Cultural Criticism and Analysis

Jordan Peterson

Jordan Peterson’s New Rules Are Old News Jordan Peterson’s New Rules Are Old News

The Canadian contrarian is back with another book. It isn’t any better than the last one.

May 18, 2021 / Column / Katha Pollitt

Óscar Castro Ramírez

How Theater Can Help Us Survive How Theater Can Help Us Survive

The saga of Chilean director and playwright Oscar Castro is a vivid example of how art can help us endure—and thrive.

May 6, 2021 / Ariel Dorfman

Virgina Woolf

Helpful Men: Defending Philip Roth, Dismissing Virginia Woolf Helpful Men: Defending Philip Roth, Dismissing Virginia Woolf

Like most women who write, I live my life according to the firmly stated judgments of literary men.

May 6, 2021 / Alyssa Harad

Phillip Roth

Philip Roth and His Defensive Fans Are Their Own Worst Enemies Philip Roth and His Defensive Fans Are Their Own Worst Enemies

Why did it take a sexual assault scandal to raise red flags about a deeply flawed biography?

Apr 30, 2021 / Jeet Heer

Philip Roth biography

Blake Bailey’s Life as a Man Blake Bailey’s Life as a Man

The disgraced writer’s Philip Roth biography is a document of a misogynist literary world. But I had to read the book to get the whole story.

Apr 28, 2021 / Katha Pollitt

John Edgar Wideman

The Craft of John Edgar Wideman The Craft of John Edgar Wideman

A conversation with one of the greatest living Black American writers on work, life, and why good fiction is like a game of basketball.

Apr 26, 2021 / Q&A / Elias Rodriques

Diorama of Manhattan at 1939 World's Fair

How ‘Things’ In Fiction Shape the Way We Read How ‘Things’ In Fiction Shape the Way We Read

Sarah Wasserman’s recent book looks at how the objects we take for granted in stories can reveal even deeper meaning.

Apr 13, 2021 / Books & the Arts / Sophie Haigney

Celebrate Women’s Month Every Month

Celebrate Women’s Month Every Month Celebrate Women’s Month Every Month

The future is feminist.

Mar 19, 2021 / OppArt / Andrea Arroyo

Glenn Gould

In the Vicinity of Genius In the Vicinity of Genius

How a friendship with Glenn Gould created an unlikely cultural critic.

Mar 12, 2021 / Jeet Heer

On Shame and Healing

On Shame and Healing On Shame and Healing

The truths that lie beneath our loneliest year.

Mar 10, 2021 / Rhea Boyd

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