That Common Heart
Finding unity and faith in the fiction of Marilynne Robinson
By Amanda Parrish Morgan Wednesday, March 14, 2018
On Gratitude
How a simple thank you can lift the spirits
By Edward Hoagland Wednesday, March 7, 2018
1968 a Half Century Later
A Year (Until Now?) Like No Other
By Walter Nicklin Tuesday, January 23, 2018
Intimations of Fascism
The problem with hating the haters
By Mark Edmundson Wednesday, January 3, 2018
A Palate for the Finer Things
Pondering a father’s thirst for respectability
By Paul Lukacs Wednesday, November 29, 2017
The Wine Lover’s Daughter: A Memoir by Anne Fadiman
On Truth Telling and Dictatorship
A journalist reflects on the value of a free press—and the consequences of its subversion
By Dennis Covington Tuesday, October 31, 2017
Remembering Richard Wilbur
Thoughts on the Pulitzer prize–winning poet
By A. E. Stallings Monday, October 23, 2017
Triumph of the Underdog
A new biography offers a sympathetic portrait of Lincoln’s greatest general
By Richard Moe Wednesday, October 4, 2017
Grant by Ron Chernow
Good Faith, Decent People, and Fateful Misunderstandings
On the occasion of the new PBS documentary on Vietnam, a former war correspondent recalls an American general whose failure helped define the conflict
By Ernest B. Furgurson Tuesday, September 26, 2017
The Popper Principle
Did Plato really espouse ideas that led eventually to totalitarianism?
By Robert Zaretsky Thursday, January 29, 2026
It’s a Wonderful (Falling Apart) Life
In the disrepair of our everyday world are suggestions of life’s burdens and consolations
By Ben Slote Friday, December 19, 2025
The Conspiracist Cotton Mather
The zealot who oversaw the Salem Witch Trials initially voiced restraint—what changed?
By Colin Dickey Wednesday, October 29, 2025
Baby Shoggoth Is Listening
Why are some writers tailoring their work for AI, and what does this mean for the future of writing and reading?
By Dan Kagan-Kans Wednesday, October 29, 2025
What Is an American Hero, Anyway?
Lists of great artists say more about the list-maker than the artist
By Jessa Crispin Friday, October 24, 2025
Inner Demon Hunters
Could a hit animated movie hold the key to healing generational trauma in Korea?
By Jean Kim Friday, October 10, 2025
Days of Awe
The Romantics sought the sublime in nature, but the feeling may be experienced in humanity, too
By Robert Zaretsky Thursday, September 25, 2025
Key Change
A life with Beethoven’s Sonata Pathétique
By Emily Fox Kaplan Thursday, September 18, 2025
The Great American Travel Book
The book that helped revive a genre, leading to an all-too-brief heyday
By Thomas Swick Thursday, August 28, 2025
