Powerlifter
Traditionally ostracized in the weight room, women who dare to lift weights discover strength they were previously denied.
Profiles
A collection of 211 issues
Press Rewind
What one journalist learned by vicariously sitting in on David Carr’s master class—with only his teacher’s reputation, extant syllabus, and students’ recollections to guide the way.
Mrs. Bundy
For the mother of a serial killer, a chance to connect with victims on live TV offers a shot at redemption.
City to Rapper: Drop Dead
This summer’s ongoing war between Chief Keef and Rahm Emanuel is as much about urban history as holograms.
Paper Citizen
America is a proud nation of immigrants—try telling that to everyone on the other side of the door. Life as a white-collar undocumented immigrant in New York.
Editors’ Favorites From 2014
The staff choose their most-liked pieces published in 2014: a painting expedition through the Underground Railroad, a personal memory of Vivian Maier, and a restaurant review that isn’t a restaurant review.
The Kings of Simcoe County
At an Elvis festival in rural Canada, scores of tribute artists (not "impersonators") pay homage to the King. When searching for the meaning of it all, try not to overthink it.
Um for the Holidays
It's the most wonderful time of year, but for atheists and agnostics, it means something altogether different. We asked a group of non-believers to tell us how they’re spending their secular holiday seasons.
Painting the President
Twice the official portraitist of George W. Bush, painter Robert Anderson explains what it’s like to build a relationship with a president, separate the man from the legacy, and struggle with his smirk.
Queen of the Jungle
Orangutans are some of humans’ closest relatives, genetically. They also rarely exhibit aggression, despite how we've abused them. One is different.
The Combination Lock Test
A man dies, leaving behind, among other things, a combination lock. Opening it may just prove the existence of the afterlife.
Happiness Is a Pink Gun
Mainstream country music is dominated by bros singing about girls in cutoffs and drinking tequila. But some female country artists are ready to exchange fire.
Main Street, USA
Sinclair Lewis despised his hometown in Minnesota. It disliked him, too, especially after being lampooned in a bestselling novel that mocked the citizens for their small-town ways. These days, though, he's all they've got.
Gentlemen, Formerly
A gentleman in 1720 could read Greek while mounting a running horse. Today’s gentleman reads GQ in the bathroom. From rapists to stylists, a history of the American gentleman.
Editors' Favorites From 2013
The staff choose their most-liked pieces published in 2013: a trip to Patsy Cline's divided hometown, the complete biography of North West, a cold case of hit-and-run, and no shortage of great quotes about dead bodies.
Dancer in the Dark
An American ballerina makes headlines when she says the Bolshoi Ballet wanted a bribe to let her perform. The company denies her accusation. But a small library in Virginia knew about it first.
The Window Cleaner
Dirt is difficult to see on glass. That’s why so many people don't bother to hire a professional for the job—they just can’t see what’s wrong.
Whither Greatness
Economic recession. Climate disaster. Chaos in the Middle East. The world cries out for leaders who will face our biggest dilemmas, and all we get are short-sighted narcissists. Where are the great leaders of today?
A Sudden and Awful Manner
In early New England, anyone who stood near an open door or window faced mortal danger. A conversation with a woman who hunts for gravestones with epitaphs describing death by lightning strike.
Rumors of Tribes
At one school, the popular girls were called the “chicken patties,” but the jocks were just the “jocks.” How teenage crowds get named.
How Der Boss President Changed Baseball
In the late 1870s, baseball was at risk of dying out before it even got started, strangled by a teetotaling, law-abiding, church-going new league. Then a German saloonkeeper in St. Louis got involved.
Swizzle Me This
When a cocktail is born, it receives a name. How it’s christened has as much to do with the drink’s lineage as the bartender’s mood—and sometimes, how it makes you feel after you’ve finished it.
A Closer Walk With Thee
For residents of Patsy Cline’s hometown of Winchester, Va., the struggle over how to remember the famous country singer begins with deciding what sort of a legacy she left—and whether they want it.
Crack Rock City
This week, Detroit’s new emergency manager released his first report on the city’s dire affairs. But residents have long been accustomed to life in what’s essentially a failed state. A native author meets the motorcycle men working hard to save Detroit, one fiend at a time.
Like a Lead Balloon
As anyone who’s struggled to start a band, get shows, record music, and become a certified rock star knows, coming up with a name is half the challenge. A linguistic take on how we name bands today.
The Gales of November
On Nov. 28, 1966, the SS Daniel J. Morrell capsized during a storm, taking 28 of its 29 crewmen to the bottom of Lake Huron. The sole survivor of a Great Lakes shipwreck tells his tale.
The Private Lives of the Cryptozoologists
Personal collections groomed over decades gather signs of Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, and other hidden animals—crumbs of a fuller truth preserved by citizen scientists. One such collection in Maine is open to the public.
Playing Johnny Ace
A young crooner’s untimely, macabre death left questions for those who would follow—musicians and fans alike. Was it suicide? Was it a hit? A listener's query into one star's place in the history of early rock and roll.
