Books and Ideas

Recent History

Recent History Recent History

Reviewing the year, in stitches.

May 25, 2021 / OppArt / India Tresselt

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

Nation Poetry

Searching for a Palestinian ‘After’ Searching for a Palestinian ‘After’

“The past is a future we return to” —Fargo Tbakhi After the Nakba, there was the Nakba of Before: Nakba of earth less-split, Nakba of root-less hollow, Nakba of take and take -back…

May 24, 2021 / Poems / George Abraham

Spiral Jetty Sculpture In Utah

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

Richard Wright

Did ‘Cancel Culture’ Drive Richard Wright Underground? Did ‘Cancel Culture’ Drive Richard Wright Underground?

On “Memories of My Grandmother” and The Man Who Lived Underground.

May 20, 2021 / Joseph G. Ramsey

A Portrait of Cis-Trans Solidarity

A Portrait of Cis-Trans Solidarity A Portrait of Cis-Trans Solidarity

Torrey Peters’s novel Detransition, Baby reimagines what we call the family.

May 20, 2021 / Books & the Arts / Sophie Lewis

Nation Poetry

from ‘The Angelgreen Sacrament’ from ‘The Angelgreen Sacrament’

You are afraid don’t be afraid be afraid don’t be afraid no one births you only my longing my angellonging and what I see is green arms and hands in your abandoned eye which is giv…

May 20, 2021 / Poems / Eva Kristina Olsson & translated by Johannes Göransson

Why Critics Need to Let Their Guard Down

Why Critics Need to Let Their Guard Down Why Critics Need to Let Their Guard Down

A conversation with Larissa Pham about desire, the politics of vulnerability, and practicing a more generous form of criticism.

May 19, 2021 / Books & the Arts / Chalay Chalermkraivuth

Tom Tomorrow cartoon

Cancel Culture, Case Closed Cancel Culture, Case Closed

The world’s greatest internet detective faces his hardest puzzle yet.

May 18, 2021 / Tom Tomorrow

Why Do We Eat Bad Food?

Why Do We Eat Bad Food? Why Do We Eat Bad Food?

Mark Bittman’s new history looks at the economy and politics of junk food.

May 18, 2021 / Books & the Arts / Bill McKibben

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