Readings

Such A Laugh As One Might Fancy Satan Uttered

Attending "lunatic balls"—public parties held at mental asylums—was once considered a kind of civic duty. What was learned?

Brutally Absurd

How life in communist Czechoslovakia resembles life, for some, in 21st-century America.

Diamonds in the Rough: A Central African Shell Game

The Central African Republic is an un-country—a violent playground for outsiders and locals alike to exploit and bamboozle each other. This is the first in a series of dispatches from the region.

The Bleak Depths of BoJack

Netflix hits a terrific new low with the surprisingly dark and deeply silly BoJack Horseman.

The Satanic Service of Fireflies

On the hungry, violent, sex-obsessed lives of Lucifer’s own agents of light.

Is It Weird That A Stranger Brings Me Lunches?

This week's installment of Unf*ck Yourself: dealing with change.

Why the Internet Needs Zelda Williams: An Open Letter

Cyberabusers—RIP trolls—have pushed Zelda Williams away from social media. But trolling highlights social problems that require a dialogue, and a terrain infested with such vitriol needs people like Zelda.

Hue and Sigh: The Drab Palettes of Modern Superhero Movies

And what Guardians of the Galaxy gets at least a little right.

Racism is Not a Stain on the Soul—It’s Something You Do

It matters not to the dead if the white cop who shot an unarmed black kid's fear and anger was inadvertent or premeditated.