The Heretic
For decades, the U.S. government banned medical studies of the effects of LSD. But for one longtime, elite researcher, the promise of mind-blowing revelations was just too tempting.
Humans Playing Humans
As “Mad Men” enters its much-anticipated fifth season, the New York psychotherapist who consulted on the show’s development explains why its characters and storylines feel so ineffably real.
H.P. Lovecraft, Author, Is Dead
Today marks the 75th anniversary of H.P. Lovecraft's death. From Stephen King's It to “The Call of Cthulhu,” a survey of the 20th century's greatest horror writer's afterlife of influence.
Smoke the Fire
Hank Williams III blew the doors off country music last fall when he released three ambitious, experimental albums all on the same day. A conversation about tradition, hardcore, and punishment.
Burn All the Liars
An unfinished autobiography and a 1980s biopic turned Frances Farmer, one of the great golden-era stars, into a lobotomized zombie. The main trouble: Frances Farmer wasn’t lobotomized. An investigation to set one of Hollywood’s most convoluted stories straight.
Much Ado About Whatever
Tao Lin and his band of followers at Muumuu House are some of the most vehemently disliked—and discussed—writers on the internet. Critics call them hip. Haters call them frauds. But their fiction may be just what our digital lives deserve.
Tallahassle
Florida is America’s most-abused state, and Tallahassee its biggest target for bi-coastal writers who pick low-hanging fruit—rednecks, old people—and wouldn’t know an alligator from their elbow. The slander has gone far enough. On behalf of every Tallahussey and T-Town man, let the corrections begin
Jim Shepard
Our man in Boston and Jim Shepard, the author most recently of You Think That's Bad, discuss whacko projects, researching short stories by jet, and how much gold it takes for a writer to dump Knopf's Gary Fisketjon.
The Man Behind the Window
Allan Seager was a student at Oxford when he contracted tuberculosis. What happened next made him one of America's greatest writers—declared the heir to Anderson and Hemingway—ever to be forgotten. Yet one of Seager's short stories endures in ways that none of Hemingway's can match.
Defenders of the Faith
We live in the golden age of all-female tribute bands, from Sheagles and Blonde Jovi to AC/DShe and Cheap Chick. Here we present an anatomy of a scene, with Judas Priestess—from women who pioneered stoner/doom rock to teenagers playing Alice Cooper drum solos at Philadelphia's rock academy.
Arthur Phillips, Redux
Our man in Boston sits down with the extremely likeable Arthur Phillips to chat about everything, including his latest novel.
Philip Kerr
Our man in Boston sits down with the author of the "Berlin Noir" trilogy and other books, to talk about detectives, Nazis, and Impressionist writing.
Looking for Murder in His Eyes
A decade after Osama bin Laden's face achieved iconic status, one writer still can't help thinking, it's a handsome one—this definitive "face of evil."
Fanboy
As America dreams of black ops teams, where do mutants belong? And can comics end wars? From Captain America to big blond Thor, Osama bin Laden, and beyond.
Americhrome
From Schwarzkopf’s boots to traffic cones, the federal government’s official color palette—yes, it has one—controls much of what we see. An investigation into how America elects to paint itself.
Andre Dubus III
Our man in Boston sits down with writer Andre Dubus III to discuss the differences between memoir and autobiography, Harvard and UMass students, and when it is inappropriate to send an email.
Carlos Eire
Our man in Boston talks with memoirist and historian Carlos Eire to discuss Cuba and Operation Peter Pan, when 15,000 children were airlifted away from their parents.
State of Play
Does your minor want to be a miner? How about a McNugget cook? Welcome to KidZania, a revolutionary theme park coming soon to the U.S. that lets kids play at corporate-sponsored employment.
Gretel Ehrlich
Our man in Boston sits down with author Gretel Ehrlich to talk about daily life in the Arctic Circle, good wine, Tom McGuane, and how to go online from an off-the-grid cabin in Wyoming.
Scott Spencer
Our man in Boston sits down with Scott Spencer, author most recently of Man in the Woods, to talk about writing, dogs, and show business.
Mary Roach
Our man in Boston speaks Mary Roach, author most recently of Packing for Mars, about severed-hand fan mail, writing in an office, and Coke in space.
Gary Shteyngart
Our man in Boston talks to the author of Super Sad True Love Story about writing in the near-future, signing readers' e-readers, and abusing a six-foot bong.
Impresario Seaman
Norman Seaman was one of New York’s great avant-garde supporters. In his biography, he said, John and Yoko would only get a chapter.
Nothing Is off the Record, Because I’m Not Coming Back
After 26 years writing Harper’s Notebook, Lewis Lapham talks about history, essays, and modern journalists.
Jessica Francis Kane
Our man in Boston talks with author (and TMN contributor) Jessica Francis Kane about a tragedy during the Blitz that's the focus of her new novel, The Report.
Ben Greenman
Our man in Boston sits down with author and New Yorker editor Ben Greenman to discuss independent publishing, the edges of art, and Celebrity Chekhov.
