“These people may have all the money in the world, but as the last four seasons have shown us in vivid, lacerating detail, their cold, loveless lives inspire little envy.” Welcome to the weekend! The final episode of Succession airs this Sunday, and to mark the end of this show about TV’s most dysfunctional media-empire […]
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Only Shooting Stars Break the Mold: The Massive Musical Footprint of ‘Shrek’
““Shrek was the first animated picture to have, in its dialogue and in its music, pop references,” says Marylata Elton, Shrek’s music supervisor. “What ended up [happening] is that Shrek became pop culture itself.””
Cryin’, Dyin’, or Goin’ Somewhere: A Country Music Reading List
Although the sound of the music has changed, country’s themes have endured.
Fast Times on America’s Slowest Train
A surreal train ride between Chicago and New Orleans proves that Amtrak still has a lot to offer. (Not including speed or the food.)
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
This week, we’re sharing stories from Kerry Howley, Suzanne Cope, Micheli Oliver, Jeff Mao, and Rob Brunner.
Rewriting Country Music’s Racist History
“First, you exclude black people from the festivals. Then write them out by not recording them. And pretty soon, ‘you have this manufactured image of country music being white and being poor. But when a narrative is that clean,’ Giddens warns, ‘somebody wrote it.’”
Stumbling Can Be Lovely
On the many ways we fall—and the beauty of getting back up.
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
This week’s list features stories from Melissa del Bosque, Jeff Maysh, Nathan Munn, Katherine Rundell, and Tom Lamont.
Yo-Yo Ma and the Meaning of Life
David Marchese interviews cellist Yo-Yo Ma on music, politics, culture, the pandemic, stereotypes, and the meaning of life.
Bread and Honey
Sometimes, marriage is about learning how to braid the bitter with the sweet.


