Leos Carax’s movie is an idiosyncratic showcase for an unlikely, idiosyncratic star.

Nonfiction narratives that purport to explain life in Islam’s far-flung capitals paper over the brutal hand of U.S. foreign policy.

We ascribe too much meaning to the early years of the republic.

In over 150 hours of his podcast “Revolutions” and a new book, Duncan wrestles with centuries of upheaval.

How the cataclysms of the past loomed over Sebald’s life and haunted his fiction

After Trump’s election, Rorty’s prophecy of social collapse went viral. His final book is perhaps the clearest account of his political thinking.

A new book traces the language of brainwashing to a series of Cold War–era scares.

Beth Morgan’s “A Touch of Jen” is the latest work to reckon with a social media–fueled obsession.

We know why they were built and why they have to come down.

The greatest player ever, much like fans of the sport, was left with no good options.

A new book examines the tension between Elon Musk’s personality and the business of making cars. But what if there is none?

Spencer Ackerman’s new book argues that the forever wars created the conditions for Trump’s rise.

The economist Emily Oster’s “Expecting Better” made parenting less daunting. Her new book, “The Family Firm,” does the opposite.

How public interest groups inadvertently aided the right’s ascendency

Do we give the activist groups of the 1960s more credit than they deserve?

David Lowery’s movie, starring Dev Patel, cleverly unfolds the public consequences of private indiscretions.

None of the gymnast’s suddenly frothing critics actually care about gymnastics or the Olympics. They’re just outrage junkies desperate for a fix.

“Enemies of the State” and “United States v. Reality Winner” explore profound questions of secrecy, whistleblowing, and justice.

Populism is the villain of Jan-Werner Müller’s new book. But a revitalized democracy needs to engage the people.

Both coffee and opium come from plants. Why embrace one and not the other?