The Pianist Upstairs
Published in The Atlantic in 2005
The Fantasy of Heritage Tourism
“Returning” to a place you’ve never been
The Candidates Running for Vice President
“Donald Trump made it pretty clear that he didn’t care if his previous vice president lived or died on January 6. It’s kind of a dangerous job to take. Why would anybody want that job?”
How Winter Wear Has Changed
In some ways, dressing for inclement weather is harder than it used to be.
I Miss My Hair
“I would pay $1,000 if I could have any real amount of hair right now,” I told my husband after I completed chemotherapy.
The Perfect Antidote to Endless Reboots
Reissued art is worth turning to in a moment of relentless spin-offs and sequels.
The Unwitting Trump Enablers
They sound very different from the former president’s toadies, who lavish him with absurd praises. But they are part of the same project.
Air Jordan Is Finally Deflating
The brand’s rise and fall, and rise and fall again
Is Pornography Immoral?
Plus: Malaise among Americans
The Literature of Exile
Hisham Matar’s books are part of a long tradition of writing from a place of dislocation.
The Spirit Airlines Paradox
Without smart regulation, price competition turns into a race to the bottom.
It’s Just a Water Bottle
No one can truly explain the Stanley cup.
Why Israel Is Taking the Genocide Case Seriously
What’s happening at The Hague isn’t political theater.
Erasing Jewish History Will Not Help Palestinians
The assertion that Jesus was Palestinian is often made in an effort to negate Jewish history.
Pokémon, All Grown Up
Netflix’s new series captures the anxieties of early adulthood.
Photos of the Week: New King, Frozen Danube, Flame Rider
Drone pilots on Ukraine’s front line, scenes from the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia, an icy purification bath in Japan, a new volcanic eruption in Iceland, and much more
The Ridiculous Allure of Reacher
Why is Amazon’s show about Lee Child’s crime-busting former military policeman such a massive hit?
The Age of Incoherent Partisanship
One American political party has collapsed; the other is holding together a fragile prodemocracy coalition.
A Dark Omen for the Future of Music
Pitchfork challenged a generation of music listeners. Is there still a place for it?
The Last Days of the Barcode
The invention that shaped our consumer appetites