Poems about Poems: Why Not? Poems about Poems: Why Not?
Is there something wrong with writing poems about writing poems? And if so, what? My friend Richard Howard was the first person who told me he didn't approve of that subject, but ...
Aug 5, 2009 / Books & the Arts / Katha Pollitt
Complain, Complain: Poems about Writing Poetry Complain, Complain: Poems about Writing Poetry
Now for something completely different. This week I'm guest-blogging at The Best American Poetry. So much fun! I'll be putting up here what I wrote over there the day before.
Aug 3, 2009 / Books & the Arts / Katha Pollitt
Cures for the Common Cold War: Postwar Polish Poetry Cures for the Common Cold War: Postwar Polish Poetry
Polish poetry has been captive to our most flattering verdicts about history.
Jul 29, 2009 / Books & the Arts / Benjamin Paloff
Stolen Youth: The Life of Lucie de la Tour du Pin Stolen Youth: The Life of Lucie de la Tour du Pin
The French Revolution as seen from Versailles.
Jul 29, 2009 / Books & the Arts / Ruth Scurr
The Story of a Fixer The Story of a Fixer
A haunting documentary shines a light on the foreign "fixers" who work behind the scenes with reporters to determine how the story of war gets told.
Jul 29, 2009 / Books & the Arts / The Editors
Doppler Elegy Doppler Elegy
A flowering no one attends The enterprise known variously as waking, April, or Bats are disappearing like color into function. I wanted to open In a new window the eyes of a friend by force if necessary. Amber light is a useless phrase but will have to do what painting did Dense smoke from the burning wells for our parents. Ben there is a man at the door who says I've made small changes he found your notebook throughout in red. The recurring dream contrived in places Of waning significance it resembles the hand after a difficult passage opening, a key word in the early Blue of rippled glass atonal circles. They phased us out across the backward capitals like paper money Or is that two words
Jul 29, 2009 / Books & the Arts / Ben Lerner
William Jennings Bryan William Jennings Bryan
Clarence Darrow may have embarrassed him at the Scopes trial, but William Jennings Bryan will long be remembered as one of the country's greatest progressive crusaders.
Jul 29, 2009 / The Nation
For Hoover For Hoover
Yes, Virginia, this is an endorsement of Herbert Hoover in The Nation.
Jul 29, 2009 / Robert Herrick
William Shatner Peforms Palin Speech William Shatner Peforms Palin Speech
William Shatner, accompanied by bongo drums, re-enacts portions of Sarah Palin's resignation speech in his own classic style.
Jul 29, 2009 / The Tonight Show
Late-Night Comics Watch Sarah Palin’s Formal Farewell Speech Late-Night Comics Watch Sarah Palin’s Formal Farewell Speech
Don't cry for me, Alaska.
Jul 28, 2009 / Column / Calvin Trillin