December 4, 2021 – Air Mail

Ab Fabulist

Bill Adair confronts Stephen Glass, the reporter whose lies nearly crushed the New Republic—and discovers a stunning new chapter that defies belief …

Blood Test

Rich Cohen analyzes accused fraudster Elizabeth Holmes’s dramatic testimony, and explains why she pulled such a risky move …

First in Line, Last in Tact?

From Windsor Castle, Stuart Heritage looks at a new book that reveals the royal “racist” whom Meghan and Harry would not name …

Words and Music

From London, Simon Callow recalls the creative support he received from Stephen Sondheim, and the letters they exchanged …

Peak Performance

Nathan King catches up with man of adventure and movie director Jimmy Chin, to discuss his new collection of photographs of a life lived on the edge …

Modern Masters

In the West End, Ralph Fiennes takes on T. S. Eliot’s wartime epic, Four Quartets, and John Lahr finds himself transfixed …

Daddy Issues

Flora Gill recounts how, as a 17-year-old, she took the Sex and the City tour with her father, A. A. Gill …

Issue No. 125

The View from Here Remembering Stephen Sondheim, through his generous correspondence

By Simon Callow

Read On

Loving Lies Stephen Glass, the most notorious fraud in journalism, decided he would live by one simple rule: Always tell the truth. Then he broke that rule

By Bill Adair

Portraits by Sharon Suh

Read On

Why Would Elizabeth Holmes Break Her Silence? In a bold move, the Theranos founder took the stand. Will she be able to talk her way out of a conviction?

By Rich Cohen

Read On

Leading with the Chin Free Solo’s Jimmy Chin discusses his latest film, his forthcoming book of photography, and why the Hamptons are the bane of his existence

By Nathan King

Read On

A Very AIR MAIL Holiday: Gifts for Her

When it comes to bestowing presents upon the women who make your world go round, let AIR SUPPLY lend you a helping hand with our carefully chosen assortment of meaningful gestures and indulgences alike, all of which are sure to send her heart soaring

Shop

Photo: Startracks/Shutterstock (Carey and Claus)

My Favorite Things Model, designer, and actress Liya Kebede—who founded her dreamy clothing line, Lemlem, in part to help preserve the art of traditional weaving in her native Ethiopia—shines a light on her shopping list

By Liya Kebede

Shop

Photo: courtesy of Liya Kebede (Kebede)

Crown of Thorns A new book reveals the identity of the royal whom Meghan and Harry called out in their Oprah interview. Hint: he’s next in line to the throne

By Stuart Heritage

Read On

“Oh criminy, now we have to make an effort.”

Sex on Wheels Ahead of the premiere of And Just Like That…, A. A. Gill’s daughter remembers the Sex and the City bus tour of New York she embarked on with her dad

By Flora Gill

Read On

And Five, Six, Seven, Eight! Lovers of Sondheim bolted to this gritty piano bar in Greenwich Village to grieve—and sing!

By Henry Alford

Read On

Shop The End of History From the outside, the End of History, a tiny West Village shop that sells vintage glassware and ceramics, looks like it couldn’t hold more than…

Wear Plain Goods One of our favorite shops in Connecticut has nailed the Fair Isle sweater—and just in time. Plain Goods, a destination in New Preston…

Walk Manolo Blahnik While there’s something charming about wandering around the house in slippers reminiscent of your grandfather’s, a more…

Watch How to with John Wilson New York City is a subject so relentlessly written about, photographed, and filmed…

Eat From Roy In 2006, chef Roy Shvartzapel undertook “the Mount Everest of the baking world”: panettone. He moved to Italy, even though he didn’t…

Follow @13sarahmurphy Rage against the daily diet of sleaze, rule bending, and the Brexit morass that is hobbling Boris Johnson’s government has produced…

Shop The End of History From the outside, the End of History, a tiny West Village shop that sells vintage glassware and ceramics, looks like it couldn’t hold more than…

Wear Plain Goods One of our favorite shops in Connecticut has nailed the Fair Isle sweater—and just in time. Plain Goods, a destination in New Preston…

Walk Manolo Blahnik While there’s something charming about wandering around the house in slippers reminiscent of your grandfather’s, a more…

Watch How to with John Wilson New York City is a subject so relentlessly written about, photographed, and filmed…

Eat From Roy In 2006, chef Roy Shvartzapel undertook “the Mount Everest of the baking world”: panettone. He moved to Italy, even though he didn’t…

Follow @13sarahmurphy Rage against the daily diet of sleaze, rule bending, and the Brexit morass that is hobbling Boris Johnson’s government has produced…

The Only Podcast You Need Tune out the world and tune in to Morning Meeting

Read On

Landing Gear An otherworldly speaker with style; a tracking device for the most forgetful and far-flung among us; Lego’s inspired retro-camper set; and more

By Jonathan Margolis

Read On

A Four de Force The sole performer onstage, actor and director Ralph Fiennes brings T. S. Eliot’s words to life and into the now

By John Lahr

Illustration by Paul Davis

Read On

Boris Johnson Falls for Peppa Pig And other strange news about these curious days …

By George Kalogerakis

Read On

“You know how it is. Now every time I get a little cough, I think it’s the black plague.”

