The Man Who Invented Movies
While Thomas Edison is widely known as “the father of motion pictures,” a Frenchman by the name of Louis Le Prince actually got there first—and then disappeared
Enter the Beaux-Arts
A new book highlights the gilded Beaux-Arts architecture of turn-of-the-last-century New York City
Hallelujah!
From the National Theatre, London, a triumphant revival of Angels in America
Staff Picks
Don’t miss an investigation into the aftermath of the Sandy Hook school shooting; a new biography of Harry Truman; and a Broadway memoir
Books and a Place to Read Them
From the director of Chicago’s Seminary Co-op, an ode to the quiet magic of independent bookshops around the country
Dancing on Air
In the second season of Bridgerton, dance—specifically, the ceremonious allemande—speaks louder than any professions of love
“Hold It Right There … ”
With a devoted following among the fashion crowd—and a girlfriend in Kate Moss—Nikolai von Bismarck is London’s photographer of the moment
Prized Scores
Here’s to the music that makes films swing, from Philip Glass, Nino Rota, Alexandre Desplat, and others
Brainspotting
The world-renowned neurologist A. J. Lees is on a mission to humanize doctors
India Ennenga and Sebastian Clark
The duo sending pocket-size books—collaborations with artists and writers—to people around the world
Can Love Actually Explain Putin’s Behavior?
How a rom-com just might help us understand a very troubled man …
Murder, They Wrote
Stormy weather plays a central role in this month’s best mystery novels. Plus, revisiting one of the first-ever police procedurals
Potemkin War Room
Putin advisers tiptoe their way through the minefields in the Kremlin
A New Gold Mine for Movie-Lovers
Fun City Editions gives fans access to long-out-of-circulation treasures
Sun Worshipper
“Met on Demand” viewers adore Philip Glass’s Akhnaten
War Songs
During 1973’s Yom Kippur War, an unexpected ally joined the front lines to boost Israeli soldiers’ morale: Leonard Cohen
Tour de Force
Charles Dickens highlighted Americans’ most unappealing habits (bad table manners) and practices (slavery). So why haven’t Republicans gone after him?
