Articles of Note

One day in 1987, Patricia Highsmith, recently diagnosed with cancer, toured a crematorium. She put her hand inside a furnace, feeling "the warm of that retort"... more »

New Books

Alexander von Humboldt: He hiked the Andes barefoot. He sailed straight into a hurricane. His quest for knowledge was voracious... more »

Essays & Opinions

At Santa Maria Nuova Hospital, in Florence, the staff is used to patients' complaining of short breath, panic attacks, and hallucinations. They call it Stendhal Syndrome... more »