How Has the Idea of Revolution Changed? How Has the Idea of Revolution Changed?
A new history examines the long history of a radical and sometimes conservative concept.
Jan 13, 2026 / Books & the Arts / Peter E. Gordon
The Grand Delusions of “Marty Supreme” The Grand Delusions of “Marty Supreme”
Josh Safdie’s first solo effort, an antic sports movie, revels in a darker side of the American dream.
Jan 12, 2026 / Books & the Arts / Erin Schwartz
John Updike, Letter Writer John Updike, Letter Writer
A brilliant prose stylist, confident, amiable, and wonderfully lucid when talking about other people’s problems, Updike rarely confessed or confronted his own.
Jan 12, 2026 / Books & the Arts / Vivian Gornick
Did We Get the History of Modern American Art Wrong? Did We Get the History of Modern American Art Wrong?
The standard story of 1960s arts is one of Abstract Expressionism leading into Pop Art and minimalism. A Whitney show proposes an altogether different one centered on surrealism.
Jan 7, 2026 / Books & the Arts / Barry Schwabsky
The Bleak History of the American Work Ethic The Bleak History of the American Work Ethic
In Make Your Own Job, Erik Baker shows just how long Americans have scrambled to pile work on top of work—and at what cost.
Jan 6, 2026 / Books & the Arts / Nick Juravich
The Banal Spectacle of “Avatar: Fire and Ash” The Banal Spectacle of “Avatar: Fire and Ash”
Has James Cameron’s epic sci-fi series run aground?
Jan 5, 2026 / Books & the Arts / Stephen Kearse
Make 2026 the Year of Thomas Paine Make 2026 the Year of Thomas Paine
As America celebrates its 250th birthday, remember the founder who rallied the people against British and American oligarchs.
Jan 2, 2026 / John Nichols
The Dislocations of Shuang Xuetao The Dislocations of Shuang Xuetao
The Chinese writer’s fiction details how the country transformed on an intimate level after the Cultural Revolution.
Dec 30, 2025 / Books & the Arts / Ting Lin