A Critic at Large The Empty Promise of Boris Johnson
The man expected to be Britain’s next Prime Minister makes people in power, including himself, appear ridiculous, but that doesn’t mean he’d dream of handing power to anybody else.
by Sam Knight
A Critic at Large The Contested Legacy of Atticus Finch
Harper Lee’s beloved father figure became a talking point during the Kavanaugh hearings and is now coming to Broadway. Is he still a hero?
by Casey Cep
A Critic at Large Is Education a Fundamental Right?
The history of an obscure Supreme Court ruling sheds light on the ongoing debate over schooling and immigration.
by Jill Lepore
A Critic At Large Keeping Cool
Jean-Pierre Melville’s films are illuminated by what he saw when France was ruled by oppression and ordinary people had to decide what, or whom, they would obey.
by Anthony Lane