Devil’s Bargain
A 2004 visit with the future Nobel laureate Alice Munro left me with a slightly uneasy feeling. Now I know why
The Best of Times, the Worst of Times
New to Beethoven’s only opera, Lise Davidsen transcends a director’s funny stuff
Editor’s Picks
This week, don’t miss a riveting exploration of refrigeration and 50 years of Seamus Heaney’s letters
Literary Blockbuster
In an interview, Keanu Reeves discusses teaming up with novelist China Miéville to write The Book of Elsewhere, a science-fiction epic
Remy Renzullo’s Guide to Maine
The American interior decorator shares the spots that epitomize his summers on the coast
Lunch with Susie Essman
On this week’s Table for Two, the Curb Your Enthusiasm star talks about working with Larry David, concocting her character’s outrageous outfits, and what it’s like to live across from a comedy club
Death to the Pop Princess!
As Katy Perry’s latest single bombs, a new wave of Gen Z singers—from Chappell Roan to Charli XCX—is showing how to make music with brains as well as bounce
Good Material, Bad Girl
A much-troubled film about Madonna is finally in the works—but can it survive its subject’s notorious perfectionism and boorish manners?
Long Island Hopping
A road trip around the homes, archives, and collections of artists who found inspiration on Long Island, from Jackson Pollock to Judith Leiber
The Everyman Leading Man
Glen Powell can play heartthrob, goofball, or action hero—he’s the charming, jock antidote to Timothée Chalamet
A Jewel of the Avant-Garde
The Fondation Maeght, in Saint-Paul de Vence, France, celebrates its 60th anniversary with an expansion, an exhibition … and a party!
The Things We Carry with Us
On this week’s podcast, Harrison Vail reveals what your media-branded tote bag really says about you
The Other Royal Family
A new, unauthorized biography of the Beckhams mocks their gaucheness and condemns their collusion with the media—but it can’t deny their power
The Oracle of Silicon Valley
A posthumous essay collection makes clear that the French philosopher René Girard foresaw 21st-century culture—and tried to warn us
Let the Games Begin
A century ago, hundreds of American athletes descended upon Paris for the Summer Olympics. Booze, baguettes, brawls—and an epic Opening Ceremony—ensued
Murder, They Wrote
This month’s best mystery books, films, and podcasts
Editor’s Picks
This week, don’t miss a biography of Ayn Rand, a murder mystery set in the Deep South, and a collection of Ernest Hemingway’s letters
Christian Louboutin’s Guide to Paris
The fashion designer and creator of the red sole shares his favorite spots in his home city
