Books and Ideas

The Deep Roots of Liberal Democracy’s Crisis

The Deep Roots of Liberal Democracy’s Crisis The Deep Roots of Liberal Democracy’s Crisis

A new history of North Atlantic democracies argues that they were already undergoing a serious crisis more than four decades ago.

Dec 17, 2019 / Books & the Arts / Richard J. Evans

Toni Morrison’s Revolution in American Literature

Toni Morrison’s Revolution in American Literature Toni Morrison’s Revolution in American Literature

As with Pilate, the fierce outsider and moral conscience of Song of Solomon, Morrison never asked for the proverbial seat at the table. Instead, she pulled the entire table over to...

Dec 16, 2019 / Books & the Arts / Jesse McCarthy

The Radical Life and Times of Crystal Eastman

The Radical Life and Times of Crystal Eastman The Radical Life and Times of Crystal Eastman

A new biography reveals how the feminist, pacifist, labor activist, and socialist fused the best strains of American leftism into one.  

Dec 16, 2019 / Books & the Arts / Vivian Gornick

Advice, From One Giant of 20th Century Literature to Another

Advice, From One Giant of 20th Century Literature to Another Advice, From One Giant of 20th Century Literature to Another

Kurt Vonnegut’s 1967 entreaty to José Donoso.

Dec 16, 2019 / Kurt Vonnegut

Between Familial and World-Historical: The Legacy of Chantal Akerman

Between Familial and World-Historical: The Legacy of Chantal Akerman Between Familial and World-Historical: The Legacy of Chantal Akerman

One of the Belgian filmmaker’s final works, a memoir about the last years of her mother’s life, shines a light on the roots of her art.

Dec 13, 2019 / Eliza Levinson

Priya gopal insurgent empire

The West Does Not Have a Copyright on Justice The West Does Not Have a Copyright on Justice

British scholar Priyamvada Gopal discusses the hidden histories of anticolonialism.

Dec 10, 2019 / Q&A / Nawal Arjini

The Irishman

‘The Irishman’ Tells the Story of the Corruption of Empire ‘The Irishman’ Tells the Story of the Corruption of Empire

Scorsese’s gangster epic highlights the personal and political cost of counterrevolutionary violence.

Dec 6, 2019 / Jeet Heer

Nathan Robinson Why You Should be a socialist

Nathan J. Robinson Wants You to Be a Socialist Nathan J. Robinson Wants You to Be a Socialist

We talked to the editor of Current Affairs about his new book, an impassioned argument for socialism in the 21st century.

Dec 6, 2019 / Q&A / Teddy Ostrow

‘I Hotel’ Is the Unheralded Document of a Decade of Asian American Activism

‘I Hotel’ Is the Unheralded Document of a Decade of Asian American Activism ‘I Hotel’ Is the Unheralded Document of a Decade of Asian American Activism

Karen Tei Yamashita’s recently republished epic novel is a reminder of fiction’s ability to both transmit and embody transformational ideas.

Dec 4, 2019 / Lucas Iberico Lozada

Tom Tomorrow cartoon

MAGA-Vision Goggles! MAGA-Vision Goggles!

They’re the only protection against the persuasive power of reality.

Dec 3, 2019 / Tom Tomorrow

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