The Weekend Essay
What’s a Fact, Anyway?
Journalists put more stress on accuracy than ever before. The problem is, accuracy is a slippery idea.
Writing as Transformation
Words and phrases came from nowhere; I rarely had any sense of what they meant or to what context they belonged.
The Unstoppable Rise of the State Symbol
In America, states now celebrate not just flowers but their own desserts, minerals, neckwear—even firearms. Is there any meaning to the madness?
The Father of Chinese Authoritarianism Has a Message for America
Xiao Gongqin thought that, in moments of flux, a strongman could build a bridge to democracy. Now he’s not so sure.
Have the Democrats Become the Party of the Élites?
The sociologist Musa al-Gharbi argues that the “Great Awokening” alienated “normie voters,” making it difficult for Kamala Harris—and possibly future Democrats—to win.
What Does a Translator Do?
Damion Searls, who has translated a Nobel laureate, believes his craft isn’t about transforming or reflecting a text. It’s about conjuring one’s experience of it.
A Kamala Harris Canvasser’s Education
Even on my first day, I sensed dissonance between the campaign’s celebrity-inflected exuberance and the raw divisions I saw in the streets.
The Island Where Environmentalism Implodes
New Caledonia is home to thousands of species found nowhere else—and to nickel that companies like Tesla desperately need.
The Feminist Critic Who Kept Flaubert on His Toes
For years, the writer flirted and exchanged ideas with Amélie Bosquet—until her ideas threatened his work.