Books

Bookends

In Bookends, two of the Book Review's 15 columnists take on questions about the world of books.

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Should Critics Aim to Be Open-Minded or to Pass Judgment?
In Bookends, Thomas Mallon and Liesl Schillinger discuss what the best (and worst) criticism does.
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Is Free Speech an Absolute Right, or Does Context Matter?
The writers Adam Kirsch and Francine Prose discuss what free speech means in the context of Charlottesville and beyond.
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Do Grants, Professorships and Other Forms of Institutional Support Help Writers but Hurt Writing?
Siddhartha Deb and Benjamin Moser discuss the intersection of writing, academia and funding.
By Siddhartha Deb and Benjamin Moser
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What Distinguishes Cultural Exchange from Cultural Appropriation?
Rivka Galchen and Anna Holmes discuss the line between artistic license and cultural theft.
By Rivka Galchen and Anna Holmes
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What Book Would You Recommend for America’s Current Political Moment?
Francine Prose and Thomas Mallon suggest reading that suits the current moment and tells us what we can expect from it.
By Francine Prose and Thomas Mallon
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Which Force is More Harmful to the Arts: Elitism or Populism?
Adam Kirsch and Liesl Schillinger discuss the art yielded by populist and elite mind-sets.
By Adam Kirsch and Liesl Schillinger
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Which Canonical Work is Frequently and Frustratingly Misread?
Rivka Galchen and Benjamin Moser discuss which classic books are commonly misunderstood.
By Rivka Galchen and Benjamin Moser
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Which Dystopian Novel Got It Right: Orwell’s ‘1984’ or Huxley’s ‘Brave New World’?
Which dystopian novel got it right: Orwell’s ‘1984’ or Huxley’s ‘Brave New World’?
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Is It Possible for a Writer to Be Objective?
Pankaj Mishra and Leslie Jamison discuss whether writers can ever truly put aside their own prejudices and interpretations.
By Pankaj Mishra and Leslie Jamison
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What’s the Best Book, New or Old, You Read This Year?
All 16 Bookends columnists share their favorite reading experiences of 2016.

Should Critics Aim to Be Open-Minded or to Pass Judgment?

Is Free Speech an Absolute Right, or Does Context Matter?

Do Grants, Professorships and Other Forms of Institutional Support Help Writers but Hurt Writing?

What Distinguishes Cultural Exchange from Cultural Appropriation?

What Book Would You Recommend for America’s Current Political Moment?

Which Force is More Harmful to the Arts: Elitism or Populism?

Which Canonical Work is Frequently and Frustratingly Misread?

Which Dystopian Novel Got It Right: Orwell’s ‘1984’ or Huxley’s ‘Brave New World’?

Is It Possible for a Writer to Be Objective?

What’s the Best Book, New or Old, You Read This Year?