APRIL 11, 2016

JUNE 20, 2016

6 GOINGS ON ABOUT TOWN

6 GOINGS ON ABOUT TOWN
19 THE TALK OF THE TOWN
19 Steve Coll on Trump and foreign policy;
THE TALK OF THE TOWN
Stephen Unckles
the language on campaigns;
of the the great migration east;
“Schitt’s Creek”;
the Only Living Boy in New York; public
Harlem’s the
pooping; greatest
modernfencer; a playwright’
witch; catching ups with
retreat.
China
PROFILES
Blythe Roberson 25 SHOUTS & MURMURS
Calvin Tomkins 26 Play Your
Test It Again
Knowledge of Humor Writing
Ragnar Kjartansson and the art of repetition.
Nicole Silverberg 26 PERSONAL HISTORY
SHOUTS & MURMURS
Finding My Gallop
Calvin Trillin Fleeing,
32 The Hypothetically
journey from woman to horse
LETTER FROM EUROPE
Jordan Hall 36 ANNALS OF KNOTS
James Lasdun Alone inbythe
34 Knotty Alps
Nature
On thehike
A solo huntonfora great
a manmountain
obsessed trail.

Michael Yarsky 44 AMERICANAND

ONWARD CHRONICLES
UPWARD WITH THE ARTS
Gay Talese 40 Vowel of Silence
The Voyeur’s Motel
A choral
The composer
hotelier who hates
who spied on histhe human voice
guests.
Kady Ruth Ashcraft 50 A REPORTER AT LARGE
PORTFOLIO
Rachel Aviv 56 Part
The and
CostParcel
of Caring
A lookYork’
New intos the state ofdomestic
Filipina the USPSworkers.
Daniel Sargeant 56 FICTION
OUR LOCAL CORRESPONDENTS

Sarah Shun-lien Bynum 66 The

“TheHero Scourge
Burglar”
On the rise and fall of our masked men
THE CRITICS
FICTION
THE CURRENT CINEMA
Pat Landers 64 “Running Iron”
Anthony Lane 74 “Everybody Wants Some!!,” “Miles Ahead.”
THE CRITICS
BOOKS
BOOKS
77 Briefly Noted
James Folta 67 For the love of the bus
CharlesSchaper
Caroline McGrath 70 A founding
78 Briefly Notedmother of New York publishing.
A CRITIC AT LARGE
THE ART WORLD
KathleenAlex Ross
Jordan Why Mallarmé
7181 Zane Fergstein’s matters.
mommy issues
ON TELEVISION
THE CURRENT CINEMA
Emily Nussbaum
Michael Yarsky 86
73 “Outlander,”
“The “The Americans.”
Slow Drown”
POEMS
POEMS
MominaShea
Chris Michael Mela “How toSpace”
3136 “White Take Off a Sari”
Molly
TimBashaw
Platt 50 “Three
38 Poems
“Leaving by Tim Platt”
the Continent”
Michael J. Wolf 46 “What’s Inside of Me”
Michael J. Wolf 60 “Sex”
COVER
Tomer Hanuka “Take the L Train”
COVER
Branson Reese “Where Are Ü Now”

