The Rise of CliffsNotes Cinema
Oversimplified literary remakes miss the point of the works they are adapting.
Culture
Why Justin Bieber Played YouTube Onstage for Thousands of People
The pop star transformed the normal act of browsing your laptop into something interesting—and unsettling.
The New Age of Performance Anxiety
With the rise of screen culture, all the world has stage fright.
Where Did ‘Let Them’ Come From?
Years before Mel Robbins published her best-selling self-help book, a struggling writer posted a poem with a similar message.
The Publishing Industry’s Most Swoon-Worthy Genre
Tight-knit but open-armed fans have made romance an especially hot commodity.
Taylor Swift’s Fairy Tale Is Over
The singer has everything she ever wanted—her new album suggests that it’s all sort of a drag.
There Is No Green Transition Without Consequences
A new book argues that simply replacing fossil-fuel extraction with critical-mineral mining is no way out of the climate crisis.
‘Warrior Culture’ Offers a Lot, but Not Everything
A growing appreciation for hand-to-hand combat has permeated nearly all levels of American life. What does that mean?
The One Big Change SNL Is Making
The show’s newest cast members reflect the influence of comedy’s current breeding ground: the internet.
Dear James: I’ve Lost My Writerly Fire
How do you keep it burning week after week?
The Hard-Won Lessons of Lilith Fair
A new documentary about the ’90s women’s music festival emphasizes how rare its collective ethos feels today.
It’s Not Just Netflix—It’s Your Entire Life
The streaming service is expanding beyond screens and into the real world. Will subscribers follow?
Syncretism
A poem
Diseducators
A short story