The Imbalance of Power
How the Manhattan Project gave birth to the imperial presidency
By Paul Boyer Monday, March 1, 2010
Bomb Power: The Modern Presidency and the National Security State By Garry Wills
The Lovable Leviathan
Whales hold a special place in our imagination, but their situation is dire
By Sy Montgomery Monday, March 1, 2010
The Whale: In Search of the Giants of the Sea By Philip Hoare
A Long, Cold Road to Paris
The 2,000-mile, 40-day journey of future first lady Louisa Catherine Adams
By Paul C. Nagel Monday, March 1, 2010
Mrs. Adams in Winter: A Journey in the Last Days of Napoleon By Michael O’Brien
The Debacle Before the Disaster
At Dien Bien Phu, the French got a lesson the U.S. would take two decades to learn
By Charles Trueheart Monday, March 1, 2010
Valley of Death: The Tragedy of Dien Bien Phu That Led America into the Vietnam War By Ted Morgan
In the Shadow of Genocide
Impressions of a Turkish town that was once in Armenia
By Graeme Wood Monday, March 1, 2010
Rebel Land: Unravelling the Riddle of History in a Turkish Town By Christopher de Bellaigue
Science Doubters
When healthy skepticism turns into unhealthy antagonism
By Natalie Angier Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Denialism: How Irrational Thinking Hinders Scientific Progress, Harms The Planet, and Threatens Our Lives By Michael Spector
Laissez-Faire Run Amok
The extremist, and enduring, philosophy of Ayn Rand
By Ethan Fishman Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Goddess of the Market: Ayn Rand and the American Right By Jennifer Burns
Riffs and Raptures
Zadie Smith’s essays offer crisp prose and hard-won insights
By Sarah L. Courteau Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Changing My Mind: Occasional Essays By Zadie Smith
Wrestling the Moose
Jefferson debunked a French theory of natural history, launching American exceptionalism
By Miranda Weiss Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Mr. Jefferson and the Giant Moose: Natural History in Early America By Lee Alan Dugatkin
The Tales Buildings Tell
Architects can overwhelm their creations; time can make a hash of great visions
By Stanley Abercrombie Tuesday, December 1, 2009
The Secret Lives of Buildings: From the Ruins of the Parthenon to the Vegas Strip in Thirteen Stories By Edward Hollis
Chief Misunderstanding
A speculative, sputtering study of leadership
By Elizabeth D. Samet Tuesday, September 8, 2026
Our Energetic World
Life is not an accident but an inevitable result of physical laws
By Rebecca Boyle Tuesday, September 8, 2026
The Co-Creation: How Earth Made Life and Life Made EarthBy Olivia Judson
Finding Marty
Zooming in on a storied director
By Michael O'Donnell Tuesday, September 8, 2026
Just a Shot Away: Martin Scorsese’s Life in FilmBy Mark Binelli
Dramatic Paws
On the trail of the elusive big cat of the Himalaya
By David Gessner Tuesday, September 8, 2026
The Ghost of the Mountains: Unraveling the Secrets of the Snow LeopardBy Kulbhushansingh Suryawanshi
Shooting for the Camera
A portrait of the 20th century’s most infamous assassin
By Anne Matthews Tuesday, September 8, 2026
Translating the Past
Modern wit meets age-old wisdom
By Rachel Hadas Tuesday, September 8, 2026
Crossing the Wine-Dark Sea: Journeys Through Ancient LiteratureBy Emily Wilson
Sound Barrier
How Marian Anderson made and managed history
By Matthew Guerrieri Tuesday, September 8, 2026
Voice of a Century: The Life and Artistry of Marian AndersonBy Anthony Tommasini
Unfriendly Exchange
The tale of a nuclear war that almost was
By Jeffrey Lewis Tuesday, September 8, 2026
The Six Minute War: Reagan, Russia, and the Race to Automate ArmageddonBy Michael Dobbs
Knot in my Back Yard
Not all non-native plants and animals need to be eradicated
By Sam Kean Thursday, August 27, 2026
Undesirable: Invasive Species, Humans, and Where We All BelongBy Amy Crawford
Hidden Truths
A new portrait of one of the 20th century’s most controversial philosophers