DRAWINGS Drew Dernavich, Emily Flake, Ken Krimstein, Matthew Diffee, Danny Shanahan, Jack Ziegler,
Bruce Eric DRAWINGS Charlie
Kaplan, Frank Hankin,
Cotham, Robert
Michael Leighton,
Crawford, TomJom Jorb, Shannon
Cheney, Michael Wheelie, JohnSparks,
Shaw, Rich Klossner,
Edward Steed,
Reid Faylor, Mark Vigeant (“Cartoon Caption Contest”)
Roz Chast, Edward Koren, Michael Maslin, J. C. Duffy, Liana Finck, Will McPhail, Jason Adam Katzenstein
ADS Jesse Benjamin (“Entourage”), Stephen Unckles (“Orsnow”, “Homeland: Dog Version”, “Uhrzeitime”, “Equestrin”),
SPOTS Rodger Stevens
Andrew Beck (“Einklock”), Taylor Moore (“Father Hats”, “Acela”, “Ballpark”), Kevin Bauer (“Jeff University”, “Loofah”,
“Seedless”, “MetroStar”), James Folta (“Moyamota MaxiVan”), Elizabeth Stamp (“The Pastures at Farmingdale”)
SPOTS Sasha Taran
 CONTRIBUTORS
ART
Matt Crowley (Movies Preview, p. 13) Jordan Hall (“Knotty by Nature,” p. 36) is Elizabeth Stamp (The Talk of the Town,
contributes to The Onion, Gaybut (“The Voyeur’s
contributes
Talese Motel,” p.
a filmmaker in 40)
New Orleans,
Rachel Aviv (“The Cost
currently p. of
20) was recently
Caring,” p. 56) named to Vice’s list
is the author of thirteen books, among won the 2016 Scripps
nothing to society. He lives in LA. Sorry. producing a documentary on the first of “30 People We’ve Never Heard Of.” Howard Award
Twitter: @matthewpcrowley them “The Bridge: The Building
African of therodeo
American for clown.
“Your Help!
Son Is Deceased,” her story
Verrazano-Narrows Bridge” and “Frank on police shootings, which Kady Ruthappeared in
Ashcraft (Portfolio, p. 50)
Sinatra Has a Cold,” which includes the magazine last year.
Michael Yarsky (Above and Beyond, p. Michael J. Wolf (Threatre Preview, p. 7, teaches a poetics of Ayahuasca class at
15, “Vowel of Silence,” photographs
p. 44, “Keepingbythethe late “What’ Phil Stern.
s Inside of Me,” p. 46, “Sex,” p. 60) is Bennington College. She also writes for
Faith,” p. 73) will publish his first seven- a writer, and received the 2015Lasdun
James (“AloneFunny
“Quietest in the or Die.p. 34)
Alps,”
Steve Coll (Comment, p. 19), a staff
part autobiographical novel, No No No, Audience Member” Award from the NY writer, is the author of “Bluestone: New and
is the
It’s Myyyy Struggle, in December. dean of the Graduate School of Selected
Theater Foundation and prefers movies. Poems,” which was published
Andrew Lipstein (The Financial Page, p.
Journalism at Columbia. last year. His new novel, 23)“The
foundedFall0sGuy,”
& 1s Reads (0s-1s.com), a
comes out in October.
Kathleen Jordan (Goings on About Branson Reese (Cover) just illustrated digital bookstore/lit website, and works
Town, p. 6, “Nearing theCalvinAsymptote,”
Tomkins (“Play
p. 71) hisItfirst
Again,”
book,p.How 26) May We Hate You? at Meural, an art tech startup.
covers art
is a television writer and producer based and culture for The New Sarah Shun-lien Bynum (Fiction, p. 66)
in Los Angeles. She feels Yorker. “The Bride
so humbled to and Joshua Mikutis (Dancehas
the Bachelors” published
Preview, p. 10) two works Silverberg
is Nicole of fiction:(“Finding My Gallop,”
is
be the voice of a generation. one of his many in rabbinical school. He graduated from p. 26) is and
books. “Madeleine Is Sleeping” “Ms. and writer named
a comedian
Hempel Chronicles.”
Haverford College’s Without a (Noun) one of Brooklyn’s 50 Funniest People by
Matt Nelsen (Food & Charles Drink, p.Bethea
16) is the(TheSchool
Talk ofofthe BeepTown, Beep Boop Boop. Brooklyn Magazine. #DahFook?!?
p. 20)
food comedian for this magazine. is a freelance journalist based in Charles McGrath (Books, p. 78) is a
Atlanta and a regular Sam contributor
Weiner (The former
to Mail, p. 5)deputy editorBrittney
is a staff of The New Yorker (Copy Editor) is a
Soldano
newyorker.com.
Matt Barats (Night Life Preview, p. 9) is writer for Seriously.TV. and a former editor of the
copywriter, crossword
Times Book puzzle enthusiast,
a staff writer and editor at the magazine. Review. “John O’Hara: Stories,” which
and linguistic vigilante making the world
He commutes from Yonkers. Tomer Hanuka (Cover) Timwon Platt an(“Three
Inter-Poems he edited
by Timand for which
