The Beginning of Everything
Polo, parties, and the American Dream … how my grandfather inspired Fitzgerald’s Gatsby
His Last Duchess
Samuel Ramey and Jessye Norman mesmerize in a 1989 Met performance of Bluebeard’s Castle
The Righteous Gemstones
A new exhibition in Los Angeles puts rare, precious stones on display, and explores the ways gemstones can help cure disease—and save the planet
Hitting the Ceiling
While Michelangelo’s St. Peter’s Basilica is remembered as a Renaissance masterpiece, the drama around the construction nearly stopped the project
Confessions of a Literalist
I don’t do simile. Metaphor is out of the question
Liar’s Poker, London–Style
How I went from the mean streets of East London to becoming the most profitable trader in the world
Sister Act
How the McLaughlin twins broke the glass ceiling of the male-dominated photography industry during the golden age of magazines
Playing God
On the eve of the Oscars, reiterations of Frankenstein are taking over Hollywood. Why now?
You’ll Never Power-Lunch in This Town Again
On this week’s podcast, Dana Brown discusses what has happened to this Manhattan ritual
From Hussar to Bazaar
An exhibition in Philadelphia honors the graphic designer Alexey Brodovitch, who went from serving in a Russian hussar regiment to being art director at Harper’s Bazaar, where he mentored photographers such as Irving Penn
Paapa Essiedu
The Ghanaian-British actor is bringing his role in the critically acclaimed revival of The Effect from London to New York City
(Mid-)20th-Century Women
Ruth Orkin’s postwar photographs, collected in a new book, offer a snapshot of the modern woman navigating life in the big city
His Name Is “Dr. Zee”
Mark Zuckerberg: from entitled nerd in flip-flops to … Bond villain?
Drumming Up Sympathy
A new biography of rock legend Jim Gordon reveals how the music scene ignored his mental health struggles, then abandoned him when he snapped
Talking to the Hand
Fifteen years after Jerusalem, Jez Butterworth’s new play is a rich and masterful portrait of a divided family of women
Election-Year Anxiety?
A veteran advice columnist fields questions—and comments—from a few concerned citizens
The Amazing Race
Bobi Wine’s journey from pop star to presidential candidate dominated headlines in Uganda. Now, thanks to an Oscar-nominated documentary, the conversation continues around the world
A Long Day’s Journey into Night
The Italian filmmaker behind Gomorrah and Pinocchio adapts immigrants’ real-life horror stories for the screen in his Oscar-nominated new film