Culture

The Dark Side of American Cheerfulness

The shadowy history of a modest emotion

Is She a Fluke? A Token? A Trailblazer?

When women enter the frame

Mohsin Hamid’s Empty Parable

The author’s novel about race transformation fails to take an old idea to new places.

Rez Life

Sterlin Harjo’s genre-mixing, cliché-exploding series captures coming of age as a Native kid like no TV show before it.

I’ll Always Love the Original Buffy the Vampire Slayer

The magnetically campy film was written by Joss Whedon but directed by a woman. Thank goodness.

Beyoncé’s Renaissance Is a Big, Gay Mess

Hell yes!

Nick Drnaso on Escaping From Isolation

“In my work there’s a recurring theme of being out of step with the modern world.”

Acting Class

A short story

Nine Books Every Sports Lover Should Read

The best of this writing combines the drama of waiting to see who will win with the emotional pleasure of reading about a great character.

The Problem With Saying Oontz Oontz

The story of dance music in America is a story of boom and backlash. As Beyoncé and Drake turn to house-inspired sounds, will the cycle happen again?

The Dirtbag Is Back

A returning cultural archetype is indifferent to power and extremely adept at enjoying meaninglessness. What a relief.

Why Did We Buy What Victoria’s Secret Was Selling?

The brand sold itself using an upside-down logic: that women need to suffer to be deemed desirable.

An Ode to Trump’s Outtakes

His post-insurrection-speech rehearsals are even more revealing—and disturbing—than the final version.

The Way We Talk About Nature Is Getting Weirder

A new book argues that giving space to strange phenomena helps us pay better attention to the crises of our time.

The Gray Man Takes the Stoic-Spy Cliché Way Too Far

Much like Brad Pitt before him, Ryan Gosling keeps falling into Hollywood's “cool guy” trap.

The Novel That Captures New York City Right Now

Brother Alive feels like the first work of fiction since the beginning of the pandemic that reflects the mood of the city.

What a Warming Planet Means for Literature

Worrying about climate change is now just part of life on Earth: Your weekly guide to the best in books

The Risk and Opportunity of Online Fertility Groups

Seeking health advice on the web is precarious. But for some people, internet strangers provide helpful information and emotional support.

The Most Moving Film of the Year Is a Documentary About Volcanoes

Fire of Love isn’t your typical nature film; it’s also a tragic love story.

Jordan Peele’s Nope Is Spectacular, Indulgent, and Brutal

You won’t be able to look away.