The Full Jeff Dazzle He’s 69 and has two kids under the age of 7, but Jeff Goldblum is busier than ever, thanks to a new Disney+ show

By Kevin Maher

Read On

Virginie Efira The Belgian actress gives a rattling performance as a manipulative nun in Paul Verhoeven’s Benedetta

By Tobias Grey

Read On

Jumping Ship There’s no means of escape quite like spending the holiday season on a Viking river cruise …

By Dan Rubinstein

Read On

Peter Bogdanovich On

Accidental Gods: On Men Unwittingly Turned Divine

by Anna Della Subin

Read On

“Oh yeah? Well, I quit my job before it was cool.”

Nanny Diaries A new book tells the story of Vivian Maier, the 20th-century nanny who led a secret life as a street photographer

20

Playing with the Trio jazz group, San Francisco, 1955.

Salvador Dalí, New York, 1952: one of the first celebrity photographs taken by Maier.

Fun with Sinatra at the *Can-Can* premiere, Miami, 1960.

A processing note with Maier’s detailed instructions.

Self-portrait in dark and light, New York, 1954.

Boeing’s Double Game Why was a sole Boeing employee criminally charged in the 737 MAX debacle that cost 346 lives and at least $21 billion?

By Peter Robison

Read On

December 2021: Wall Street launches a careful scientific study of snowflakes.

Is Edited By

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John Lahr Jonathan Margolis Douglas McGrath
James Wolcott Linda Wells

Writers at Large

Lili Anolik Joseph Bullmore William D. Cohan Rich Cohen Stuart Heritage George Kalogerakis Sam Kashner Alexander Lobrano Alexandra Marshall

Contributing Artists

Monica Ahanonu Barry Blitt André Carrilho Paul Davis David Downton Andrea Ferolla Josh Gosfield Cathy Graham Duncan Hannah Eric Hanson Angelica Hicks Pip Johnson Hilary Knight Jenny Kroik Michael Lindsay-Hogg Ross MacDonald Joe McKendry James McMullan Donald Robertson Charles Dare Scheips Grant Shaffer Ed Sorel Ralph Steadman

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Financial & Business Operations

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Chief Strategy Adviser

Adam Mendelsohn

In Memoriam

Richard David Story (1952–2021)

The View from Here Remembering Stephen Sondheim, through his generous correspondence

Loving Lies Stephen Glass, the most notorious fraud in journalism, decided he would live by one simple rule: Always tell the truth. Then he broke that rule

Why Would Elizabeth Holmes Break Her Silence? In a bold move, the Theranos founder took the stand. Will she be able to talk her way out of a conviction?

Leading with the Chin Free Solo’s Jimmy Chin discusses his latest film, his forthcoming book of photography, and why the Hamptons are the bane of his existence

When it comes to bestowing presents upon the women who make your world go round, let AIR SUPPLY lend you a helping hand with our carefully chosen assortment of meaningful gestures and indulgences alike, all of which are sure to send her heart soaring

My Favorite Things Model, designer, and actress Liya Kebede—who founded her dreamy clothing line, Lemlem, in part to help preserve the art of traditional weaving in her native Ethiopia—shines a light on her shopping list

Perfect pajamas from AIR MAIL and our friends at Alex Mill

Crown of Thorns A new book reveals the identity of the royal whom Meghan and Harry called out in their Oprah interview. Hint: he’s next in line to the throne

Sex on Wheels Ahead of the premiere of And Just Like That…, A. A. Gill’s daughter remembers the Sex and the City bus tour of New York she embarked on with her dad

And Five, Six, Seven, Eight! Lovers of Sondheim bolted to this gritty piano bar in Greenwich Village to grieve—and sing!

Rome

Barcelona

Paris

New York

Online

The Only Podcast You Need Tune out the world and tune in to Morning Meeting

Landing Gear An otherworldly speaker with style; a tracking device for the most forgetful and far-flung among us; Lego’s inspired retro-camper set; and more

A Four de Force The sole performer onstage, actor and director Ralph Fiennes brings T. S. Eliot’s words to life and into the now

Boris Johnson Falls for Peppa Pig And other strange news about these curious days …

A searing satire of the Black experience in the largely white New York theater, Trouble in Mind sees the light 66 years after it was written

The Full Jeff Dazzle He’s 69 and has two kids under the age of 7, but Jeff Goldblum is busier than ever, thanks to a new Disney+ show

Virginie Efira The Belgian actress gives a rattling performance as a manipulative nun in Paul Verhoeven’s Benedetta

Jumping Ship There’s no means of escape quite like spending the holiday season on a Viking river cruise …

Nanny Diaries A new book tells the story of Vivian Maier, the 20th-century nanny who led a secret life as a street photographer

Boeing’s Double Game Why was a sole Boeing employee criminally charged in the 737 MAX debacle that cost 346 lives and at least $21 billion?

Music that forms a world apart from this mad one, from Koko Taylor, Janis Joplin, Rod Stewart, Doug Sahm, and more

Is Edited By

Deputy Editors

Design Director

Chief Technology Officer

Books Editor

Arts Intel Report Editor

Features Editor

Executive Editor

Photo Director

Associate Editors

Art Director

Columnists

Writers at Large

Contributing Artists

International Editor

London Editor

Communications Director

Social Media Editor

Cartoon Editor

Music Supervisor

Copy Editor

Research & Legal Editor

Photo Editor

Production Editor

Technology

Intern

Chief Operating Officer

Chief Marketing Officer

Brand Partnerships

Sales Director

European Sales Director

Integrated Marketing Producer

Account Manager

Integrated Marketing Manager

Financial & Business Operations

Chief Strategy Adviser

In Memoriam