The Alternate
Few people want jury duty, but at least most jurors seated for trial get the satisfaction of passing judgment. For one writer, being an alternate becomes a tale of miscarried justice.
Jennifer Egan
Our man in Boston sits down to chat with author Jennifer Egan about her new novel, A Visit From the Goon Squad, and what it's like to write in PowerPoint.
David Mitchell Redux
Ten years after their first conversation, author David Mitchell and our man in Boston discuss 18th-century Japan, shoplifting from other novels, and Mitchell's annual Christmas party.
Richard Flanagan
A conversation with Australian novelist Richard Flanagan about the erosion of book culture, Nicole Kidman's genius, and souls that are ever underline-able.
David Remnick
Our man in Boston goes the distance with author and New Yorker editor David Remnick in a conversation about President Obama, magazine publishing, and American Idol.
Pomp and Consequence
Celebrity graduation speakers should dispense wisdom and entertainment, or cause a scandal. Our writer found eight who managed to provide at least two out of three.
Careful, the Doors Are Closing
Last month's suicide attacks in Moscow shocked anyone who studied Dzhanet Abdullayeva's photo. But it wasn't her baby face or cold blood that impressed our writer. It was her choice of metro stations.
A Distribution of Chairs
As India considers saving seats for women in the government’s upper tier, a tour of the country’s rural east shows how quotas have turned women into local politicians.
Meeting Joe Franklin
Joe Franklin is a New York institution, having interviewed untold celebrities and been (jokingly) accused of rape by Sarah Silverman.
Out of the Brainland and Into the Heartland
Thomas Jefferson’s heart’s work was to carve out a little Eden on a small mountaintop. Visiting Monticello again and again and again.
Dead of State
Where politics and democracy fail, nature eventually wins. A number of tyrants and world leaders are currently sick. Ranking the illest.
Michael Ondaatje
Our man in Boston talks to Michael Ondaatje about why he writes novels, how he measures satisfaction, and when fiction can succeed by operating like poetry.
By Any Other Name
Writer seeks pen name: something simple, nothing dippy, and preferably one that avoids implying a lawyer who savors puns.
Tobias Wolff
Our man in Boston talks to Tobias Wolff about the art of revision, how writing programs are good for training skilled readers, and why Robert Olen Butler still signs stock.
Beer and Loathing
For agents and publishers, the Frankfurt Book Fair is publishing's biggest event: part conclave, mostly marathon, and all business. It is absolutely no place for an aspiring author, as we discover.
Same as It Ever Was
Following up with targets of the infamous Rock Critical List, an anonymous, highly personal screed that sparked a firestorm.
DJ Premier: Hope to the Underground
The turntablist now known as DJ Premier got help at critical moments in his rise from a piano-playing childhood in Houston, and these days he's looking to spread the love.
Pieces of the World
For people who lived near the World Trade Center, 9/11 can still be traced to debris that lingers around the neighborhood. A map of what the tourists don't see.
Gil Adamson
Our man in Boston chats with author Gil Adamson about Toronto's literary mafia, the fact-checking that plagues novelists, and the difficulty of listing 10 Canadian writers.
Tattooed Drunk Diamond-Dusted Kentucky Derby Fan
Churchill Downs is like no other sports event, considering sports are barely involved. Our writer attended her first Derby last year with a family of committed fans and survived to tell the tale.
Joseph O'Connor
Our man in Boston talks with novelist Joseph O'Connor about writing historical fiction, the role of the Irish in the American Civil War, and the trouble of trilogies.
Handel Reborn
Beethoven said Handel was the greatest who ever composed--so why do we only seek him out at holidays? Marking the 250th anniversary of Handel's death with a guide to all the life in his music.
Gogol's Portraits
Though his hair frequently resembled mid-'70s Rob Reiner, his gaze was more erratic. On the occasion of Gogol's 200th birthday, tracking the evolution of his visage.
One Spring Day
As winter wanes, everyone grows tired of the cold and damp, whether they live in San Francisco, Austin, or London. A day in the life of TMN's editors and writers on the first day of spring.
James Howard Kunstler, Redux
In a wide-ranging discussion, our man in Boston talks with novelist and skeptic James Howard Kunstler about life as it is, life as it could be, and life as we may encounter.
Bangkok Anew
Bangkok's image as a city for sex, knife fights, and cobras is burnished to a shine. A trip home finds some of that, but mostly it's ghosts--real ones--and they're not quiet.
Iggy Pop Lusts for Life
More than four decades into his career as a rock mentor, Iggy Pop talks about getting back with the Stooges and finding a daily rhythm that suits him.
I Will Sing When You’re All Dead
Professional opera singer, mountain climber, race car driver, and Vladimir Nabokov’s best translator and collaborator, Dmitri Nabokov has led an impassioned life.
Mr. Bowyer's Fantastic Machine
Lots of machines can manufacture things. What about one that could produce everything, including itself? Visiting the man who taught a machine to replicate.
