Archive

Such Abnormal Activity: On “The Best of R. A. Lafferty”
Matt Keeley reviews a new short story collection by the late R. A. Lafferty.
Matt KeeleyAug 3, 2019
- SF
Finding and Losing Rosemary Kennedy
John F. Muller looks at two recent books that examine the oft-overlooked life of Rosemary Kennedy.
John F. MullerAug 3, 2019
- Biography & Autobiography
- Politics
Experiments in Postcapitalism: On Dempow Torishima’s “Sisyphean”
Dempow Torishima’s “Sisyphean” is a mosaic novel that combines elements of irrealism, bio-horror, biopunk, fantastika, and techno-absurdity.
D. Harlan WilsonAug 3, 2019
- Around the World
- SF
“La Femme Noir”: Untranslated and Unread
Rebecca Gross considers the underexplored literary works of Francophone Caribbean women and their role in the Négritude movement.
Rebecca GrossAug 3, 2019
Door Open for Beauty: On Deborah Tobola’s “Hummingbird in Underworld: Teaching in a Men’s Prison, a Memoir”
Irina Dumitrescu reflects on Deborah Tobola’s “Hummingbird in Underworld: Teaching in a Men’s Prison, a Memoir.”
Irina DumitrescuAug 2, 2019
- Memoir & Essay
Iran Under Pressure, Again: What a 50-Year-Old Persian Classic Tells Us About the Country’s Predicament Today
Joobin Bekhrad finds new geopolitical relevance in Simin Daneshvar’s classic Iranian novel “Savushun,” first published in 1969.
Joobin BekhradAug 2, 2019
The Children of No-Man’s Land: On Valeria Luiselli’s “Lost Children Archive” and the Problem of Representing the Migrant Story
Jess Cotton takes up Valeria Luiselli’s “Lost Children Archive” and the challenge of representing the migrant experience.
Jess CottonAug 2, 2019
For Conservatives Critical of Trump: Talking to Peter Wehner
Andy Fitch interviews Peter Wehner about the state of contemporary conservatism, strategies for unity, and his new book "The Death of Politics."
Andy FitchAug 2, 2019
Marilyn Hacker: Rebel Traditionalist
"Marilyn Hacker’s immaculately crafted poems of this century display depth, range, and wit." On "Blazons: New and Selected Poems, 2000–2018."
A. M. JusterAug 1, 2019
- Poetry
Melville and the Media: A Conversation with Bernhard Siegert, Markus Krajewski, and Harun Maye
Bryan Norton talks to German scholars Bernhard Siegert, Markus Krajewski, and Harun Maye, authors of an ongoing commentary to Herman Melville’s “Moby-Dick.”
Bryan NortonAug 1, 2019
No Firm Fortress, No Retreat: Reading, and Mourning, “Moby-Dick” on the Cusp of Climate Catastrophe
Reading Melville’s “Moby-Dick” on the author’s 200th birthday, Kathleen Rooney mourns all that climate catastrophe will take from us.
Kathleen RooneyAug 1, 2019
- Fiction
The Monthly Digest: August 2019
In July we published a number of reviews and essays that cast a backward glance at important cultural milestones of the 20th century.
Aug 1, 2019
The Dale Peck is Over Party: Mayor Pete, Dale Peck, and the Limits of Queer Rhetorical Flourishes
Quinn Roberts looks at backlash to the queerness (or not) of Pete Buttigieg's presidential campaign, and the backlash to the backlash.
Quinn RobertsAug 1, 2019
Life in the Holding Pen: A Conversation with Ryan Chapman
David Breithaupt speaks to Ryan Chapman, author of “Riots I Have Known.”
David BreithauptJul 31, 2019
- Fiction
The Carrot and the Stick: On Colson Whitehead’s “The Nickel Boys”
Art Edwards reviews Colson Whitehead’s new novel, “The Nickel Boys.”
Art EdwardsJul 31, 2019
- Fiction
How Would Bonhoeffer Vote?
As so many different political camps invoke Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Joel Looper takes a deep dive into the late German theologian's political thought.
Joel LooperJul 31, 2019
- Politics
- Religion