Books and Ideas

Too Late for Empire Too Late for Empire

Thirty years after Watergate, we again face a constitutional crisis at home and a misconceived war abroad. The United States will remain a helpless giant until we finally learn tha...

Sep 2, 2006 / Books & the Arts / Jonathan Schell

Tavis Smiley’s Covenant Tavis Smiley’s Covenant

Journalist, activist, philanthropist and self-promoter, Tavis Smiley has the political clout and the ability to energize and educate the black community in the best tradition of Ma...

Sep 1, 2006 / Books & the Arts / Amy Alexander

Naguib Mahfouz: An Appreciation Naguib Mahfouz: An Appreciation

Egypt has been deprived of its greatest living writer, and the world has lost one of its most humane literary figures.

Aug 31, 2006 / Books & the Arts / Laila Lalami

The Chinese Evolution The Chinese Evolution

Three new books on China invite the West to give up simplistic dreams and nightmares and come to terms with a complex and rapidly evolving authoritarian state.

Aug 31, 2006 / Books & the Arts / Jeffrey Wasserstrom

Poetry, From Noun to Verb Poetry, From Noun to Verb

Nathaniel Mackey's most recent collection of subtle, intricate poetry weaves images from Arab and African diasporas with a contemporary sense of dislocation.

Aug 31, 2006 / Books & the Arts / John Palattella

Writers From the Other Asia Writers From the Other Asia

Four new books explore Korea's cold war hangover and the indelible mark left by its North-South division.

Aug 31, 2006 / Books & the Arts / John Feffer

All Governments (and Some Journalists) Lie All Governments (and Some Journalists) Lie

Democracy demands that journalists tell the truth. The success of liars like Bob Novak and Ann Coulter is a greater threat to America than a truck full of terrorists bent on doing ...

Aug 31, 2006 / Column / Eric Alterman

The Choice on Iraq The Choice on Iraq

Here's how Democrats should spin the biggest political question in the midterm elections.

Aug 31, 2006 / Column / Calvin Trillin

Bush Hushes Nation Bush Hushes Nation

He asks citizens "to quiet down for just one minute" so he could have "a chance to think."

Aug 30, 2006 / The Nation

Eat Drink Man Woman Eat Drink Man Woman

Three new books by Julia Child, Anthony Bourdain and Bill Buford chart the evolution of American cooking, from haute cuisine to the hot kitchen of Mario Batali.

Aug 24, 2006 / Books & the Arts / Matthew DeBord

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