Henry Rollins and the Emergence of Hardcore
Early hardcore was characterized by frontmen like Black Flag's Henry Rollins, who had the perseverance and genius to rise above convention. But as Rollins tells it, change is less an event than a lifelong process.
Amy Bloom
Straight from Boston, a conversation with author Amy Bloom on her latest book, Away, the benefits of the writing life, and the tedium of extra-long novels.
Giant in the House
Parents can seem larger in life to their children, but some truly are giants. Recounting the death of her stepfather, for whom nothing was easier by being freakishly big.
Elizabeth Strout
Our man in Boston sits down with author Elizabeth Strout to talk about Maine, her latest novel, and the plights of the modern writer. Now with audio excerpts.
Frames Consigned
Parents love to appear unannounced on a grown child’s doorstep. Rarely, though, do they ship 12 cartons of belongings to precede them.
Takin’ Care of Jesus
There's a movement afoot to rewrite rock’s best songs with Christian lyrics, and you haven’t heard about it. Enter the world of “parodeities,” and learn some Deuteronomy.
Emails From My Father
Emails have about as much room for nuance as Post-It notes, and less staying power. But sometimes they’re pure poetry.
Jello Biafra and the Politics of Punk
Having spent a quarter-century pushing Americans to face the music, the former Dead Kennedys vocalist sits down to tell his thoughts on Obama, political parties, and participatory democracy.
Stomp and a Wink
The worlds of professional wrestling and contemporary fiction aren’t so far apart. Our writer immerses himself in the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling Federation, to the point of being flung across the ring.
Chip Kidd
The estimable Chip Kidd, designer of books' fronts, backs, and spines, chats with our man in Boston about what it's like to work on the words that come in between.
Deified and Demagogued
Gary Gygax, the co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons, passed away this week. A gaming enthusiast remembers how the discovery of a game opened a new world of imagination and fun.
Arthur Phillips
Three novels under his belt, Arthur Phillips sits down for a chat with our man in Boston about his commitment to fiction writing and, a challenge on quite another level, finding the discipline to focus on one piece at a time.
Hail Ira
Rosemary's Baby author Ira Levin died this week--and it wasn't a lousy book review that killed him.
Dianne Reeves
The jazz chanteuse talks about meeting a legend, experimenting with styles, and finding her own voice.
Our Champion
When the New York Times architecture critic Herbert Muschamp died recently from lung cancer, America lost one of its most riveting writers--one of the best critics we've ever had, and quite possibly among the worst.
Murder and the Masseuse
Many of us imagine killing our bosses; some people actually take it a little further. Meet a woman who got into the massage business to avoid a homicide rap.
What It Means to Miss New Orleans
The accuracy of Fox's new police drama K-Ville can only be known by the cops working in post-Katrina New Orleans. An interview with Police Lieutenant Bryant Wininger, who explains where the real drama still is, free of storylines and plot twists.
One Day on the Internet
In a world that revolves around email addresses and instant messages, much human interaction comes in bits and bytes. We spent a day keeping track of our keystrokes around the globe.
Susanna Moore
It's humans' flaws that make the world go round, and novelist Susanna Moore examines them under intense magnification. She chats with our man in Boston about crime and punishment.
Web Noir
When writing for online magazines, crime doesn't always pay--but it can earn you a fashionable T-shirt. Investigating the current era of crime fiction on the web and the magazines that are making new voices heard.
Ozymandias's Washington
Though the U.S. capital is home to scores of memorials, just a handful of them command the attention of most visitors. A tour of Washington's other monuments.
Thomas Mallon
When history class turns into a blur of names and dates, historical fiction may be just what you need to put a face on things. Thomas Mallon talks with our man in Boston about the appeal of novels and the state of publishing.
Cassandra Wilson, Impromptu
For singer Cassandra Wilson, some of the best music is composed on the fly, and if the entire performance is last-minute, so much the better.
Jazz Lessons With James "Blood" Ulmer
Growing up in a family that requires Saturday night recitals is a crash course in how to please a crowd. A conversation about a lifetime of commanding performances.
Colum McCann
Transplanted Irishman Colum McCann has just finished a ramble with Gypsies in his newest novel, Zoli. A conversation about the Romany people, the perils of writing novels tied to history, and more.
Yolkin
You've read much about Boris Yeltsin's legacy this week. His biggest may be the mean little man in the Kremlin who's the butt of few jokes.
Cecil Taylor Explains It All
Pianist Cecil Taylor stormed onto the New York City club scene in the 1950s, shaking the foundations of modern music with what would become known as free jazz. A conversation with the master.
Renaissance Clan
Spring approaches and soon we’ll have apple pies, baseball, and that other great American tradition: Renaissance Fairs. A view from the performers’ perspective, where all the doubloons in Stratford won’t fix your carburetor.
Sigrid Nunez
Sigrid Nunez wanted to be a dancer, and lucky for her readers, that didn't work out as planned. Nevertheless capable of some deft footwork, she explains to our man in Boston how the two pastimes are similar.
