Books and Ideas

Whose Side Is Clarence Thomas On?

Whose Side Is Clarence Thomas On? Whose Side Is Clarence Thomas On?

A new book argues that the Supreme Court justice’s early embrace of black nationalism is central to understanding his politics and jurisprudence. But perhaps far better guides are ...

Oct 29, 2019 / Books & the Arts / Randall Kennedy

Jonathan Safran Foer and the Limits of Liberal Climate Politics

Jonathan Safran Foer and the Limits of Liberal Climate Politics Jonathan Safran Foer and the Limits of Liberal Climate Politics

Addressing climate change will take a whole lot more than changing our diets.

Oct 29, 2019 / Books & the Arts / Kate Aronoff

Even Straight People Will Know the ‘Call Me by Your Name’ Sequel Is Bad

Even Straight People Will Know the ‘Call Me by Your Name’ Sequel Is Bad Even Straight People Will Know the ‘Call Me by Your Name’ Sequel Is Bad

André Aciman’s Find Me reinforces what felt so lacking in his breakout hit.

Oct 25, 2019 / Sam Huber

Clarence Thomas’s Political Journey

Clarence Thomas’s Political Journey Clarence Thomas’s Political Journey

Corey Robin discusses his new book on the longest-serving justice on today’s Supreme Court and the influence of black conservatism and black nationalism on his jurisprudence.

Oct 24, 2019 / Robert Greene II

Bowe Bergdahl’s Story Was Never Just About One Soldier’s Desertion

Bowe Bergdahl’s Story Was Never Just About One Soldier’s Desertion Bowe Bergdahl’s Story Was Never Just About One Soldier’s Desertion

Matt Farwell and Michael Ames’s American Cipher goes behind the Bergdahl saga to probe America’s imperial past.

Oct 23, 2019 / Lyle Jeremy Rubin

Tom Tomorrow cartoon

Rudy Giuliani and the Secret Constitution Rudy Giuliani and the Secret Constitution

For crooked, rich Republicans, everything from “impeachment” to “subpoenas” to “crimes” is in air-quotes

Oct 22, 2019 / Tom Tomorrow

Down the Alt-Right Rabbit Hole

Down the Alt-Right Rabbit Hole Down the Alt-Right Rabbit Hole

Andrew Marantz’s Antisocial tells the messy history of how the far right went viral.

Oct 22, 2019 / Evan Malmgren

For Yiyun Li, All Writing Is Autobiographical

For Yiyun Li, All Writing Is Autobiographical For Yiyun Li, All Writing Is Autobiographical

We had a wide ranging conversation with Li about her feelings on autofiction, bad readers, and why her work has yet to be translated into Chinese.  

Oct 21, 2019 / Q&A / Rosemarie Ho

Peter Handke’s Nobel Condones Violence

Peter Handke’s Nobel Condones Violence Peter Handke’s Nobel Condones Violence

One of Sweden’s most important authors on how the Swedish Academy abuses its platform—and the intelligentsia lets it happen.

Oct 18, 2019 / Johannes Anyuru

Tom Tomorrow cartoon

The Case Against Impeachment (According to Republicans) The Case Against Impeachment (According to Republicans)

It would be challenging, distracting, maybe even unconstitutional, and—most importantly—we don’t want to do it.

Oct 16, 2019 / Tom Tomorrow

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