Platt,” heplace,
a better wroteone thefixed typo at a time.
national Manga Award for his graphic introduction,
p. 38) is a comedian, artist, and pup- will be published in
Edgar Degas created “Ballet Scene”“The
novel (ca. 1879) by applying
Divine,” a pastel to a monotype,September.
collaboration the one-off print mediumLangan
that’s the Kingsley
focus of a new
(Theshow at MOMA.
Talk of the Town,
Blythe Roberson (The Talk of the Town, peteer living in Brooklyn. Check out
with the artist Asaf Hanuka and the
p. 22, Shouts & Murmurs, p. 25) is a con- TimPlatt.squarespace.com to learn more. p. 21) is a human being who lives in
tributor to ClickHole, awriter
headline Boaz Lavie.
contrib- Alex Ross (A Critic atbeep Large,boop — the
off malfunction
p. 81), — Brooklyn,
In the Ink
utor to The Onion, and previous to being eighteen-
to spontaneous style,
Chris Michael Shea
starting in
magazine’s
(“White Space,”
the critic
music p.
towelling
New since
York. 1996,
She
), performing
is patting dogs
enjoys
in cafés,
in a
seventies. It underlines the and, of course, dancing. Almost none
blacklisted
Degas’s due
prints to center
take her stage. Mela (Poem,
participation
Momina in truth
31) 36) ismost
p. spent a Paki-of 1997working
on on a book entitled
meth. gentle, “Wagnerism:
human way and eating delicious
stani poet based that his geniusArt was in essentially of Music.”
them evince a sense of being ob-
Neu Jorker,
“Edgar was A
Degas: a contributor
Strange New to the Newin Lahore.
Beauty,”
the Shadow of
graphic, on a historical arc of linear dinners served by of the
hardartist.
drives Inwith her closest
seventeen sen-
Yorker dot com. Pat Landers (“Running Iron,” p. 64) is
is wonderful but oddly finicky, as the sorcery from Ingres to Picasso. You sational brothel scenes, most of thema human friends.
Museum of Modern Art’s first Degas sense writerhis anddelight,
editor who owesfield”
in “dark Sashamono-
Frere- from 1877-79, they stand, sit, or loll
Kevin Bauer (Classical Music Preview, p. Jones $5,000.
show, ever. It makes a big deal of an un- types, at the effects enabled by attack- Caroline Schaper naked
around availably (BrieflyandNoted
often p.
11) grew up in Sandusky, Ohio,
common printmaking medium: mono- ing spreadsgradu- 70) is a writer
of wet ink with incising frumpily at ease. One squats over a and comedian from
ated created
from The Ohio State NEWYORKER.COM p. the greatest cityidlyin the world: onePitts-
type, by working in inkUniversity,
on a hard tools, Jamesrags, Foltaand (“Round and(see
hismagazine,
hands Round,”
hismore.
fin- bidet. Another scratches of
then moved to Queens. Everything
67) is a in the
writer and a comedian.and Wish
surface and then pressing paper against gerprints). Shapes and atmospheres her buttocks. Their milieu may seem burgh, Pennsylvania. She wrote for
it. The one-off results are unusual, to say loom that in there
whites wasandmore
texturedto grays from Letterman,
the story. a far cry fromand has beenglamour
the candied featuredof
Stephen Unckles (The Talk of the Town, www.jamesfolta.com
the least—going against the common- Stygian blackness: sculpted light, with ballet, but the two settings share the on CNN, GQ, THR, and other letters.
p. 19) is
sense a writer
notion anda television
that print is an producer.
image a muscular feel. Those works, circa fact of women displaying themselves.
His first book, I Like Those Apples:
multiplied. This and the unfamiliarity On- 1876-85,
Daniel Sargeant
from Degas’s (“Themajor
Hero Scourge,”
foray into p. Matt
Degas’sStrickland
preoccupation (Art along
Preview, p.
this line
screen Lust in Hollywood’s Matt Damon 56) is about 5’10”, 175lbs. His Pulitzer-
of most of the works—some hundred the technique, are his purest monotypes, takes nothing away from the soaring 12) is a standup comedian, Tweets at
Decades
and twenty 1996-2016,
monotypes,remains unpub- and
from museums eligible
by far collection
the most“You Call That
exciting. a Ses- @strickbomb,
Elsewhere, quality of hisand works,is currently
but it helpshidingto
lished. tina?” is now available in pdf. under his desk.
RIGHT: COURTESY THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

