Self-Portrait in a Sheet Mirror: On Vivian Maier Self-Portrait in a Sheet Mirror: On Vivian Maier
The recently discovered photographs of Vivian Maier are tantalizing works of artistry and ambition.
May 22, 2012 / Books & the Arts / Joanna Scott
Shelf Life Shelf Life
Krzysztof Kieslowski’s Three Colors, Gavin O’Connor’s Warrior
May 22, 2012 / Books & the Arts / Akiva Gottlieb
Extreme Indolence: On the Fiction of Albert Cossery Extreme Indolence: On the Fiction of Albert Cossery
For Albert Cossery, the world is split between those who respect a cause and those who don’t give a tinker's damn.
May 22, 2012 / Books & the Arts / Mark Polizzotti
Outrageous Outrageous
Sacha Baron Cohen’s The Dictator; Emad Brunat and Guy Davidi’s 5 Broken Cameras
May 22, 2012 / Books & the Arts / Stuart Klawans
In ‘Scandal’ and ‘Veep’, Can Female Politicos Be Powerful—and Sexy, Too? In ‘Scandal’ and ‘Veep’, Can Female Politicos Be Powerful—and Sexy, Too?
For women in politics, sexuality is often a liability. Will two new shows break the mold?
May 22, 2012 / Books & the Arts / Salamishah Tillet
This Week in Poverty: A Little Help for the Long-Term Unemployed? This Week in Poverty: A Little Help for the Long-Term Unemployed?
230,000 long-term unemployed workers lost their benefits on Sunday and the system is about to get a whole lot worse.
May 18, 2012 / Books & the Arts / Greg Kaufmann
Occupy This Album Occupy This Album
A new collection featuring ninety-nine tracks of class-conscious music from ninety-nine artists.
May 17, 2012 / Books & the Arts / Peter Rothberg
Ohio Ohio
(A 2012 version of the Wonderful Town classic) With the rest of the states either solidly red or solidly blue, the election will be decided in nine or ten swing states. —News reports Why oh why oh why oh? Why did I ever leave Ohio? Why did I locate where, since it’s no swing state, Pollsters don’t trouble to track? Zero is my vote’s weight. Reason to vote? That’s what I lack. Oh why oh why oh did I leave Ohio? Maybe I better go O-H-I-O, Where I could have my vote back.
May 16, 2012 / Column / Calvin Trillin
Blind Spot: On Christa Wolf Blind Spot: On Christa Wolf
A postwar German novelist’s complicated legacy.
May 16, 2012 / Books & the Arts / Holly Case
The Ravaging Nothing: On László Krasznahorkai The Ravaging Nothing: On László Krasznahorkai
Satantango will devour you, you and everything you know.
May 16, 2012 / Books & the Arts / Ben Ehrenreich