The Gangster as Tragic Hero
Welcome to Culture Club, a feature where my editor David Swanson and I talk about what we’ve been reading, playing, artistically admiring, and—this...
Stormy With a Chance
As a nation, we owe a lot to Stormy Daniels. I personally owe her more than most. Five years ago, the erstwhile porn star, progressive hero, and Donald Trump...
Stormy With a Chance
As a nation, we owe a lot to Stormy Daniels. I personally owe her more than most. Five years ago, the erstwhile porn star, progressive hero, and Donald Trump...
On the Rights of the Child, Part I
Author’s note: this is the first installment of a series on right-wing attitudes in the U.S. towards the notion of children’s rights. Part two will follow in...
On the Rights of the Child, Part I
Author’s note: this is the first installment of a series on right-wing attitudes in the U.S. towards the notion of children’s rights. Part two will follow in...
Culture Club: On Tetris
Welcome to Culture Club, a feature where my editor David Swanson and I talk about what we’ve been reading, watching, artistically admiring, and—this...
Notable Sandwiches #58: Donkey Burger
Welcome to the latest installment of Notable Sandwiches, where I, alongside my editor David Swanson, trip merrily through the bizarre document that is...
Hope is a Discipline
“Spring Beauty” by Andrew Wyeth, c. 1953h Yesterday was a lot of things: the twentieth anniversary of America’s invasion of Iraq; another day in the bans on...
Culture Club: Boston Noir
Welcome to Culture Club, a new weekly feature where David and I (and sometimes both of us!) talk about what we’re reading, watching, and listening to each...
Notable Sandwiches: St. Patrick's Day Special
Welcome to the latest installment of Notable Sandwiches, the feature where I, alongside my stalwart editor David Swanson, nibble my way through Wikipedia’s...
There Will Always Be Blood Money
Strike-busting troops gathered in Colorado in 1914, after the Ludlow Massacre It was spring in Colorado when the National Guard killed the strikers: April,...
Culture Club: In Praise of the Genre Mash-Up
Welcome to Culture Club, a new weekly feature where David and I (and sometimes both of us!) talk about what we’re reading, watching, and listening to each...
Notable Sandwiches #57: Doner Kebab
Welcome to the latest installment of Notable Sandwiches, the feature where I, alongside my stalwart editor David Swanson, nibble my way through Wikipedia’s...
In Praise of Righteous Vengeance
Scenes from “The Book of Esther” by Arthur Szyk Today is Purim, a Jewish holiday that you’re either intimately familiar with or know nothing about. Few...
Culture Club: Beef Broth with Joseph Roth
Welcome to Culture Club, a new weekly feature where David and I (and sometimes both of us!) talk about what we’re reading, watching, and listening to each...
Notable Sandwiches #56: Denver
Author’s Note: As of this Sunday, I’ll be debuting a new feature, Culture Club, where David & I share the latest stuff we’ve been reading, watching and...
Disquiet on the Western Front
Felix Kammerer as Paul Bäumer in the Netflix production of All Quiet on the Western Front It’s common sense that any piece of art should be judged on its own...
Notable Sandwiches #55: Deli
Welcome back to Notable Sandwiches, the feature where I, alongside my editor David Swanson, trip merrily through the baffling document that is Wikipedia’s...
How to Fight a Holy War
AUTHOR’S NOTE: Thanks so much for staying patient during the two-week break I took to try to quit smoking. Let the record show that as soon as I had to write...
Notable Sandwiches #54: The Dagwood
Welcome back to Notable Sandwiches, the feature where I, alongside my editor David Swanson, trip merrily through the baffling document that is Wikipedia’s...