and collections worldwide, augmented he tended to use the medium as a explain their intensity. Facing up to it,
with more conventional pictures—make ground for pictures completed in the show’s superb curator, Jodi Haupt-
the show special, in both the good and opaque0s-1s.com/neujorker
watercolors or pastels. Innova- man, includes in a wall text the forth-
the pejorative senses. Magnifying glasses Everything that’s inbut
tive, perhaps, the uninspiring
magazine, and arethat’s
mono-aboutright
it. opinion of the great decadent

The Neu Jorker

connoisseurs, bendingwasina tolabor of loveinfrom
delectate the people
subjects don’t you
much
ART
are provided to let us feel like hotshot types, in oil paints, of landscapes. Those writer J. K. Huysmans that Degas
seeengage
above Degas,
(as wellwho
as ourregarded
illustrators, and those
women withart“an
contributors
attentive
listed in the Table of Contents); not a single cent was spent or made on this project. We’ve done our share of research onrings
fair
WILLIAM I. KOCH COLLECTION

the nuances. The occasionCULTURALmight rankle

COMMENT wasn’t an outdoors kind of guy.
PHOTO BOOTH cruelty, a patient hatred.” That
use and parody law (a solid
without its payoff of a final Wikipedia
room of first- skim), and are
HeCleary, pretty
liked and sure
to watch we’re good, but
women.Schwartz we do
For a true. hope that the magazine-not-to-be-
named understands Sarah
that thisLarson on Beverly
is somewhere between satire, Alexandra
parody, and homage. writesCertainly,
about there’s scant desire.
rate paintings, pastels, and
Joshua drawings:
Rothman viewer, that characteristic—clawing at Degas gives little sign of wanting
DegasThanks again
hitting to cylinders.
on all all that have spent on men’s
their timemagazines
present-dayon this, a crime-photography
and for trusting us well
sensitivities—may
exhibit
for absolutely
women,
atconceivable
nobut the
only of reason.to subject
liking
and the history of manliness. Metropolitan Museum of Art.
On its own limited terms, the show interfere with aesthetic detachment, them to his very particular, somewhat
does yield useful insight into Degas’s as the show unfolds. There are Goofs
women and gaffes,
creepy gaze.
SUBSCRIBERS: Get access to our magazine app for tablets and smartphones at the
modernizing transitionApp from careful ironing, bathing Andrew
(lots of Lipstein
bathing; also & James Folta
Store, Amazon.com, or Google Play. (Access varies by location and device.) —Peter Schjeldahl
Editors-in-Chief
12
4
THE NEW YORKER, THE
APRIL 11,THE NEW YORKER, APRIL
NEU JORKER,
2016 11, 2016
JUNE 20, 2016
 THE MAIL
TOMB READER
HOW TO LEARN ria,
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edu- of knowledge
are fosteredsystems work—to
when children say noth-
engage in un-
become
helping ones, children
that can develop
pay for into dynamic
highly qual- Ication;
going
on look forward
a to
tablet, in Mead’stoarticle,
school.
and then reading
tracked onethis
and of fine
minutely Alt- ing
structured play. These activitiesthat
of the essential synergies link
and rela-
Iified
say, teachers,
“Huzzah!” to another andprofile • began
individuals, not isolating
provide them
emotional- mak-and publication
Charles
School’sMorris
analyzed—anchors teachers,for anotherchildren
who 1,000
to her
their years!
ma-
career linguistics
tionships are fundamental, and they lit-
to other disciplines such as ac-
ofmental-health
HOW
ing LangTO
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services, and connect stu- Prof.
Letters
working Elijah
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low-incomesent writer’s
says name,that tivate children’s imagination andacuriosity,
foreign
11th)!
Jessie toMr.
dentsElliot Lang, oradvancements
technological Chiang Chia- that world
come address, ofand
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people; that
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e-mailtheto language is exploration.
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Ikan, San
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toskills,
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Jordana Raiskin about getting to know
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people which
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not me as takes
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them philosophy
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that of a year of college. The reality is Correction:
rupt”
in students’claim
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but, with his
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NEW YORKER,JUNE
JORKER, APRIL 11, 2016
20, 2016 55
ingthatthem AltSchooldependent and toward
others parents
technology.
like it, whichwho Treasure
cal Sunrise” Island, Fla.
(April 4th) misstated the
lection and hyper-personalized learning puter-based translation technology will
 APRIL 6–
JUNE 15 12, 2016
– 21, 2016

GOINGS ON ABOUT TOWN

The New York art world has long awaited the moment when Gregory Harry and Ileana Garalnik of Murray Hill’s
vibrant underground clowning scene would realize the romantic potential of their on-stage chemistry in some intimate
and frenzied pantomime. They are known as the “Ross and Rachel of clowns” (perhaps in reference to NBC’s Friends, a
once popular sitcom), yet for ten years casting has kept them platonic—a child and her clumsy caretaker in “Babysitter
Blues,” a housewife
History and with
is replete her rabid dog in “NYU Performance,”
composer-pianists a lamp and her
and composer-violinists, buttoo-big lampshade inare
composer-harpists “Silly
rare.Lamp.”
One Well,
no longer must we wait. In a one-time performance entitled “Airbnb” this Friday at 233 Mott Street,
is Hannah Lash, a professor at Yale, whose music is featured in a concert at Miller Theatre on April 7. Apt. 3B at 11:30
am, Harry and Garalnik will shed their clothes and make love for (at most, one imagines) one
Lash’s best work employs a kind of strategic patience: a simultaneous embrace of Romantic yearning andhour. In the tradition of
clowning, the show will be wordless. Seating is first-come, first-served—$15 or best offer, seniors free.
postminimalist stasis that can yield unexpected pleasures. Lash, on harp, will be joined by the pianist Lisa
Moore, along with the gentlemen of the JACK Quartet and the voice-and-winds ensemble Loadbang.
IMAGE BY JUAN LEGUIZAMON
PHOTOGRAPH BY SAMANTHA CASOLARI
 odyne vocabulary (“optimization,”
“positive outcomes”), Loeb’s script

