Shostakovich’s Ambivalence Shostakovich’s Ambivalence
The musical and political strands of Dmitri Shostakovich's life were intertwined like the braids of a noose.
Apr 21, 2011 / Books & the Arts / Michael O’Donnell
A Bare-Bones Analysis of Tim Pawlenty’s Candidacy A Bare-Bones Analysis of Tim Pawlenty’s Candidacy
The news from Minnesota‘s Tim Pawlenty Is Tim Pawlenty‘s in New Hampshire plenty. He hopes to win in ’12, ’16 or ’20. But that’s not likely, say the cognoscenti.
Apr 17, 2011 / Column / Calvin Trillin
Tangled Up in Unbelievable Foolishness Tangled Up in Unbelievable Foolishness
Eric Alterman reviews jazz, including Wynton Marsalis and Eric Clapton, the Jazz Foundation benefit, and Reed Richardson discusses the ethics of Obama's budget speech.
Apr 15, 2011 / Books & the Arts / Eric Alterman
Yet Another Chapter in Trickle-Down Economics Yet Another Chapter in Trickle-Down Economics
“C.E.O.’s in finance, technology, energy and beyond are pulling down multimillion-dollar paychecks. What many of these executives aren’t doing, however, is hiring.” —the New York Times If you await a downward trickle, You’ve just received a wooden nickel.
Apr 14, 2011 / Column / Calvin Trillin
How Socialists Built America How Socialists Built America
The history of our nation has many rich and vibrant hues—some of them red.
Apr 13, 2011 / Books & the Arts / John Nichols
Watered Whiskey: James Baldwin’s Uncollected Writings Watered Whiskey: James Baldwin’s Uncollected Writings
The Cross of Redemption tells the story of James Baldwin as a working writer: casual, lax and preachy, but also honest, angry and brilliant.
Apr 13, 2011 / Books & the Arts / Elias Altman
History and Heartbreak: The Letters of Rosa Luxemburg History and Heartbreak: The Letters of Rosa Luxemburg
Rosa Luxemburg wanted it all: books and music, sex and art, evening walks and the revolution. Her lover, Leo Jogiches, told her this was nonsense.
Apr 13, 2011 / Books & the Arts / Vivian Gornick
Before the Flood: Information Before the Information Age Before the Flood: Information Before the Information Age
Ann Blair’s Too Much to Know explains how across the centuries the profusion of information has always inspired readers to invent shortcuts to knowledge.
Apr 13, 2011 / Books & the Arts / Paula Findlen
From The Archive: Five Pieces by James Baldwin From The Archive: Five Pieces by James Baldwin
The publication of The Cross of Redemption is an occasion to revisit some of the many fine essays and reviews written for The Nation by Baldwin, who was a member of the magazine's...
Apr 11, 2011 / Books & the Arts / The Nation
Reclaiming the Politics of Freedom Reclaiming the Politics of Freedom
Since the ’70s, liberals and leftists have misidentified the source of conservatism’s appeal.
Apr 6, 2011 / Books & the Arts / Corey Robin