A culture critic reflects on the limits of language -- and the magic of silence
Pulitzer Prize-winning New Yorker writer Hilton Als says we "don't actually have much silence left" in our world. His latest exhibition challenges the way we see art, identity and storytelling.
Albums by Lucy Dacus and Jeffrey Lewis show the range of confessional songwriting
Dacus mixes confession and intimacy on Forever is a Feeling. The EVEN MORE Freewheelin' Jeffrey Lewis nods to Dylan's early New York City folkie days, with a great song about the pain of existence.
Sigrid Nunez's 'The Friend' tells a story of friendship and despair
Nunez's 2018 novel won the National Book Award. It's now a film, starring Naomi Watts and Bill Murray, about a woman who inherits a dog after her friend's suicide. Originally broadcast in 2019.
Syria's transitional leader is a former jihadist. Can he help stabilize the region?
Ahmed al-Sharaa founded the Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda, but is now advocating unity. The Atlantic's Robert Worth discusses al-Sharaa's leadership and the Trump administration's group chat on Signal.
In 'The Studio,' Seth Rogen offers a hilarious take on Hollywood filmmaking
An outstanding new Apple TV+ comedy series sends up Hollywood's movie-making machine. You don't have to be a movie lover to appreciate The Studio, but the more you know, the more you'll laugh.
'The Moment of Truth' offers a solid portrait of Ella Fitzgerald on the road
The jazz singer's 1960s concert career is amply documented on record, with live albums from Berlin, LA, Tokyo and the French Riviera. Now comes a newly released concert of Fitzgerald in Oakland, Calif.
'Ludwig' captivates with a light-hearted story about a missing identical twin
When a police inspector goes missing, his identical twin assumes his identity in an effort to solve the disappearance. Ludwig is one of the most original takes on the TV mystery genre.
A legal scholar talks about 10 laws he says are 'ruining America'
In Bad Law, Elie Mystal argues that our country's laws on immigration, abortion and voting rights don't reflect the will of most Americans, and we'd be better off abolishing them and starting over.