The Summer Leaves The Summer Leaves
nothing unscathed. Desires, once tender stalks, grow brittle; the first and clear-eyed dew that clung thereto expires. The summer leaves—the trees’ dense growth—that, dying little by little, turn red, brown, go down and down and these still leaves long winds will shake and put me on my mettle— here, rusted as dead blood, there, bright, my good— both make the most of light. And then, as, torn, the leaves resettle, and the heart, ravaged, grieves, the summer leaves again.
Oct 21, 2014 / Books & the Arts / Catherine Breese Davis
![Just for Gaffes: Why the Political Press’s Obsession With Minutiae Is No Joke](https://www.thenation.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/alison_lundergan_grimes_ap_img_3.jpg)
Just for Gaffes: Why the Political Press’s Obsession With Minutiae Is No Joke Just for Gaffes: Why the Political Press’s Obsession With Minutiae Is No Joke
Eric on this week’s concerts and releases and Reed on how the gaffe-obsessed political press is doing a disservice to democracy.
Oct 20, 2014 / Books & the Arts / Eric Alterman and Reed Richardson
![Vanishing Act](https://www.thenation.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/livingston_vanishingact_ba_img_0.jpg)
Vanishing Act Vanishing Act
You’ve probably never heard of Martin J. Sklar. But you should have.
Oct 15, 2014 / Books & the Arts / James Livingston
![Acts of Treason](https://www.thenation.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/naffis-sahely_actsoftreason_ba_img.jpg)
Acts of Treason Acts of Treason
For Rian Malan, seeking atonement doesn’t necessarily mean one will attain it.
Oct 15, 2014 / Books & the Arts / André Naffis-Sahely
![Uncontained City](https://www.thenation.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/smartbell_uncontainedcity_ba_img.jpg)
Uncontained City Uncontained City
The Third World collides with the First in Atticus Lish’s Preparation for the Next Life.
Oct 14, 2014 / Books & the Arts / Madison Smartt Bell
In Our Orbit: Pleasures and Predicaments In Our Orbit: Pleasures and Predicaments
In the poems of Peter Gizzi, the powers of tradition meet and mingle.
Oct 14, 2014 / Books & the Arts / Frances Richard
![‘Evolution of a Criminal’: A Conversation With Filmmaker Darius Clark Monroe](https://www.thenation.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/dariusclark_monroe_otu.jpg)
‘Evolution of a Criminal’: A Conversation With Filmmaker Darius Clark Monroe ‘Evolution of a Criminal’: A Conversation With Filmmaker Darius Clark Monroe
Filmmaker Darius Clark Monroe on his documentary.
Oct 14, 2014 / Books & the Arts / Mychal Denzel Smith
![‘The New York Times’ Wants Gary Webb to Stay Dead](https://www.thenation.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/nytimes_building_ap_img_4.jpg)
‘The New York Times’ Wants Gary Webb to Stay Dead ‘The New York Times’ Wants Gary Webb to Stay Dead
Many journalists went after Webb, destroying his reputation and driving him out of the profession and into a suicidal depression. Now they’re at it again.
Oct 10, 2014 / Books & the Arts / Greg Grandin
![Transcend and Organize](https://www.thenation.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/stewart_transcendandorganize_ba_img_0.jpg)
Transcend and Organize Transcend and Organize
Pier Paolo Pasolini was a force against the incoherence hiding in every hypocrisy.
Oct 7, 2014 / Books & the Arts / Susan Stewart
![Gathering Fates](https://www.thenation.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/lipkin_gatheringfates_ba_img.jpg)
Gathering Fates Gathering Fates
For the German novelist Walter Kempowski, there was no single unifying experience of World War II.
Oct 7, 2014 / Books & the Arts / Michael Lipkin