ART
THE THEATRE of comedy, thriller, and existential dr
spite antic performances from its cas
Josh Costello, the characters and c
1 remain purposefully vague, offerin
cal spring. The cast includes Carolee Carmello, stract thought experiment than a v
OPENINGS AND PREVIEWS Andrew Keenan-Bolger, and Terrence Mann. chiller. (59E59, at 59 E. 59th St. 21
(Broadhurst, 235 W. 44th St. 212-239-6200. In
American Psycho previews.) Stupid Fucking Bird
Benjamin Walker plays the murderous financier Faithful to the spirit, if not the lette
Patrick Bateman, in Duncan Sheik and Roberto Waitress material, Aaron Posner’s irreverent
Aguirre-Sacasa’s musical adaptation of the Bret Jessie Mueller stars in a new musical based on Chekhov’s “The Seagull” features m
Easton Ellis novel. Rupert Goold directs. (Schoen- the 2007 film, about a small-town waitress who much direct address, and—as you m
feld, 236 W. 45th St. 212-239-6200. In previews.) enters a baking contest, with music and lyrics by from its title—more cussing than us
Sara Bareilles. Diane Paulus directs. (Brooks At- half of Posner’s version, more over
Exit Strategy kinson, 256 W. 47th St. 877-250-2929. In previews.) answers Chekhov’s young playwrig
Primary Stages presents a play by Ike Holter, di- tin (here, Connie), in his call for
rected by Kip Fagan, set at a Chicago public school 1 with downtown tropes like dance se
in the days before it closes. (Cherry Lane, 38 Com- NOW PLAYING crophones, and backchat with the a
merce St. 866-811-4111. In previews. Opens April 12.) second half cleaves closer to kitchen
The Crucible interweaving emotive scenes with co
Fully Committed In his second Arthur Miller reinvention this sea- oquies. Throughout, Chekhov’s mou
Jesse Tyler Ferguson plays nearly forty characters son, the Flemish director Ivo van Hove (“A View arrive intact: unrequited love, the u
at a trendy New York restaurant, in this one-man from the Bridge”) strips the 1953 drama of its bon- ing that we’re spectators to our own
comedy by Becky Mode, directed by Jason Moore. nets and buckle shoes: the set, by Jan Versweyveld, discomfiting awareness that art wil
(Lyceum, 149 W. 45th St. 212-239-6200. In previews.) is a cavernous classroom, with a vast chalkboard on the shapely structure that ordinary l
which drawings of trees become animated. Here, that we yearn for. We’re reminded th
Long Day’s Journey Into Night the young women of Salem, dressed like Catho- life is the most artful fiction of the
Jessica Lange, Gabriel Byrne, John Gallagher, Jr., lic schoolgirls, cause havoc when they envelop the 555 W. 42nd St. 212-563-9261.)
and Michael Shannon play the dysfunctional Ty- town in accusations of witchcraft. (Music by Philip
rone family, in the Roundabout’s revival of the Eu- Glass sets the aguish mood.) Van Hove, immune Wolf in the River
gene O’Neill drama, directed by Jonathan Kent. to Miller’s moralizing, stages a slow-building hor- A grubby synthesis of “Little Red R
(American Airlines Theatre, 227 W. 42nd St. 212-719- ror story, as offhand infractions lead to seismic “Tobacco Road,” and exploitative r
1300. In previews.) cruelties. At the center of the strong ensemble sion, the playwright and director Ad
Edgar Degas created “Ballet Scene” (ca. 1879) by applying pastel to a monotype, the one-off print
cast—including medium
Saoirse Ronan,that’sTavi
the Gevinson,
focus of a newblelike
show atdrama
MOMA. centers on a teen-age
Nathan the Wise and Ciarán Hinds—are Ben Whishaw and Sophie escape the horrors of her home tow
In Gotthold Ephraim Lessing’s 1779 drama, Okonedo, giving powerful performances as John always enjoyed a wallow in the mu
adapted by Edward Kemp and directed by Brian and Elizabeth Proctor, decent folks who fall prey emotion and desire. This takes an
In the Ink Kulick, F. Murray Abrahamto spontaneous
plays a Jewish mer- style, startingtruth:
to a dangerous in the towelling
the prerequisite off ), performing
to injustice eral turn here. inPlayed
cafés, in the round
chant in Jerusalem in 1192. (Classiceighteen- seventies.isIt
Stage Company, underlines
fear. (Walter Kerr, 219theW. 48thand, St. of course, dancing.
212-239-6200.) largelyAlmost
staged onnone a pile of dirt. All
Degas’s prints take center stage.
136 E. 13th St. 866-811-4111. truth In previews.)
that his genius was essentially of them evince a sense of being
are covered in filth; ob-
a few are covered
Head of Passes Rapp is a gifted writer, and there’s
“Edgar Degas: A Strange New Beauty,” graphic, on a historical arc of linear served by the artist.dialogue,
In seventeen sen-the longer s
These
is dead disgusting
wonderful
Revolt.
but oddly
Lileana
whales
She Said.
finicky,
Blain-Cruz
areRevolt
as at The
the New Theater
Again.
directs asorcery from
play by Alice
forShelah
Ingres
Birch,
Aquatic
to She
house. Picasso. Arts,
(Phylicia
doesn’t You
Rockaway:
Rashad) tries to keep
sational
like profanity,
487-286-3923.
a godly
