Nonfiction

"There is nothing more poetic and terrible than the skyscrapers' battle with the heavens that cover them." — Federico García Lorca

Dirty Digits and “Pleasant Landscapes”: On Jason A. Heppler’s “Silicon Valley and the Environmental Inequalities of High-Tech Urbanism”
After reading Jason A. Heppler’s “Silicon Valley and the Environmental Inequalities of High-Tech Urbanism,” Patrick McCray decides that Silicon Valley should really be called Arsenic Valley.
W. Patrick McCrayApr 23, 2024
“D Is for Despair” Didn’t Sound So Good: A Conversation Between Bill McKibben and Elizabeth Kolbert
For Earth Day, Bill McKibben speaks with Elizabeth Kolbert about climate change and her new book “H Is for Hope: Climate Change from A to Z.”
Bill McKibbenApr 22, 2024
A Democratic and Peaceful Existence: On Jonathan Sullivan and Lev Nachman’s “Taiwan”
Catherine Chou discusses “Taiwan: A Contested Democracy Under Threat” by Jonathan Sullivan and Lev Nachman.
Catherine Lila ChouApr 18, 2024
Misinformed Care: On Uché Blackstock’s “Legacy” and Constance Hilliard’s “Ancestral Genomics”
Naa Oyo A. Kwate lauds Uché Blackstock’s grounded memoir about racism in medicine and denounces Constance Hilliard’s genetic explanation for Black health disparities.
Naa Oyo A. KwateApr 16, 2024
A Tax Haven in a Heartless World: On Melinda Cooper’s “Counterrevolution”
Sarah Brouillette reviews Melinda Cooper’s “Counterrevolution: Extravagance and Austerity in Public Finance.”
Sarah BrouilletteApr 15, 2024
- Economics and Finance
- Nonfiction
A Shadow to the Visible Canon: A Conversation with Doran Larson
Jeffrey J. Williams interviews Doran Larson about the American Prison Writing Archive and his new book, “Inside Knowledge: Incarcerated People on the Failures of the American Prison.”
Jeffrey J. WilliamsApr 12, 2024
- Nonfiction
- Politics
A Red Flag for a Bull: On Constance Debré’s “Playboy”
Lazz Kinnamon reviews Constance Debré's "Playboy."
Lazz KinnamonApr 9, 2024
The Thoughts That Almost Killed Us: On Emmeline Clein’s “Dead Weight”
Leah Mandel reviews Emmeline Clein’s “Dead Weight: Essays on Hunger and Harm.”
Leah MandelApr 6, 2024
The Life of You Too? On Eliot Weinberger’s “The Life of Tu Fu”
Forrest Gander reviews Eliot Weinberger’s “The Life of Tu Fu.”
Forrest GanderApr 2, 2024
From Aspiration to Constriction: On Three New Books Examining Change in China
Martin Laflamme reviews three recent books that help understand the opening of China during the 1980s–2000s, and its closing again under Xi Jinping’s rule in the 2010s.
Martin LaflammeApr 1, 2024
The Eyes Have It: On Eugene M. Helveston’s “Death to Beauty”
Arvind Dilawar reviews Eugene M. Helveston’s “Death to Beauty: The Transformative History of Botox.”
Arvind DilawarMar 30, 2024
The Crisis of Classical Studies: On Mary Beard’s “Emperor of Rome”
Edward Watts reviews Mary Beard’s “Emperor of Rome: Ruling the Ancient Roman World.”
Edward WattsMar 29, 2024
- History
- Nonfiction