All articles from Arts & Letters Daily
Not simply trivia, not simply a hobby — for the believer, quiz verges on a way of life
Not simply trivia, not simply a hobby — for the believer, quiz verges on a way of life
The grand tour’s most enduring truth: Even the most miraculous work of art is born not just into history, but also out of it
The grand tour’s most enduring truth: Even the most miraculous work of art is born not just into history, but also out of it
Harold Bloom read everything, praised lavishly, and struggled mightily with self-doubt
Harold Bloom read everything, praised lavishly, and struggled mightily with self-doubt
Alasdair MacIntyre believed that Western morality, having lost its rationale, had been replaced by something thinner: mere moral passion
Alasdair MacIntyre believed that Western morality, having lost its rationale, had been replaced by something thinner: mere moral passion
You’ve heard of effective altruism, but what about “effective accelerationism”? Adherents believe that the solution to our cultural ills lies in technology
You’ve heard of effective altruism, but what about “effective accelerationism”? Adherents believe that the solution to our cultural ills lies in technology
Sensitivity readers promise authenticity but deliver essentialism. Who really benefits when identity polices the imagination?
Sensitivity readers promise authenticity but deliver essentialism. Who really benefits when identity polices the imagination?
He appeared to be a pauper, but John Chapman, aka Johnny Appleseed, was quite successful, owning 1,200 acres across three states
He appeared to be a pauper, but John Chapman, aka Johnny Appleseed, was quite successful, owning 1,200 acres across three states
She called Judith Butler evil and Susan Sontag boring. Camille Paglia is 79 and unrepentant
She called Judith Butler evil and Susan Sontag boring. Camille Paglia is 79 and unrepentant
Trivial pursuits. How do you know if a game — whether elegant, complex, or embarrassingly simple — truly matters?
Trivial pursuits. How do you know if a game — whether elegant, complex, or embarrassingly simple — truly matters?
"Information commons" sounds democratic. But it suggests that knowledge is something you retrieve, not carry
"Information commons" sounds democratic. But it suggests that knowledge is something you retrieve, not carry
"The age when you can run a literary magazine on trust is over. You can either decide AI submissions are fine, or you can filter for them"
"The age when you can run a literary magazine on trust is over. You can either decide AI submissions are fine, or you can filter for them"
Leslie Fiedler, the wild man of American letters, argued our literature was less realism than repression
Leslie Fiedler, the wild man of American letters, argued our literature was less realism than repression
On BookTok, the reader’s response to a book isn’t evidence in service of a judgment, it is itself the judgment
On BookTok, the reader’s response to a book isn’t evidence in service of a judgment, it is itself the judgment
Houston is a city of unexpected adjacencies, and so it was the natural home of the genre-defying Donald Barthelme
Houston is a city of unexpected adjacencies, and so it was the natural home of the genre-defying Donald Barthelme
Em dashes, bad metaphors, and not-X-but-Y sentence constructions. Did Granta award a prize to an entirely AI-written short story?
Em dashes, bad metaphors, and not-X-but-Y sentence constructions. Did Granta award a prize to an entirely AI-written short story?
Is criticism a moral good? In 1968, the question was unavoidable. Now we've forgotten to ask.
Is criticism a moral good? In 1968, the question was unavoidable. Now we've forgotten to ask.
Gramsci, Marcuse, Adorno: How recondite mid-century thinkers became villains in America's culture wars
Gramsci, Marcuse, Adorno: How recondite mid-century thinkers became villains in America's culture wars
Homer and the mummy. Why was a fragment of the Iliad buried with a body more than 2,000 years ago?
Homer and the mummy. Why was a fragment of the Iliad buried with a body more than 2,000 years ago?
The naturalist John Cade studied things like snakes’ tails and the kookaburra’s cry. Then he started giving lithium to manic-depressives
The naturalist John Cade studied things like snakes’ tails and the kookaburra’s cry. Then he started giving lithium to manic-depressives
"Show don't tell." "Kill your darlings." Writers love rules, even when rules can't solve their problems
"Show don't tell." "Kill your darlings." Writers love rules, even when rules can't solve their problems
He was imprisoned by the Nazis; she was sent to a sanitorium. For Leonora Carrington and Max Ernst, love was not a luxury they could afford
He was imprisoned by the Nazis; she was sent to a sanitorium. For Leonora Carrington and Max Ernst, love was not a luxury they could afford
A.S. Hamrah's film criticism elides the distinction between comic prose-poetry and reflexive contrarianism
A.S. Hamrah's film criticism elides the distinction between comic prose-poetry and reflexive contrarianism
At Stanford, undergraduates faking perfection are thrown ungodly sums of money. But what’s it all for?
At Stanford, undergraduates faking perfection are thrown ungodly sums of money. But what’s it all for?
The canine gaze. Dogs in Western art are surrogate viewers and compositional anchors
The canine gaze. Dogs in Western art are surrogate viewers and compositional anchors
That presidential biography, narrative of a shipwreck, or forgotten war story? “The days when dad books reigned supreme are gone”
That presidential biography, narrative of a shipwreck, or forgotten war story? “The days when dad books reigned supreme are gone”
Universities preach AI literacy. On campus, the reality looks more like cognitive surrender
Universities preach AI literacy. On campus, the reality looks more like cognitive surrender
Translating Kafka. Borges found freedom in his labyrinths. For Primo Levi, it was like recovering from an illness
Translating Kafka. Borges found freedom in his labyrinths. For Primo Levi, it was like recovering from an illness
Marilyn Monroe was the world's most photographed woman, and among its loneliest. To be wanted is not to be loved
Marilyn Monroe was the world's most photographed woman, and among its loneliest. To be wanted is not to be loved