How America’s first suicide attack changed one man’s fortune forever.
Search results
Posted inNonfiction, Story
How the Emperor Became Human (and MacArthur Became Divine)
The end of divine rule in postwar Japan, and the absolute power of General MacArthur.
Posted inBooks, Nonfiction, Story
I Would Rather Be Herod’s Pig: The History of a Taboo
The story of how pigs became the world’s most divisive meal.
Posted inNonfiction, Story
The Radical Pessimism of Dashiell Hammett
The stories of Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler once wrote, “gave murder back to the kind of people that commit it for reasons, not just to provide a corpse.”
Posted inNonfiction, Reading List, Uncategorized
Kelly Link Is Beloved, But Still Underrated: A Primer on My Favorite Living Short Story Writer
There’s that urge in adolescence when you feel like you discovered something, maybe a song, a book, or a painting, that resonates so deeply within you, to protect it, and keep it secret and close, so that you feel like you have claim of something wondrous and all your own. And if you share the […]
Posted inEditor's Pick
Mastering the Art of French Cooking
E.J. Levy recalls her mother and her cooking, a “weapon” her mother used throughout her marriage. Levy’s memories also reveal her struggle with her identity. Featured in the 2005 edition of The Best American Essays, edited by Susan Orlean.
Posted inNonfiction, Reading List
Cultural Changes: A Reading List
September feels like a month of changes, to me. Growing up, the first day of school was my New Year. I made resolutions; I felt like a new person, at least for a little while. Today, I chose six stories about (possibly, eventually, hopefully, revolutionary) changes in television, fashion, religion and more. 1. Netflix Programming: “BoJack […]
Posted inNonfiction, Podcasts, Quotes
Chaz Ebert on Becoming One With Roger During His Sickness
Chaz Ebert stopped practicing law when she married Roger, and ran the business side of things for him. They worked side-by-side throughout their marriage. As he became sicker, and was only able to communicate through a computer, Chaz’s role grew. At some point, he asked me to be his voice. So we would do some […]
Posted inNonfiction, Profiles & Interviews
The Man Who Became Big Bird
An interview with Caroll Spinney, who, at 81, has worked at “Sesame Street” as the puppeteer behind Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch for 45 years.
Posted inMember Pick, Nonfiction, Story
The Walkable Multiverse According to Charles Jencks
On an abandoned mining site in Scotland, an architectural theorist attempts to bring the mysteries of the cosmos to life on Earth.
