Essays
The Talented Ms. Highsmith
I worked for the novelist in her final months. I thought she wanted to kill me.
Elena Gosalvez Blanco
When Does a Divorce Begin?
Most people think of it as failure. For me it was an achievement.
Anahid Nersessian
What Happened When I Began to Speak Welsh
By learning my family's language, I hoped to join their conversation.
Dan Fox
Browse
Essays
How We’ve Misunderstood Taylor Swift
The Life of a Showgirl received mixed reviews from fans and critics. But it may be her most honest work yet.
Stephanie Burt
October 20, 2025
How Sober Should a Writer Be?
F. Scott Fitzgerald and the ambivalence of American drinking culture
Sloane Crosley
October 6, 2025
Trump Is Only a Symptom
The crisis that America can’t change at the ballot box
Rana Dasgupta
September 8, 2025
What Is a Poetic Novel?
A newly translated manifesto
Hélène Bessette,
translated by Kate Briggs
September 8, 2025
When AI Speaks for the Dead
A murder victim recently addressed a defendant with the help of AI. What are the limits of our new reality?
Patricia J. Williams
September 8, 2025
