Ancient History
From operas on Nixon, Klinghoffer, J. Robert Oppenheimer, and women of the Gold Rush, John Adams progresses to Shakespeare
The State of Their Union
While the “bromance” between Barack Obama and Joe Biden has dominated headlines, the unseen tensions between the two have shaped politics
Staff Picks
Don’t miss Andy Borowitz’s account of America’s dumbest politicians; a hefty history of pop music; and the story of building Lincoln Center
When Menus Were the Main Event …
A delicious new book offers a visual history of menu design from 1800 to the present
Senses and Sensibility
From Beethoven to Bach, Handel to Homer, so many of the greats throughout history lacked the precise faculty their art required. What does it all mean?
Cynthia Addai-Robinson
To step into J. R. R. Tolkien’s fantastical world for Amazon’s Lord of the Rings prequel, the actress found common ground with her royal character
The Hidden Highsmith
A new documentary about the author of The Talented Mr. Ripley delves into the writer’s love life
Murder, They Wrote
This month in mystery books, sequels improve on their predecessors—plus a locked-room puzzle from John Dickson Carr, as thrilling now as when it was first published, in 1944
Long Live the King
Ahead of his latest novel’s release, Stephen King divulges his writing routine and explains why social media is a “poison pill”
To Catch a Con
Rogue Agent dramatized one of the strangest criminal cases in recent British history. Its release helped lead to an international manhunt
Catcher in the Wry
Eight questions with Christopher Buckley, ranging in subject from his comic pandemic novel and George Bush 41 to what his parents would have made of Trump
Some Strings Attached
The little-known story of a wartime British ambassador who appeased Adolf Hitler but saw the error of his ways
Tales of Two Grifters
From Jared Kushner to an impostor M.I.5 agent, this week’s podcast has plenty of bad behavior—and more than a few laughs, thanks to Christopher Buckley
The Yellow and the Blue
Led by their American music director Hobart Earle, the Odessa Philharmonic flies Ukraine’s colors in Berlin
Re-writing the History Books
In an interview, Maggie O’Farrell discusses how she resurrects women in her historical fiction
Owen Kline
The actor’s directorial debut, a film about a young cartoonist finding his way, reflects his own childhood spent studying comic books and haunting video stores
Birkin’s Baggage
On the occasion of her new album, Jane Birkin looks back on old love
