Peter C. Baker
“Wrong Way” Takes the Shine Off the Self-Driving Car
Joanne McNeil’s novel suggests that much of what we think of as technological progress is a new way to obscure human labor.
When Emo Conquered the Mainstream
A new oral history of the musical genre follows the arc of an emo song—one that celebrates a maligned, angsty outsider triumphing over the haters and cool kids.
The Corrosive Appeal of Warhol’s Factory
In her novel “Nothing Special,” Nicole Flattery exhibits a keen eye for how often what looks like an escape hatch is another trap.
The Accidental Truthtellers of the Post-Privacy Era
In “Bottoms Up and the Devil Laughs,” Kerry Howley searches for hidden links among whistle-blowers, conspiracy theorists, targets of the surveillance state, and the rest of us.
A Children’s Classic with a Refreshing Lack of Lessons
“Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” refuses explicit conclusions. That’s the source of its appeal.
The Warm Glow of the Blog-Rock Era
The return of Voxtrot evokes a longing for the vanished musical ecosystem of blogs and MP3s.
There’s Nothing Decorous About Rob Delaney’s Grief
“A Heart That Works,” the comedian’s account of losing his son Henry to brain cancer, marries comic style with deadly seriousness.
What Do Our Strollers Say About Us?
A new work of memoiristic cultural criticism explores the author’s ambivalent relationship to the ubiquitous parenting tool.
How It Felt to Have My Novel Stolen
On the verge of selling my first book, I was scammed by a manuscript thief. My deepest insecurities about wanting to be a writer came rushing to the surface.
A Novel That Teaches Us How to Read One Another
Jessica Au’s “Cold Enough for Snow” challenges our assumptions about what it means to uncover our stories—and our selves.
The Talented Tweedy Family
Sixty-plus episodes in, an Instagram series featuring the Wilco singer Jeff Tweedy is my favorite cultural production of the pandemic, hands down.
Making a Supercut of the Sounds of Quarantine
Drew Daniel of the electronica duo Matmos called for submissions on Twitter. The result is an ominous fifteen-minute record of the moment.
A Candid Look at the Drivers of Los Angeles
Jonathan Castillo’s photographs show the contemporary car as a high-tech cocoon, designed to insulate its passengers from the world they are moving through, even as their presence radically reshapes it.
The Men Who Still Love “Fight Club”
David Fincher’s film, from 1999, has become a focal point for the exploration of postmodern masculinity, white-male resentment, and consumerism.
The Chicago Band Whitney and the Fear of Being “Too Indie”
The bandmates Julien Ehrlich and Max Kakacek discuss how to make music that transcends the Spotify playlists that dictate how people discover them.
“Wrong Way” Takes the Shine Off the Self-Driving Car
Joanne McNeil’s novel suggests that much of what we think of as technological progress is a new way to obscure human labor.
When Emo Conquered the Mainstream
A new oral history of the musical genre follows the arc of an emo song—one that celebrates a maligned, angsty outsider triumphing over the haters and cool kids.
The Corrosive Appeal of Warhol’s Factory
In her novel “Nothing Special,” Nicole Flattery exhibits a keen eye for how often what looks like an escape hatch is another trap.
The Accidental Truthtellers of the Post-Privacy Era
In “Bottoms Up and the Devil Laughs,” Kerry Howley searches for hidden links among whistle-blowers, conspiracy theorists, targets of the surveillance state, and the rest of us.
A Children’s Classic with a Refreshing Lack of Lessons
“Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” refuses explicit conclusions. That’s the source of its appeal.
The Warm Glow of the Blog-Rock Era
The return of Voxtrot evokes a longing for the vanished musical ecosystem of blogs and MP3s.
There’s Nothing Decorous About Rob Delaney’s Grief
“A Heart That Works,” the comedian’s account of losing his son Henry to brain cancer, marries comic style with deadly seriousness.
What Do Our Strollers Say About Us?
A new work of memoiristic cultural criticism explores the author’s ambivalent relationship to the ubiquitous parenting tool.
How It Felt to Have My Novel Stolen
On the verge of selling my first book, I was scammed by a manuscript thief. My deepest insecurities about wanting to be a writer came rushing to the surface.
A Novel That Teaches Us How to Read One Another
Jessica Au’s “Cold Enough for Snow” challenges our assumptions about what it means to uncover our stories—and our selves.
The Talented Tweedy Family
Sixty-plus episodes in, an Instagram series featuring the Wilco singer Jeff Tweedy is my favorite cultural production of the pandemic, hands down.
Making a Supercut of the Sounds of Quarantine
Drew Daniel of the electronica duo Matmos called for submissions on Twitter. The result is an ominous fifteen-minute record of the moment.
A Candid Look at the Drivers of Los Angeles
Jonathan Castillo’s photographs show the contemporary car as a high-tech cocoon, designed to insulate its passengers from the world they are moving through, even as their presence radically reshapes it.
The Men Who Still Love “Fight Club”
David Fincher’s film, from 1999, has become a focal point for the exploration of postmodern masculinity, white-male resentment, and consumerism.
The Chicago Band Whitney and the Fear of Being “Too Indie”
The bandmates Julien Ehrlich and Max Kakacek discuss how to make music that transcends the Spotify playlists that dictate how people discover them.