The Strange Case of Harmen Meyndertsz van den Bogaert, Part Two
When he arrived in Manhattan in 1630, Harmen Meyndertsz van den Bogaert had a promising future. But cannibalism, sodomy, and a pet bear (not for sale) forever changed his life, and legacy.
The Strange Case of Harmen Meyndertsz van den Bogaert
When he arrived in Manhattan in 1630, Harmen Meyndertsz van den Bogaert had a promising future. But cannibalism, sodomy, and a pet bear (not for sale) forever changed his life, and legacy.
Martin Amis
The Mick Jagger of British literature is out with another book slated to be a hit. A conversation about everything important under the sun: getting older, the differences between life in Uruguay and London, and the best ways to write fictional footnotes.
Moody's Mood for Bop
Jazz saxophone legend James Moody talks about how racism shaped his early career, what a "hot flute" can do for a repertoire, and encouraging budding musicians.
Heidi Julavits
Our man from the north country toasts the new year by conversing with the novelist and editor about her thoughts on the state of therapy, storytelling, and the novel.
This Is Not a Eulogy
This is an appreciation. Our friend, writer, editor, and teacher Leslie Harpold recently died. A memorial for a woman who was difficult to describe--and who couldn't stand sentimental bullshit.
Around the City With Eliane Elias
Experienced musicians sometimes find it tempting to stick with already-established styles in their later albums. Jazz pianist Eliane Elias talks about breaking the mold.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Nigerian novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie talks about her new book and the Biafran War, being African in America, and the distorted picture of Africa created by the media.
The New Boss of Bossa Nova
Bossa nova was developed more than 40 years ago in Brazil, but one of its most lively contributors is working today in Brooklyn. A chat with Vinicius Cantuária about his music, how it's changed, and what inspires him.
Sean Wilentz
Historian Sean Wilentz talks about social studies versus history, purple prose in founding-father biographies, and how "states rights" started trumping slavery in Jefferson Davis's memoirs.
Ipswich Rock City
Somewhere between the pub stage and the capacity-filled stadium is Ipswich, home to one of Britain’s most overlooked music scenes. Though why anyone would want to look there in the first place is anybody’s guess.
Drumroll Please
A million-plus viewers will tune tonight to watch costumed young people dance with fake weapons and play bugle—and that’s just the fans already in the know. America, you live in a drum corps world, you just don’t know it yet.
Ahí Vamos: The Rock of Gustavo Cerati
Argentina's Soda Stereo may have lost its pop about 10 years ago, but since then guitarist Gustavo Cerati has proved his skills as a soloist many times over, leaving an indelible mark on rock en español.
Sebastian Junger
Reporting a civil war in Africa sounds tough, but try investigating a 40-year-old crime in America's quietest suburb. A chat with journalist Sebastian Junger about his new book on the Boston Strangler.
Susan Straight
The great American novel doesn't exist--except in the minds of marketers (and those who believe New Yorkers write the best books). A conversation with Susan Straight about regional writing, as American as apple pie.
The House of Truth
Washington's DuPont Circle may now be a posh address for lawyers and diplomats--and 4,000 Starbucks outlets--but it was once a bohemian hotseat for intellectuals.
Divino, Maravilhoso: The Splendor of Gal Costa
After 40 years in music, how's a singer keep things interesting? Talking with Brazil's treasure, Gal Costa, about how things change, and how they stay the same.
Gay Talese
A rowdy conversation about Talese's new memoir, Lorena Bobbitt's Hollywood agent, attending fights with James Baldwin, and a hundred other reports about the joys and pains of getting a story right.
Lawrence Weschler
Writer and off-the-charts associater Lawrence Weschler talks about his new book, Everything That Rises: A Book of Convergences, plus publishing as an act of citizenship and the joy of sideways learning.
Ferry Tale
The best realtors have personality, professionalism, and drive—Mike Ferry’s One-on-One training seminar is where they get it. Three days of ego crushing, dream building, and chasing the world’s greatest real-estate agent, Froy Cadelario.
David Mitchell
Author and 2005 Rooster winner David Mitchell talks about his new novel, Black Swan Green, the appeal of Bill Evans, and the differences between sex and writing.
Bend Me, Shape Me
Producing music from printers, hacking Speak ’n’ Spells for backing vocals—it’s not trendy garage band style, but then, it’s not exactly rock and roll. A look into the engrossing world of circuit bending.
Paris Hilton and the American Cannibal
In our continuing series, a profile of the pornographer who put Paris Hilton in your living room, and a fascinating look at “pseudo-events” in our culture and the media that can't get enough of them.
Richard Reeves
The fascinating author and journalist Richard Reeves talks about writing Reagan, founding New York magazine, and covering Lévy's America more than 20 years ago.
Alberto Manguel
Should "America" only include the United States? Does art criticism matter when it doesn't account for emotions? A conversation with author Alberto Manguel about working with Borges and responding to paintings.
While He Flatters He Bites
The New World was filled with many threats, dangers, and unseen evil--all of which sailed over in the form of one man: Cornelis Van Tienhoven, the bad sheriff of New Amsterdam.
