The Rise of CliffsNotes Cinema
Oversimplified literary remakes miss the point of the works they are adapting.
Culture
Why Justin Bieber Played YouTube Onstage for Thousands of People
The pop star transformed the normal act of browsing your laptop into something interesting—and unsettling.
The New Age of Performance Anxiety
With the rise of screen culture, all the world has stage fright.
Where Did ‘Let Them’ Come From?
Years before Mel Robbins published her best-selling self-help book, a struggling writer posted a poem with a similar message.
Melania Really Doesn’t Care
Her new memoir is a master class in how selective attention and empathy can insulate someone from the pains that trouble the rest of us.
Six Books That Feel Like Watching a Movie
Writing can share the thrill of movies by dissolving the physical limitations of the page.
I Love Secrets Too Much
Whenever a friend tells me something, I blab about it to other people. Why can’t I stop?
Alan Hollinghurst’s Lost England
In his new novel, the present isn’t much better than the past—and it’s a lot less sexy.
In Defense of Marital Secrets
Lauren Elkin’s Scaffolding suggests that total honesty can take a relationship only so far.
What Really Works About SNL
The return of Nate Bargatze and his now-classic George Washington sketch points to the surprise viral hits that have kept the show going 50 years on.
The Israeli Artist Who Offends Everyone
Long a fearless critic of Israel, Zoya Cherkassky-Nnadi has made wrenching portraits of her nation’s suffering since October 7.
Your Individuality Doesn’t Matter. Industry Knows Why.
Ever feel like your life is determined by powerful forces beyond your reach? HBO has a show for that.
More Evidence That Celebrities Just Don’t Like You
The Joker sequel has nothing interesting to say about the challenges of fame.
The Enlightenment Is Just One Side of the Story
In her latest novel, Olga Tokarczuk champions a world governed by myth, not reason.