Roger Kimball introduces the January issue

A new podcast from the Editor and Publisher of The New Criterion.

Fyodor Dostoevsky: philosopher of freedom

by Gary Saul Morson

On the political and moral lessons of Fyodor Dostoevsky.

Prize time in Paris

by James F. Penrose

On the many book prizes of Paris and their attendant traditions.

The Spartan way of war

by Victor Davis Hanson

A review of Sparta’s Second Attic War, by Paul A. Rahe.

Gallery chronicle

by James Panero

On “Sam Gilliam: Existed Existing” at Pace Gallery & other recent exhibitions in New York.

January 2021

Notes & Comments

The “Dr.” will see you now

On Joseph Epstein and the “big gun” of identity politics.

Features

Fyodor Dostoevsky: philosopher of freedom

by Gary Saul Morson

On the political and moral lessons of Fyodor Dostoevsky.

“Middlemarch” & the heart’s reasons

by Myron Magnet

On George Eliot’s masterwork and its enduring insights into the human heart.

Uneasy lies the head: Lee in Lexington

by Allen C. Guelzo

On Edward Valentine’s Robert E. Lee memorial at Washington & Lee University.

Fabulous Franklin

by John Steele Gordon

On the life and legacy of “the First American.”

Poems

Swan

by Bruce Bond

Letter from Paris

Drink a rum

by Anthony Daniels

On visits to the train stations and cemeteries of Paris.

Reflections

The ordinary ennobled

by Algis Valiunas

On Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship, by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

Reconsiderations

James Laver’s eighteenth-century air

by David Platzer

On the British author, curator & fashion historian.

Art

Jules Olitski in New York

by Karen Wilkin

On “The Fullness of Color: 1960s Painting” at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum & “Jules Olitski: Color to the Core” at Yares Art, New York.

Gallery chronicle

by James Panero

On “Sam Gilliam: Existed Existing” at Pace Gallery, New York, “Martin Puryear” at Matthew Marks Gallery, New York, “Jack Whitten: I Am the Object” at Hauser & Wirth, New York & “Rico Gatson: Ghosts” at Miles McEnery Gallery, New York.

Exhibition note

by Andrew L. Shea

On “Frank Auerbach: Selected Works, 1978–2016” at Luhring Augustine Chelsea, New York.

Music

On recordings

by Jay Nordlinger

On new recordings of Beethoven’s Violin Concerto, Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez, Alexander Kastalsky’s Requiem & Schubert’s String Quartet No. 14, as well as new albums from Hélène Grimaud & Diana Damrau.

The media

Truth or dare

by James Bowman

On the media’s quest for “truth” and “decency.”

Notebook

Prize time in Paris

by James F. Penrose

On the many book prizes of Paris and their attendant traditions.

Week in review

by Isaac Sligh

January 15, 2021

On Patricia Highsmith’s art, endangered Byzantine mosaics & New Year’s in Vienna.

Murder in the cathedral

by Stephen Schmalhofer

January 15, 2021

On the 850th anniversary of St. Thomas Becket’s martyrdom.

The Critic’s Notebook

by The Editors

January 11, 2021

On Roger Scruton, Albers and Morandi at David Zwirner, Olivier Messiaen & more from the world of culture.

Shifting sands

by Clayton Trutor

January 11, 2021

A review of A World Beneath the Sands: Adventurers and Archaeologists in the Golden Age of Egyptology, by Toby Wilkinson.

Week in review

by Isaac Sligh

January 08, 2021

On Beethoven, Schubert & the Alberses.