Big in Finland
Conan O'Brien's recent comedy bits about Finland earned him that country's adulation; his trip there for a one-hour special--airing tonight--sealed the deal. What the unlikely matchup means for one writer's family.
Uzodinma Iweala
Politics can be dangerous in some parts of Africa, but childhood can be even more risky. A conversation with Uzodinma Iweala about what's breaking the continent apart--and what's holding it together.
Andres Levin's Musical Playground
When musician and producer Andres Levin plays with sound, he doesn't only create music, he fuses cultures.
Andrew Delbanco
Author and Columbia professor Andrew Delbanco, named by Time as "America's Best Social Critic," talks about his new Melville biography--one that's actually enjoyable to read.
Lisa Randall
Strings, branes, and baryogenesis--our man in Boston is guided through contemporary science by one of the country's top theoretical physicists, Lisa Randall.
Bret Easton Ellis
While the publishing world freaks out over false memoirs, who better to speak about truth in writing than an author with the same name as his protagonist?
The Omarosa Experiment
Reality TV isn’t for the weak of ego, or the merely normal; to succeed, you must be “super-normal.” Talking to some of the industry’s most infamous offspring about their lives after the show—and the psychologists who were responsible for vetting them in the first place.
George Packer
Tens of thousands of American soldiers are in Iraq, but only a handful of U.S. journalists are covering the story from the inside. One of them, George Packer, talks about bravery, ideology, and changing opinions.
Bill Laswell's Method of Defiance
Acclaimed bassist Bill Laswell has his own way of making music, and these days it involves some serious drum and bass. One performance, and a life's work.
Barbara Ehrenreich
American business has preserved the conformity of the '50s but ditched the job security--what happened? A conversation about the terror of applying for jobs when experience doesn't matter.
Rick Moody
When novelists are listed among our most despicable citizens, can America claim to love literature? Our man up north talks to author Rick Moody about how we're all on the same team when we're reading.
A Path of Destruction
Since 1980, the Shining Path guerrillas in Peru have been responsible for over 30,000 deaths. So why, now that the organization is effectively dismantled, are the seeds for revolution still being planted?
Mirror, Mirror
Reality television depends on charismatic contestants, and the Ganz sisters, a pair of identical-twin casting agents, are among its chief suppliers. The first article in a series on the hidden workings of reality TV.
Ron Rash
Our man from New England talks to one of the Carolinas' favorite sons about the strengths of southern writers, the benefits of teaching welders, and the crushing reality that awaits MFA grads.
Jonathan Lethem
A reactionary shudder is sweeping through the book world as the status quo realizes it's terrified of literature. Our man in the mountains speaks with author Jonathan Lethem, who tears into the idea of "realist" vs. "anti-realist" fiction.
Stuart Dybek
Our man in Boston gets nostalgic for his Chicago roots in this wonderful conversation with short story master Stuart Dybek about the city of Daley, Bellow's turf, and the difficulty of writing in a sentimental, nevermind linear fashion.
George Saunders
Do fiction writers put their best face forward in their work or in their private lives? Will the next story always be the one that maybe gets it right? A conversation with the extraordinary author about the craft.
James Howard Kunstler
A simple statement but a nightmarish one: we can no longer expect to have more energy, only remorselessly less energy. An intense chat with author James Howard Kunstler about the chaos that will rattle our society once the energy disaster takes hold.
Camille Paglia
The humanities are ruined, and the universities full of crooks. Art in America is neglected, coddled, and buried under chatter. The right looks down on artists; the left looks down on everyone. Our man in Boston has an electrifying conversation with Camille Paglia.
Ian McEwan
It can take six weeks to write six minutes of fiction, and that's not so bad. A conversation with the author of Saturday about taking the time to do your thing, the changing face of literary culture, and how everybody really can write a novel.
Elizabeth Gaffney
Queens may sport the most languages spoken in New York City, but Brooklyn certainly has the most writers. Our man in Boston talks with Brooklynite Elizabeth Gaffney about her new book, set in 19th-century New York, and her 16 years editing the Paris Review with George Plimpton.
Kevin Guilfoile
Do genre writers have more fun than plain old novelists? Is it possible to embed philosophical thought in a thriller? For an all-around TMN smorgasbord, our brain in Boston chats with Contributing Writer Kevin Guilfoile about his new novel.
Deborah Lipstadt
Prejudice cannot be defeated entirely, but it can be fought with courage and stamina, and with really good lawyers. Our bookish reporter in Boston has a fascinating conversation with scholar Deborah Lipstadt about her six-year battle with Holocaust denier David Irving.
Jonathan Safran Foer
Are we comforted by the official account of Sept. 11--the victims, the heroes, the assigned roles of good and evil--or do the generalizations shortchange our experiences? A conversation with novelist Jonathan Safran Foer about his new book, the writing life, and what it's like to be reviewed by Updi
Tom Bissell
Writers often imagine editors as dolts with hearts of coal and brains of corn; writers, frequently, are self-absorbed paranoid ignorant dilletantes. A conversation about how the publishing system really works and the life of a Celtics fan who only loves Bird.
