Philosopher Lars Svendsen talks about how fashion--the search for the new, for the sake of novelty--was born during the early renaissance, with the rise of Modern individuality. He says fashion shapes not just the clothes we wear, but almost every part of our lives.
Alice Walker talks about some of the poems in her book “Absolute Trust in the Goodness of the Earth,” inspired by the events of September 11th.
Essayist Andre Aciman is fascinated by memory , though he says what we remember is rarely straightforward. He talks with Steve Paulson about memory and writing.
In his new book “Better Living Through Criticism,” A.O. Scott distills his decades-long career into a simple to read manifesto that not only explains the qualities of a good critic, but argues their fundamental importance to any culture.
Amanda Craig tells Anne Strainchamps that children’s literature has a strong sense of story and that’s why it appeals to adults.
What do dwarfs, the deaf, and people with autism or Down Syndrome have in common? According to writer Andrew Solomon, all families with such “exceptional” children face similar challenges. And for parents, there’s often a struggle to accept kids who are very different from themselves. In this UNCUT interview, Solomon talks about his acclaimed book “Far From the Tree.”
Annie Leonard tells Steve Paulson what happens to most of the plastic bottles consumers carefully washout and recycle.