A supposedly fun interview you should probably watch again
“The style of David Foster Wallace defies description in an age where the novel is constantly being threatened by the allure of technological advancement.” So begins this 1997 segment in which Charlie Rose, TV’s… Read more »
It’s a good day to watch Martin Luther King deliver his “Two Americas” speech
Amid all the noise of the present moment, you couldn’t do too much better than to watch Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legendary “Two Americas” speech, delivered at Stanford on… Read more »
In which the great Jacques Berlinerblau fields your questions about American higher ed
So, a couple weeks ago, we reached out to the goodly and inquisitive people of the internet, with an unrefusable offer: Send us your questions for Jacques Berlinerblau—eminent educator and scholar… Read more »
Cents and Sensitivity: At long last, Jane Austen’s in the money, though not without problems
Good news for folks who love both money and wittily perceptive fiction: soon, you’ll be able to travel to the UK and buy whatever you need—pants to wear under your favourite… Read more »
A Q&A with Lynda Schuster: “There’s a saying that journalism is the first draft of history…”
Today, we’re celebrating the release of Dirty Wars and Polished Silver, Lynda Schuster’s heart-racing memoir of her life as a foreign war correspondent, with astounding scenes in the nations of Latin… Read more »
Hey, can I play you something?
Check out this song, it’s weird and excellent: So, yeah. That was Potrzebie (That’s What I Want) by Mike “Sport” Murphy. Each author’s name—including, forgive me for observing, more than… Read more »
Fifty years ago, Newark was in flames
Fifty years ago this week, one of the biggest, wildest urban convulsions in American history took hold of Newark, New Jersey. As usual, there were mounting tensions, and then there was… Read more »
Confederate statues, submerged tensions, and the end of racism: A southern writer looks at the monuments of New Orleans and Brazil
Recently my hometown of New Orleans removed four monuments to Confederate generals from public display, an act that heartened many, provoked anger in some, and received a good deal of… Read more »
The campus novels (and movies) that get it right (and wrong)
The “campus novel” is one of the few things with the word “campus” in it that is beloved by many. (Did you love the “Campus Police” when they confiscated your… Read more »
Best Laid Plans: Norman Bel Geddes’s Unrealized Projects
“Every new thing is resisted.” —Thomas Edison, 1914 “Think different.” —Apple ad slogan, 1997–2002 “The fairy tales of the past, told to while away an idle hour with mysterious impossibilities,… Read more »