brothel
she doesn’t like scenes,
much of most
particularly
of them
the play—performed by th
Museum of Modern an Art’s first ofDegas
exploration sensetalk,
the way people his featuring
delight, indisorderliness—she
“dark field” mono- from 1877-79,
even disapproves of devilledtheydent stand,
actingsit,troupe,or the
lollBats, with mo
show, ever. It makes Daniel Abeles, Molly Bernard, Eboni Booth, and eggs. But, in Tarell Alvin McCraney’s play, in- precision—comes across as poverty
a big deal of (SoHo
an un- types,
WalkeratSt.the effects spired
enabled byBook
attack- around availably nakedporn, andandoften
Death of a Whalesman
common printmaking
Jennifer
3101.medium:
Ikeda.
In previews.)
Rep, 46
mono- ing spreads of wetand
212-352- After
by the
inkbreakfast
with another
incising
of Job and
on the Gulf Coast,
hour
frumpily I was
set in a former
Shelah will
bed
at have
ease.justOne
about
dation
panty squats
to over
leave
occasionally (con
sniffing, blow-up-dolla hump
Experimentation
type, underinthe
created by working inksea on a hard tools, rags, and his much until
hands a pack
(see
more tohis of with
fin-
contend condors
bidet. descended
Another
than unholy horsidly into
scratches
zling deficittheof onethe- of porn po
brassieres)
Romeo & Juliet d’oeuvres. In the Bible, Job’s children are killed, his St. 212-352-3101.)
surface and then pressing paperMobile
The Public’s againstUnitgerprints).
performs the Shapes ateratmospheres
and
trag- livelihood and began
destroyed, andgnawing
hisher
ownbuttocks. on the
body afflicted. Their whale
milieucarcasses.
may seem
it. The one-off resultsedy,areafter
unusual, toitsay loom in whites and textured grays fromparallels
a faryet crystruggles
from the to candied glamour of
I DON’T GET this ues and also
touring
I hate
through
it. After
community
pay- sculpted
ven-
Now THIS
Shelah suffers modern
got my attention, but as theALSO show
1
the least—going against thefivecommon-
in all boroughs. LearStygian
deBessonet blackness:
directs. hold fast tolight, withMcCraney’s
her faith. ballet, language—a
but the two settings share theNOTABLE
ing my $60 ticket,
sense notion that abegin(Public,
print I walked
425 Lafayetteinto
is 11.) the theater
St. 212-967-7555.
an image a muscular feel. Those Previews to waned
blend of the it
works, proved
poetic to be
and demotic—always
circadirectedfactbyofTina another
women capti- paper-thin deus
displaying themselves.
April vates, but this script, Landau, Antlia Pneumatica Peter Jay Sharp
see eightThis
multiplied. dead andwhales on stage. 1876-85,
the unfamiliarity At firstfrom I wasDegas’s exmajor
seems machina,
stuckforay
betweeninto just more
Degas’s
parable and play. flash
After athan
preoccupation substance.
along
Belasco. • Boythis line
Clurman. I Through A
of most of the works—some hundred appreciated theedgingrisks taken by ter!
theNederlander.
actors •and
The School for Scandal the technique, are hisleisurely purest monotypes,
and takes
mostly naturalistic nothing
opening scene,away fromCort. the soaring
Color Purple Jac
pretty intrigued, Redbut after an hourRichard and a half
Star • The
Bull Theatre stages Brinsley
and twenty monotypes, idan’sfrom museums andofby far theSher- the
most exciting.tone alters abruptly,
Elsewhere, qualitytoward
ofsymbol-
his works, but it helpsDry toPowder Pub
Iandwas very intrigued.
collections worldwide, Where
gossip-minded
augmented
1777, directed are they
comedy
by Marc Vietor going
manners
he tended with
from
to use midable
and featuring
the
the mediumutter
ism. Still, it’s
dedication
a tremendous role
actress who asrightly
a explain to their
for Rashad,
death,
a for-
theirwail.
relishes every
but
Golden.
intensity.
atre.Facing
the crit-
• The Effect Barrow
• Familiar upPlaywrights
to it, Horiz
this?more
with I mused, touching
conventional Ivey and my
Danapictures—make Markchin thoughtfully
ground
Linn-Baker. (Lucille
for Lor-
pictures ic completed
(Public,in425me yearned
Lafayette St. forshow’s
in 212-967-7555.)
the structure. Where
April 10. Jodi
superb curator, was
• The Haupt-theSamuel J. Fri
Father
tel, 121 Christopher St. 212-352-3101. Previews begin dler on the Roof Broadway Theatre
as flies
the show buzzed
special, ininboth
April and
8.)thearound
good andmyopaque eyes. watercolorsIdeation orconflict?
pastels. Innova-Why was man, there
includesno dialogue?
in a wall
Circletextin How did• Hamilton R
theSquare.
the forth-
the pejorative senses. Magnifying glasses tive, perhaps, but uninspiring are mono- right by opinion of the
gers.great
• Holddecadent
Perhapstoitletwas
are provided us I. Had
feel
Shuffle my years
like hotshot
Along of analyzing
types, in oil paints, ofcisco these
In Aaron Loeb’s
landscapes. massive
Playhouse, Those carcasses
drama, presented
J.get
San Fran-
writer consultants
three management here?Company.
K. Huysmans that
On to Me Darling Atla
• The Degas
Humans Helen H
IMAGE BY MICHAEL J. WOLF

