Essays Archive | Los Angeles Review of Books

All Essays

Reportage Art from the Calais Jungle: “A Sea of Tents Surrounds Me”
As with the subjects of a courtroom sketch, the Jungle residents, being either refugee or migrant, are positioned as defendants.
Elle Kurancid, Peter BlodauJan 17, 2016
- Art & Architecture
- Politics
“He’ll try to keep his sanity / With the help of his robot friends”
On “Mystery Science Theater 3000”
Ian WilliamsJan 13, 2016
- Television
“How to Do People with Things”: On the first 10 titles in Bloomsbury’s Object Lessons Series
The joy of the series lies in encountering the various turns to which each of their authors has been put by his or her object.
Julian YatesJan 11, 2016
- Philosophy & Religion
Toward a Wider View of “Nature Writing”
Nature writing needs to acknowledge and honor the contributions of people of color.
Catherine BuniJan 10, 2016
- Nonfiction
- Travel
How John DeLorean Took Us Back to the Future
Rex Weiner recounts his coverage of auto industry magnate John DeLorean's trial.
Rex WeinerJan 10, 2016
- Memoir & Essay
Missed Connections: How to Tell if “Nathan For You” Is For You
Want to like “Nathan For You”? It’ll cost you.
Emma HealeyJan 10, 2016
- Television
Then They Came for the Bookseller
The ongoing threats to free expression in Hong Kong, which are again in the headlines, need to be placed in a long-term historical context.
Jeffrey WasserstromJan 9, 2016
- Around the World
Portrait of a Bird: The Work of Frances Stark
Language flows through the work of artist Frances Stark in singular, unusual ways.
Katherine SatoriusJan 9, 2016
- Art & Architecture
Reading the Middle East
How to satisfy both the Middle East mavens and the curious readers who are so intimidated by the history that they avoid books about the region altogether?
N. S. MorrisJan 8, 2016
- History
- Politics
American Nostalgia
On Amazon's 'The Man in the High Castle'
Michael A. ElliottJan 8, 2016
- Television
Reconsidering Claudia Rankine’s Citizen: An American Lyric. A Symposium, Part II
A symposium on Claudia Rankine's "Citizen: An American Lyric."
Catherine Zuromskis, Daniel Worden, Kenneth W. Warren, Lisa UddinJan 7, 2016
- Literary Criticism
- Poetry
Making Things Right: “Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens”
Criticisms — or defenses — of Star Wars's narrative retreading are misguided.
J. D. ConnorJan 7, 2016
- Film
Toys Off the Shelf: Marvel’s “Star Wars” Comics
One of the unique things about these Star Wars comics is how they often read as play.
Daniel WordenJan 6, 2016
- Comics
Reconsidering Claudia Rankine’s Citizen: An American Lyric. A Symposium, Part I
A symposium on Claudia Rankine's "Citizen: An American Lyric."
Daniel Worden, Evie Shockley, Maria A. Windell, Roderick A. FergusonJan 6, 2016
- Literary Criticism
- Poetry
The South Stole Americana
On America's untended musical roots
Josh Garrett-DavisJan 5, 2016
- Music
The Case of the Missing Detective: William Gillette’s Sherlock Holmes Rediscovered and Restored
Only recently rediscovered in the dusty recesses of the Cinémathèque Française, the 1916 film offers a rare glimpse back through performance history.
Christopher GrobeJan 4, 2016
- History