Visit the Blog

Subscribe to our
Critic's Notebook

A free weekly newsletter about arts & culture

Books

The Spartan way of war

on Sparta's Second Attic War by Paul A. Rahe

reviewed by Victor Davis Hanson

Steinbeck’s biology class

on Mad at the World by William Souder

reviewed by Kyle Smith

The playing fields of Eton

on This Sporting Life by Robert Colls

reviewed by Simon Heffer

Easy being green

on False Alarm by Bjorn Lomborg

reviewed by William Happer

The fogey king

on George III by Jeremy Black

reviewed by George William Rutler

Urban apes

on The Life and Death of Ancient Cities by Greg Woolf

reviewed by Paul Cartledge

He lived for uncertainties

on Haldane by John Campbell

reviewed by John P. Rossi

Bookstore

Roger Kimball introduces the January issue

Fyodor Dostoevsky: philosopher of freedom

by Gary Saul Morson

Prize time in Paris

by James F. Penrose

The Spartan way of war

by Victor Davis Hanson

Gallery chronicle

by James Panero

January 2021

Notes & Comments

The “Dr.” will see you now

Features

Fyodor Dostoevsky: philosopher of freedom

by Gary Saul Morson

“Middlemarch” & the heart’s reasons

by Myron Magnet

Uneasy lies the head: Lee in Lexington

by Allen C. Guelzo

Fabulous Franklin

by John Steele Gordon

Poems

Swan

by Bruce Bond

Letter from Paris

Drink a rum

by Anthony Daniels

Reflections

The ordinary ennobled

by Algis Valiunas

Reconsiderations

James Laver’s eighteenth-century air

by David Platzer

Art

Jules Olitski in New York

by Karen Wilkin

Gallery chronicle

by James Panero

Exhibition note

by Andrew L. Shea

Music

On recordings

by Jay Nordlinger

The media

Truth or dare

by James Bowman

Notebook

Prize time in Paris

by James F. Penrose

Week in review

by Isaac Sligh

January 15, 2021

Murder in the cathedral

by Stephen Schmalhofer

January 15, 2021

The Critic’s Notebook

by The Editors

January 11, 2021

Shifting sands

by Clayton Trutor

January 11, 2021

Week in review

by Isaac Sligh

January 08, 2021

Stay informed with our weekly email newsletter, “The Critic’s Notebook.”

Subscribe to our Critic's Notebook

A free weekly newsletter about arts & culture

Books

The Spartan way of war

reviewed by Victor Davis Hanson

Steinbeck’s biology class

reviewed by Kyle Smith

The playing fields of Eton

reviewed by Simon Heffer

Easy being green

reviewed by William Happer

The fogey king

reviewed by George William Rutler

Urban apes

reviewed by Paul Cartledge

Subscribe to our
Critic's Notebook

1
The hypocrisy of Noam Chomsky by Keith Windschuttle

2
Why I became a conservative by Roger Scruton

3
The perversions of M. Foucault by Roger Kimball

4
Upstairs, downstairs by David Gurevich

5
The Popes’ art, out on loan by Creighton Gilbert

6
Monet’s magpie in the snow by Jeffrey Meyers

7
Dante’s curse by Dan Hofstadter

8
The “Dr.” will see you now

9
Fyodor Dostoevsky: philosopher of freedom by Gary Saul Morson

10
“Middlemarch” & the heart’s reasons by Myron Magnet

1
The hypocrisy of Noam Chomsky by Keith Windschuttle

2
Why I became a conservative by Roger Scruton

3
Another side of Paradise by Anthony Daniels

4
The perversions of M. Foucault by Roger Kimball

5
The artful Dickens by Alexandra Mullen

6
The Vatican’s Latinist by John Byron Kuhner

7
The “Dr.” will see you now

8
Fyodor Dostoevsky: philosopher of freedom by Gary Saul Morson

9
“Middlemarch” & the heart’s reasons by Myron Magnet

10
Truth or dare by James Bowman

1
The hypocrisy of Noam Chomsky by Keith Windschuttle

2
Why I became a conservative by Roger Scruton

3
The perversions of M. Foucault by Roger Kimball

4
The culture of corona

5
The scab & the wound beneath by Victor Davis Hanson

6
George Will’s “conservatism” by James Piereson

7
Hypocrite hector by Anthony Daniels

8
Knights & their ladies fair by Bruce Bawer

9
Keywords: hoist, petard

10
Fyodor Dostoevsky: philosopher of freedom by Gary Saul Morson

1
The hypocrisy of Noam Chomsky by Keith Windschuttle

2
The perversions of M. Foucault by Roger Kimball

3
Decline & fall: classics edition

4
The greatest of all novels by Gary Saul Morson

5
“Massive retaliation”: the only answer

6
How the great truth dawned by Gary Saul Morson

7
Leninthink by Gary Saul Morson

8
1619 & all that

9
The scab & the wound beneath by Victor Davis Hanson

10
George Will’s “conservatism” by James Piereson