The Anti-Nostalgia of Walker Evans The Anti-Nostalgia of Walker Evans
A recent biography reveals the many contradictions of the photographer who fastidiously documented postwar American life.
Jun 8, 2021 / Books & the Arts / Rahel Aima
The Epic Misery of Thomas Bernhard The Epic Misery of Thomas Bernhard
His little-known novel The Cheap-Eaters, recently translated by Douglas Robertson, puts forward a basic thesis: Life is a sequence of crushings.
Jun 7, 2021 / Books & the Arts / Missouri Williams
The Story of Sun Ra’s Egyptian Adventure The Story of Sun Ra’s Egyptian Adventure
How a 1971 trip changed the course of the free jazz icon’s career.
Jun 2, 2021 / Books & the Arts / Marcus J. Moore
The Surreal Pleasures of ‘The Masked Singer’ The Surreal Pleasures of ‘The Masked Singer’
By discarding all the tropes of standard reality TV, this singing competition allows viewers to revel in pure weirdness.
Jun 2, 2021 / Books & the Arts / Erin Schwartz
The Gilded Age’s Democratic Contradictions The Gilded Age’s Democratic Contradictions
A new history examines how the late 19th century’s raucous party system gave way to a more sedate and exclusionary political culture that erected more and more barriers to particip...
Jun 1, 2021 / Books & the Arts / Eric Foner
Telling the Story of Undocumented America Telling the Story of Undocumented America
Using both journalism and visionary vignettes, Karla Cornejo Villavicencio examines undocumented life in contemporary United States.
Jun 1, 2021 / Books & the Arts / Gaiutra Bahadur
Final Poem for the ‘Field of Poetry’ Final Poem for the ‘Field of Poetry’
In the grip of a nor’easter, you come bearing grief, have in pieces not come in peace. You arrive bladed with certainty. You slam shut the car door and smolder before the locked ca…
Jun 1, 2021 / Books & the Arts / Phillip Williams
Rough Trade, Big City: The Legacy of ‘Midnight Cowboy’ Rough Trade, Big City: The Legacy of ‘Midnight Cowboy’
Glenn Frankel’s new book explores the making of a film that has become almost synonymous with New York City.
May 26, 2021 / Books & the Arts / Adam Nayman
Is It Time to Abolish Museums? Is It Time to Abolish Museums?
From problematic funders to union-busting, museums around the world have been beset by controversy. Can reform actually change these institutions?
May 25, 2021 / Books & the Arts / Dana Kopel
The Roving Mind of Rachel Kushner The Roving Mind of Rachel Kushner
Her new collection of nonfiction—exploring life, death, motorcycles, land art, experimental film and much more—is exhilarating.
May 24, 2021 / Books & the Arts / Jennifer Schaffer-Goddard