Street Art
It’s art, it’s play, it’s political protest—no matter what it’s called, street art is all around us, changing the face of our cities when no one’s looking. So what is it exactly? We round up some of the legends of the scene to talk about the history of street art, and where it’s headed next.
David Thomson
Lots of folks complain that the movies aren't what they used to be, but not many people can tell you why. Our man of the north has a fascinating talk with film critic and writer David Thomson about the start of the art, Million Dollar Baby, and how Nicole Kidman went from bimbo to genius.
Robert McCrum
Few writers have all their books in print; extremely few have almost a hundred in circulation. A conversation with Robert McCrum about his recent definitive biography of P.G. Wodehouse and the difficulties in pinning down a man who liked to blend in.
Joyce Carol Oates
What would a 1950s family near Niagra Falls say about an episode of The Sopranos? Why does America so easily forget its ordinary heroes? A conversation with the prolific Joyce Carol Oates about her most recent novel, why she loves to teach, and how many other books are gestating in her desk.
Louis de Bernières
Our man in Boston talks with author Louis de Bernières about his most recent book, Birds Without Wings, during a fascinating discussion about the Ottoman Empire, how good people go astray in crowds, and the richness of Arab proverbs.
T.C. Boyle
If we spend so much of our lives thinking and worrying about sex, is it any surprise the involved emotions are tied to chemicals? A conversation with maverick author T.C. Boyle in a lively back-and-forth about Dr. Alfred Kinsey, contemporary fiction, and the role of the husband in the kitchen.
Cynthia Ozick
No one can escape their past, and everyone once had parents who made mistakes. Our New Hampshire correspondent chats with the wonderful Cynthia Ozick about the underpinnings of her new novel, the rewards of touring, and exactly how do publishers think.
Lan Samantha Chang
All parents want their children to do well; not all parents want their children to become writers. Author Lan Samantha Chang chats with our man in Boston about her new novel that was 10 years in the writing, and her slide from upstanding daughter to rebel with a clause.
Jon Lee Anderson
Grave mistakes have been made in Iraq, but there's still room for hope. A conversation with New Yorker correspondent Jon Lee Anderson for a fascinating, frank talk about life in Baghdad, U.S. policies as viewed from the street, and how Iraq's insurgency could possibly be quelled.
Jennifer Finney Boylan
Our Boston correspondent chats with novelist Jennifer Finney Boylan about going on Oprah, the differences between being a female writer versus a male writer, and her best-selling book about becoming the woman she always was.
Renata Adler
Our New Hampshire correspondent catches up with veteran writer Renata Adler to survey today's journalism (when it seems like a PR agency for the government) and learn exactly why you don't diss the Times book review chief.
Talking With Alex Ross
Classical music was said to be dead in the 14th century, so why are we still holding it hostage? We talk with New Yorker music critic Alex Ross about the state of the art, which composers might appeal to different segments of rock fans, and exactly what he listens to at dinner.
Hendrik Hertzberg
Our man in New Hampshire snags a fascinating conversation with the New Yorker's principal political voice Hendrik Hertzberg about his new book, the president's 12-step politics, and why the New York Times Book Review should avoid sexing up.
Charles McCarry
Once upon a time, the CIA was stocked with Yalie do-gooders, liberal spooks who were going to change the world. A conversation with the master novelist and former agent about a dying breed, posing as a reporter undercover, and the different ways to describe success in publishing.
Zoe Heller
Is the American publishing world a playground for pansies? Do all diners in fancy New York restaurants look European? Our man in New Hampshire talks to the novelist about her new book, love for boys, and respect for the prime minister.
James Wood
Our man in New Hampshire talks with critic and author James Wood about his professional dilemmas, what makes for appealing style in fiction, and which stings more, getting panned as a critic or as a novelist.
Michael Lewis
Author Michael Lewis talks about his wave-making book Moneyball and the current state of baseball, plus what's good and bad with journalism today, Red Sox paranoia, and the joys of screenwriting.
Jim Harrison
Our man in New Hampshire talks with Jim Harrison, author extraordinaire, about life in Montana, female chauvinism, navel-gazing in New York, and how a good MFA program might be established.
Ben Jones
Some nights you want a period romance, some nights a claustrophobic babble-drama, and some nights you just want a ripping adventure story that will keep you awake. A conversation with novelist Ben Jones about his new book of Arctic exploration.
Rachel Cohen
Ulysses S. Grant and Elizabeth Bishop never met, but we can imagine how the conversation might have gone. A conversation with author Rachel Cohen about her book of road trips and crossed paths, including many of America's best writers.
Edwidge Danticat
America may believe in its own exceptionalism, but it's also been exceptionally involved in Haiti's history. A conversation with American Book Award-winner Edwidge Danticat about the current state of Haiti and the current state of her stories.
George Pelecanos
Most cities (save New York) have a crime-writer-in-residence, and D.C. is lucky to call George Pelecanos a local. A conversation with the author about his new book, the daily grind, and what it's like to write a TV show with a dream team of novelists.
