All articles from Arts & Letters Daily
A major discovery in Central Asia. More than a dozen books published in a single week. Is “Blake Whiting” the most productive historian working today?
A major discovery in Central Asia. More than a dozen books published in a single week. Is “Blake Whiting” the most productive historian working today?
Contemporary writing about womanhood is full of apologizing or justifying or moralizing. Such frameworks shed little light
Contemporary writing about womanhood is full of apologizing or justifying or moralizing. Such frameworks shed little light
Why AI can’t smell. Current “e-nose” technology is the size of a fridge, costs a half-million dollars, and takes six hours to run a sample
Why AI can’t smell. Current “e-nose” technology is the size of a fridge, costs a half-million dollars, and takes six hours to run a sample
Helen DeWitt turned down a $175,000 prize because of the strings attached. Is she a principled actor or a spoiled, entitled nightmare?
Helen DeWitt turned down a $175,000 prize because of the strings attached. Is she a principled actor or a spoiled, entitled nightmare?
Why can humans, unlike all other animals, make pyramids, or spaceships, or musical instruments? Language
Why can humans, unlike all other animals, make pyramids, or spaceships, or musical instruments? Language
Ben Lerner: “Wherever I am now, I am not a young novelist. Heart surgery will do that to you, in addition to everything else”
Ben Lerner: “Wherever I am now, I am not a young novelist. Heart surgery will do that to you, in addition to everything else”
Who gets Guggenheim fellowships? A century’s worth of data shows the rise of creative artists, and the decline of humanists and natural scientists
Who gets Guggenheim fellowships? A century’s worth of data shows the rise of creative artists, and the decline of humanists and natural scientists
Ancient Greek cities joined the Delian League to resist Persian aggression. They soon found themselves under the thumb of Athens
Ancient Greek cities joined the Delian League to resist Persian aggression. They soon found themselves under the thumb of Athens
Nietzsche the mystic. There is something odd about a profoundly atheistic thinker holding quasi-religious convictions
Nietzsche the mystic. There is something odd about a profoundly atheistic thinker holding quasi-religious convictions
“In my day, artists kept it real” is a sentiment that will never get old — as long as aging critics keep employing it
“In my day, artists kept it real” is a sentiment that will never get old — as long as aging critics keep employing it
“The American novel offers the dream of escape: away from civilization and into the forest, away from marriage and onto the sea, away from history and back to boyhood”
“The American novel offers the dream of escape: away from civilization and into the forest, away from marriage and onto the sea, away from history and back to boyhood”
If you would save the planet, forget The Planet. Think only of the sensual properties of one dear place
If you would save the planet, forget The Planet. Think only of the sensual properties of one dear place
Jamaica Kincaid: “I find England ugly…I hate England; the weather is like a jail sentence…the food in England is like a jail sentence”
Jamaica Kincaid: “I find England ugly…I hate England; the weather is like a jail sentence…the food in England is like a jail sentence”
Making it in a non-existent profession. The economics of the writing life are grim, mercurial, and infrequently discussed
Making it in a non-existent profession. The economics of the writing life are grim, mercurial, and infrequently discussed
"Most historians would rather go out naked in public than prune their copious footnotes." Not Albert O. Hirschman
"Most historians would rather go out naked in public than prune their copious footnotes." Not Albert O. Hirschman
Are do-gooders an inferior class, consigned to drudgery? Elizabeth Anderson traces the contours of the progressive work ethic
Are do-gooders an inferior class, consigned to drudgery? Elizabeth Anderson traces the contours of the progressive work ethic
In early-19th century Britain, body snatchers were such a problem that lead coffins, metal cages, and other hardware were used to protect the dead
In early-19th century Britain, body snatchers were such a problem that lead coffins, metal cages, and other hardware were used to protect the dead
Heart palpitations, stomach lurches, sweaty palms: What it's like to spend a year inside the Stephen King archive
Heart palpitations, stomach lurches, sweaty palms: What it's like to spend a year inside the Stephen King archive
The book review flourished in tandem with the Enlightenment. Now both are in decline, leaving a great deal at stake. David Bell explains
The book review flourished in tandem with the Enlightenment. Now both are in decline, leaving a great deal at stake. David Bell explains
“People in government today obviously don’t care about literature, so the effort to ridicule them in literature can seem pointless or (worse) harmless”
“People in government today obviously don’t care about literature, so the effort to ridicule them in literature can seem pointless or (worse) harmless”
Gin and secrets: We know that the Cambridge Five betrayed Britain, but the damage runs deeper than previously thought
Gin and secrets: We know that the Cambridge Five betrayed Britain, but the damage runs deeper than previously thought
AI’s grandiose paradoxes. It will bring us heaven on earth or kill us all, we’re told; it is the most important invention in history or a scam
AI’s grandiose paradoxes. It will bring us heaven on earth or kill us all, we’re told; it is the most important invention in history or a scam
Robert Musil offers a salve for Western egocentrism: The self is not a single, enduring substance but a collection of sensations
Robert Musil offers a salve for Western egocentrism: The self is not a single, enduring substance but a collection of sensations
When contrarianism becomes its own orthodoxy: The heterodox movement is replicating the groupthink it set out to cure
When contrarianism becomes its own orthodoxy: The heterodox movement is replicating the groupthink it set out to cure
“The humanities are not a system for the production of positive ‘research results.’ They are a practice of self-cultivation, or they are nothing”
“The humanities are not a system for the production of positive ‘research results.’ They are a practice of self-cultivation, or they are nothing”
Great diarists open up the entire folio of their lives. Samuel Pepys was a great diarist. He was also a wretched human being
Great diarists open up the entire folio of their lives. Samuel Pepys was a great diarist. He was also a wretched human being
“Hunt in the morning, fish in the afternoon.” Marx on a work-free future. His son-in-law had a stranger cause: the right to be lazy
“Hunt in the morning, fish in the afternoon.” Marx on a work-free future. His son-in-law had a stranger cause: the right to be lazy
“At its most idyllic, siblinghood can be a fragile utopia, a protomarriage of equals, a playroom, a shelter from the parents or the world”
“At its most idyllic, siblinghood can be a fragile utopia, a protomarriage of equals, a playroom, a shelter from the parents or the world”
In the 16th century, with telescopes and microscopes emerging, a curious malady emerged: Men believing they were made of glass
In the 16th century, with telescopes and microscopes emerging, a curious malady emerged: Men believing they were made of glass