The New Yorker
How Quinta Brunson Hacked the Sitcom
The comedian and writer behind “Abbott Elementary” first made a name for herself in new media with viral videos. Then, in a landscape of auteur streaming projects and cable darlings, she revitalized prime time with a fresh take on an all too familiar form, Molly Fischer writes.
Above the Fold
Essential reading for today.
Who Are Latino Americans Today?
A big new book dispels stereotypes in an effort to get beyond Latino 101.
How Gaza and Ukraine Became Campaign Issues for 2024
This year, what happens in the rest of the world seems to matter a bit more than usual to Americans.
“3 Body Problem” Is a Rare Species of Sci-Fi
The Netflix adaptation of Liu Cixin’s trilogy mixes heady theoretical questions with genuine spectacle and heart.
The Mystery of Ocean Warming
A startling rise in sea-surface temperatures suggests that we may not understand how fast the climate is changing.
Percival Everett Can’t Say What His Novels Mean
The author of “Erasure” is renowned for his satires of genre, identity, and America. But his great target may be language itself.
Has Putin’s Invasion of Ukraine Improved His Standing in Russia?
As Russians go to the polls, the economy is booming and the public feels hopeful about the future. But the politics of Putinism still depend on the absence of any means to challenge it.
Mike Johnson, the First Proudly Trumpian Speaker
Though he has adopted a “nerd constitutional-law guy” persona, he is in lockstep with the law-flouting former President.
The Critics
Ian Munsick Puts the Western Back in Country
He brought his cowboy hat and ranch experience to Nashville, where he sings about the Wyoming life he left behind.
Why New York Restaurants Are Going Members-Only
Ultra-exclusive places, like Rao’s and the Polo Bar, once seemed like rarities in the city’s dining scene. Now clubbiness is becoming a norm.
Gustav Klimt’s Hunger to Please
The artist can still dazzle, but his achievements sometimes come at the cost of passion or purpose.
The Kate Middleton Photo That Was Too Good to Be True
A doctored image of the Princess of Wales and her children has become the most captivating episode of her entire public career.
The New Coming-of-Age Story
In this episode of the podcast, Vinson Cunningham discusses his début novel, “Great Expectations,” and the direction of the bildungsroman genre.
“Martyr!” Plays Its Subject for Laughs but Is Also Deadly Serious
In his first novel, the Iranian American poet Kaveh Akbar asks whether our pain matters, and to whom, and how it might be made to matter more.
The Best Books We Read This Week
Hannah Durkin’s “The Survivors of the Clotilda,” a history of the last known slave ship to reach the U.S.; Katherine Min’s “The Fetishist,” a wistful and sometimes humorous novel; and more of our editors’ and critics’ reading recommendations.
Introducing the New Yorker Mini Crossword
A little brainteaser for your busier days.
Kelly Link Is Committed to the Fantastic
The MacArthur-winning author on the worthwhile frivolity of the fantasy genre, how magic is and is not like a credit card, and why she hates to write but does it anyway.
Ideas
America’s Last Top Models
For decades, inventors sent in models with their patent applications—gizmos that reveal a history of unmet needs and relentless innovation.
Among the A.I. Doomsayers
Some people think machine intelligence will transform humanity for the better. Others fear it may destroy us. Who will decide our fate?
The Problem of Political Despair
Has the increasing isolation of modern life made us less willing to make sacrifices for a greater good?
Have the Liberal Arts Gone Conservative?
The classical-education movement seeks to fundamentally reorient schooling in America. Its emphasis on morality and civics has also primed it for partisan takeover.
How a Soviet-Socialism Enthusiast Fell Afoul of the Authorities
Andrei Platonov’s “Chevengur” depicts a Communist utopia, but Stalin loathed his writing, calling the author “scum.”
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