Laurie Lynn Drummond
We know the lives of cops from TV shows, movies, and maybe an uncle who retired from the squad, but those versions are rarely true to police officers' real struggles. A chat with former cop and lauded storyteller Laurie Lynn Drummond about life behind a Louisiana badge.
Francesca Delbanco
It's easy for twenty-somethings to believe their lives are monumental and truly complex, but what if it's true? A conversation with first-time novelist Francesca Delbanco about the pleasures of Los Angeles, solidarity in friends, and going nuts in Montana.
Brian Greene
Living in three dimensions can be hard enough, but 10? More than 10? Our man in Boston engages physicist and author Brian Greene in a fascinating conversation about string theory, science writing, and the type of nightmares that haunt contemporary physicists.
Ana Menendez
The U.S. understanding of Cuba often begins with embargoes and ends with Castro trying out for the Yankees. A conversation with Cuban author Ana Menendez on Fidel, Che, and fomenting passionate revolutions.
Rafael Campo
Understanding ourselves better may be the key to getting better. A conversation with writer and physician Rafael Campo on the role literature and expression play in the healing process, and what's being done about it.
Henry Petroski
The next time your imperfect car breaks down perfectly, remember, someone designed it that way. Our man in N.H. talks to author and former engineer Henry Petroski about the effects of design in our lives.
Jonathan Lethem
The dead may know Brooklyn, but it's the living who make it. Author Jonathan Lethem talks about his new book, how to handle savage reviews, and the process of remembering his hometown from far away.
Peter Carey
To win the Booker Prize twice certainly requires talent, but to celebrate only one of the winnings suggests a particular madness. A conversation with author Peter Carey about his new book, private schools in New York, and the terrors found in boredom.
Dale Peck
Being the most hated man in literature isn't easy, but it helps to have a backbone of lauded novels behind you, plus an actual hatchet for publicity stunts.
Anne Garrels
For many, Anne Garrels's voice became the most trustworthy stream of information broadcast from Iraq. A frank discussion with the author and NPR Iraq correspondent, one of only 16 non-embedded journalists to remain in Baghdad for Operation Shock and Awe.
Charles Baxter
The author covers topics such as his new book, Saul and Patsy, Chekhov's medical career, politics, Minnesota, and what it's like to have your work made into film.
Julie Orringer
American literature may over-adore the short story, but that doesn't mean some great stories aren't being written. A conversation with writer Julie Orringer about New Orleans, snarkism, and the relative ease of brain surgery.
Malcolm Gladwell
Author of The Tipping Point and a connoisseur of RonCo products, Malcolm Gladwell talks about his writing habits, the war effort, and the glory of being confused for Tommy Lee.
Gail Caldwell
A critic's life can be a happy one, with the right frame of mind. A conversation with Pulitzer-prize winner Gail Caldwell about a life well read, 19th-century novels, and the changing of hearts.
Clueless in Academe: An Interview with Gerald Graff
Professors complain that each year’s batch of students are more clueless than the last, but could they be the ones in the dark? Our writer interviews author and academic Gerald Graff on who’s to blame for the failures in our classrooms.
Douglas Coupland
It's a good world when Americans and Canadians can still get along. A conversation with author Douglas Coupland about Columbine, art projects, pus-bags, and that sexy country of sin up north.
75,000,000 Toddlers Can't Be Wrong
Steve Burns, the former host of Nickleodeon's kids show Blue's Clues, has embarked on a new career path: musician.
Starfucker
Meeting and interviewing (and yes, dating) the stars proves tiresome for even the most well-seasoned of celebrity-worshippers. The life of lies and junkets, however, makes for the best party conversation.
Joe Mitchell's Secret
Considered the best profile writer New York's ever seen, Joseph Mitchell's influence is unfortunately on the wane. Why today's prose-makers have lost their way.
Santa's Not-So-Little Helper
You know Santa: cheeks like a rose, nose like a cherry. Now meet the Krampus, a boozy, goat-horned menace that whips European children during the first days of December.
To the Teen Beat of His Own Drummer
Maybe you only know him as "the other one" from Weird Science, but Ilan Mitchell-Smith is a former actor turned real human being (and Ph.D. candidate, no less).
Gillian Zoe Segal
The photographer and author of New York Characters on farts, the infamous Dr. Zizmor, and losing her husband to the kindness of strangers.
Joseph Zoettl's Grotto
The American South has many strange places to visit, though most towns don't have their own Hanging Gardens of Babylon, complete with plastic elephants.
Who’s Lee Hazlewood?
He’s truly one of the most influential and innovative figures in modern music. He’s been around a long time and left for dead more than once. And now he’s back. Our writer traces a life in music.
A Chat With Penny, Chatterbot
Computers are taking over the world, and recently they've started talking back.
Oof
This past summer Oof visited New York City from Osaka. Having never been here before, she spent her days exploring, camera in hand, recording a personal log of New York City with an eye to the everyday (but hardly ordinary) people and things that surround us.