Revisionist History
Malcom Gladwell’s Revisionist History podcast seeks to “go back and reinterpret something from the past: an event, a person, an idea.” This episode looks at why we horde things, with a focus on the art world.
The Messengers
A profile of a magazine and its charismatic editor embarked on “a mission of protecting India’s tradition of democracy and religious pluralism”.
The History of the “Riot” Report
A study of reports published by government commissions after periods of protest and struggles for justice, which have perversely “acted as alibis for inaction”.
The Cave Kingpin Buying Up America’s Underground
The story of an eccentric millionaire with a passion for caves that extends to purchasing and charting huge numbers of them, mainly in Minnesota. His methods have proven controversial.
The neoliberal era is ending. What comes next?
An opinion piece suggesting that the neoliberal approach to government’s time is coming to an end, and that “a space has opened up for a different, more realistic view of human nature: that humankind has evolved to cooperate.” The author recognises that what will fill that space is far from certain.
Christoph Niemann
Illustrator of numerous covers and stories for The New Yorker and other august publications, Cristoph Niemann’s inventive and playful style, often mixing illustration with real world objects and photography, is a delight.
Touching Minard
Charles Minard was a civil engineer by profession but also, in partial retirement, a celebrated information designer. He was born in France in 1781. This story examines the man and his fascinating diagrams, charts, and maps, including those of Napoleon in Russia, described in his obituary as evoking “bitter reflections on the cost to humanity of the madness of conquerors”.
There Are Many Man-Made Objects. The Rape Kit Is Not One of Them.
The story of Marty Goddard’s invention of the rape kit, work which was later incorrectly attributed to a police officer at his insistence. The piece examines the importance of the invention and the deeply troubled history of police and judicial responses to rape.
How Do We Change America?
A powerful essay that poses the question “How do we change America?”, looks to the past and finds a repetitive cycle of calls for reform much like those being put forward by many politicians now, followed by policy making and implementation failures. The author proposes that, in the end, “We cannot insist on “real change” in the United States by continuing to use the same methods, arguments, and failed political strategies that have brought us to this moment.”
City of Solitude
This story weaves together evocative testimony of life under and after lockdown from residents of Wuhan, the first epicenter of the covid-19 pandemic.