and critiquing
connoisseurs, bending plays
Billy to left
inPorterdelectatemeinjaded
star in a musical
andmaking
Audra McDonald, Brian Stokes Mitchell, and and their
subjects
about the don’t
calcu-
much I
engage Degas,
of conference
left
crisplyafter
room for who hour
suited boss havesix,
regarded
a brainstorming
thoroughly
gathered
women
session.
in a bound bored
The with
Rattlestick.
“an attentive and • King and Co
speare’s Great Cycle of Kings BAM’s
WILLIAM I. KOCH COLLECTION

lated,
the unable
nuances. toa popular
The occasion discernmight beauty
rankle and
African-American wasn’t daring
an from
stage show outdoors in kind
the cravingof guy.
whiteboard, seafood.
the water bottles, Overall,
cruelty,
and theapads a passionate
patient
and hatred.”
atre. • Love’sbutRefrain
That con-
ringsLa Mama. T
without its payoff of nineteen-twenties.
a final room of first- Directed by He Georgeliked to watch
C. Wolfe pencilswomen. For a a humdrum
give the meeting true. Certainly, 10. • Pericles
air, until one there’s scant Polonsky
desire. Shakesp
an act of bold and
rate paintings, pastels,
defiance
choreographed against
andW.drawings:
form?
by Savion Glover.
viewer,
Or(Music
had man fusing theatrical
asks, “What are we going debut
to do withby allwriter Harmony
the Through April 10. •Ko-
The Robber Bride
Inthat characteristic—clawing at onlyDegasslightlygives littlePels.
sign of wanting
IDegas
simply walked into
Box, 239
hitting on all cylinders. the back entrance
45th St. 212-239-6200.
of
previews.)
an
present-day sensitivities—may rine, although
bodies?” In an assignment
able than their usualwell the part
women,
work, they’ve of Biff
less palat-
but been
seemingly was
only ofRock played with
• The Royale Mitzi E. Newhou
liking
Winter toGarden.
subject• Sense & Se
aquarium
On its ownmorgue?
limited
Tuckterms, Maybe the show
Everlasting the answer
interfere was
with a
aestheticverve
tasked and
detachment,
with stoppinggusto. them
the spread of ato his virus.
deadly
Casey Nicholaw directs a musical adaptation of Or perhaps assisting a genocide. Or maybe prov- Acorn. • The Way West Bank Str
very particular,
at Judson. somewhat
• She Loves Me Studio
does yield useful insight
Natalie into Degas’s as thenovel,
showabout unfolds. There are women gaze. A —Michael
creepyhigher-ups. Through AprilJ.10. Wolf
little bit of both.
modernizing transition
Babbitt’s 1975 children’s a ing their worth to some depraved • YOUARENOW
family from careful
that accesses eternalironing,
life frombathing
a magi- (lots satireofofbathing; also and its deceptively an- Art
corporate culture —Peter Schjeldahl
& Technology Center. Thro

