice Columnist Is Taking Your Questions

Our First Advice Columnist Is Taking Your Questions Our First Advice Columnist Is Taking Your Questions

Living under late capitalism is hard. Liza is here to help.

Sep 29, 2015 / Asking for a Friend / Liza Featherstone

Sculpture/fountain by Naum Gabo at Guy's and St Thomas's Hospital, London, UK

The Politics of Bad Art The Politics of Bad Art

In whose service does a painter paint, or a critic criticize?

Sep 24, 2015 / Books & the Arts / Barry Schwabsky

Hear! Hear! George Scialabba

Hear! Hear! George Scialabba Hear! Hear! George Scialabba

A gathering of luminaries and friends—including artist Joseph Ciardiello, with this drawing—celebrated the essayist and critic on the day of his retirement.

Sep 24, 2015 / Editorial / Rick Perlstein

September 12, 1880: H.L. Mencken Is Born

September 12, 1880: H.L. Mencken Is Born September 12, 1880: H.L. Mencken Is Born

“What ails liberalism, as a practical scheme of reform, is its naive and irrational belief in law, a superstition that has cursed the human race long enough.”

Sep 12, 2015 / 150th Anniversary / Richard Kreitner

September 10, 1885: Carl Van Doren Is Born

September 10, 1885: Carl Van Doren Is Born September 10, 1885: Carl Van Doren Is Born

“He has labored untiringly to dig the weeds out of the annals of American fiction.”

Sep 10, 2015 / 150th Anniversary / Richard Kreitner

The NFL Must Be Loving the Misleading Sony Hacker Leaks on the Film ‘Concussion’

The NFL Must Be Loving the Misleading Sony Hacker Leaks on the Film ‘Concussion’ The NFL Must Be Loving the Misleading Sony Hacker Leaks on the Film ‘Concussion’

The hacked Sony e-mails seem to show that the Concussion film is compromised. But that would be wrong.

Sep 2, 2015 / Dave Zirin

Margo Jefferson

A Retelling: The Clubwomen A Retelling: The Clubwomen

A writer reflects on her grandmothers’ struggles with progress and peril in a changing America.

Sep 2, 2015 / Dispatch / Margo Jefferson

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