Books and Ideas

End of Vietnam: The Shameful Truth End of Vietnam: The Shameful Truth

As the rout of Saigon showed, when it came to Vietnam our "best and the brightest" were, more accurately, the worst and the dumbest.

May 8, 2007 / The Editors

A Peaceful Mother’s Day A Peaceful Mother’s Day

Mother's Day was originally conceived to recognize the power of women to be instruments of peace.

May 8, 2007 / Books & the Arts / Robert Greenwald

America’s Idiotic Political Debates America’s Idiotic Political Debates

All France was transfixed as presidential candidates conducted a passionate, freewheeling debate this week. Why are American debates so intentionally stupid?

May 4, 2007 / Books & the Arts / Nicholas von Hoffman

Infantile Liberalism Infantile Liberalism

"I encourage you all to go shopping more," advised President Bush at a press conference last winter. Shop and prime the pump, goes the idea. Spring for a plasma television set an...

May 3, 2007 / Books & the Arts / Russell Jacoby

Revolutionary Devotion Revolutionary Devotion

Communism, Catholicism and radical Modernism meet on the dissecting table of César Vallejo's poetry.

May 3, 2007 / Books & the Arts / Roberto González Echevarría

Another Exasperating Account of the Bunker Another Exasperating Account of the Bunker

Sinking Tenet's "slam dunk."

May 2, 2007 / Column / Calvin Trillin

Cafe Society Cafe Society

Clive James's erudite new collection of essays celebrates the best of twentieth-century art, thought and politics.

Apr 26, 2007 / Books & the Arts / William Deresiewicz

Stranger in the City Stranger in the City

The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears tells the story of an Ethiopian immigrant's unrequited love affair with the American Dream.

Apr 26, 2007 / Books & the Arts / Tara Gallagher

Ferdinand VII Ferdinand VII

Whose astonishing wisdom led to preserving a statue of the monstrous Ferdinand VII in Havana?

Apr 26, 2007 / Books & the Arts / Gore Vidal

A Bring-the-Troops-Home Rally in Baghdad A Bring-the-Troops-Home Rally in Baghdad

Help for the troops might come from an unlikely source.

Apr 26, 2007 / Column / Calvin Trillin

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