Articles of Note

In 1936, a middling novelist went to live among the poor and unemployed in the north of England. He returned as George Orwell, champion of democratic socialism... more »

New Books

When it comes to precise and memorable extended descriptions, Elizabeth Bishop is unrivaled. Yet great poets provoke strong emotions, and her verse lacks fire... more »

Essays & Opinions

To be cultured is to know how much you want to know, and what you don't want to know. Think Jacques Barzun: formidable without being stuffy, he was an authority on French prosody, baseball, and detective fiction... more »