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.
As 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' enters its final season, a critic looks back on its origins
Season 12 opens with Larry stuck with two women he can't eject from his life. As in its previous seasons, HBO's Curb offers a delicate combination of intricate structure and freewheeling improv.
Journalist Michele Norris reveals America's 'Hidden Conversations' about race
Norris wanted to see how Americans view race, so she asked people to share their thoughts in six words. Eventually, the project grew, garnering some 500,000 million entries from 100+ countries.
Frantz Fanon biography chronicles the life and legacy of a revolutionary icon
Fanon, who died in 1961, wrote about the politics and psychology of colonialism. In The Rebel's Clinic, Adam Shatz captures the thorny brilliance of a man whose radicalism is still shaping our world.
'Barbie' music producer Mark Ronson opens up about the film's 'bespoke' sound
Ronson spent a year creating Barbie's music, and co-wrote the song, "I'm Just Ken," which has been nominated for an Oscar and a Grammy. Originally broadcast Sept. 7, 2023.
'Like it or not, we live in Oppenheimer's world,' says director Christopher Nolan
Nolan's film, which is nominated for 13 Academy Awards, tells the story of Robert Oppenheimer, the man who spearheaded the development of the atomic bomb. Originally broadcast Aug. 14, 2023.
'New Yorker' writer traces the current U.S. border crisis back to the Cold War
Hundreds of thousands of people, mostly from Central America, arrive at the U.S.-Mexico border each year. In Everyone Who is Gone is Here, Jonathan Blitzer examines the historical roots of the crisis.
The Paranoid Style blends rock with literary flair with 'The Interrogator'
The Washington D.C.-based band is led by Elizabeth Nelson, who is also a published music critic. It shows — the music is packed with wordplay, jokes and an undercurrent of serious dread.