Articles of Note

Invented in 1874, barbed wire has proved resilient both functionally and symbolically. Robert Zaretsky uncoils its tragic history... more »

New Books

The strange case of the castrati. They were loved by men as well as women, were paid legendary sums, and were said to have secret powers... more »

Essays & Opinions

Lionel Trilling, magnet for admiration and model of critical integrity: Why did he have such a minor impact on the intellectuals of his era?... more »