12 THE NEW YORKER, APRIL 11, 2016 THE

THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20,NEW
2016YORKER, APRIL
7 11, 2016
 feld, 236 W. 45th St. 212-239-6200. In previews.) enters a baking contest, with music and lyrics by from its title—more cussing than usual. The first

Exit Strategy THE THEATRE Sara Bareilles. Diane Paulus directs. (Brooks At-
kinson, 256 W. THE 47th St.THEATRE 877-250-2929. In previews.)
odyne vocabulary
of comedy, thriller, and existential drama. But, de-
half
spite
“positive outcomes”),
answers
of comedy, thriller,

Josh Costello,Josh
of script
Loeb’s
Posner’s
(“optimization,”
antic
“liquidation,” version, more overtly inventive,
has performances
and existential Chekhov’s
Costello,
elements
drama. But, de-
from its cast, directed by
young playwright, Konstan-
and circumstances the characters and circumstances
spite antic performances from its cast, directed by
Primary Stages presents a play by Ike Holter, di- 1 cal spring. The cast includes Carolee Carmello, remain tin vague, (here,
the characters
purposefully Connie),
offering more an ab- in his call for “new forms”
stract thoughtremain
experiment than purposefully
a visceral moral vague, offering more an ab-
rected by Kip Fagan, set at a Chicago public school
1 1 OPENINGS AND PREVIEWS Andrew Keenan-Bolger, and Terrence Mann. chiller. (59E59, with at 59 E. downtown
59th St. 212-279-4200.) tropes like dance sequences, mi-
calAmerican
spring. The cast includes (Broadhurst, Carolee Carmello,
235 W. 44th St. 212-239-6200. In stract thought experiment than a visceral moral
OPENINGS
in the days AND(Cherry
before it closes. Lane, 38 Com-
PREVIEWS Psycho NOW PLAYING previews.) Stupid crophones, and backchat with the audience. The
Fucking Bird
Andrew
Patrick Bateman,Keenan-Bolger,
Benjamin Walker plays the murderous financier
and Terrence Mann. chiller. (59E59,
Faithful to the spirit, if not the letter, of its source
at 59 E. 59th St. 212-279-4200.)
merce St. 866-811-4111. In previews. Opens April 12.) in Duncan Sheik and Roberto Waitress
Aguirre-Sacasa’s musical adaptation of the Bret Jessie Mueller stars in a new musical based on Chekhov’s “The
material, Aaron
second half
Posner’s irreverent
Seagull” features cleaves
adaptation of
modern dress, closer to kitchen-sink realism,
(Broadhurst,
Easton Ellis novel. Rupert Goold 235 W.
directs. 44th
(Schoen- the 2007St. 212-239-6200.
film, about a small-town waitress who much In direct address, and—as you might surmise
The Crucible
feld, 236 W. 45th St. 212-239-6200. In previews.) enters a baking contest, with music and lyrics by from its title—more interweaving
cussing than usual. The emotivefirst scenes with confiding solil-
American Psycho previews.) Stupid Fucking Bird
DANCE ABOVE & BEYOND
Sara Bareilles. Diane Paulus directs. (Brooks At- half of Posner’s version, more overtly inventive,
Fully Committed In Exit
hisStrategysecond Arthur Miller reinvention this sea- oquies. Throughout, Chekhov’s mournful themes
kinson, 256 W. 47th St. 877-250-2929. In previews.) answers Chekhov’s young playwright, Konstan-
Benjamin Walker plays the murderous financier Primary Stages presents a play by Ike Holter, di-
Faithful to themi-spirit, if not the letter, of its source
tin (here, Connie), in his call for “new forms”

Jesse Tyler Ferguson plays nearly forty characters son, in thethe Flemish
it closes. (Cherrydirector Ivo van HovePLAYING (“A View
title
arrive promises.
intact: Chelsea
unrequited love, Handler
the uncanny makesfeel-
rected by Kip Fagan, set at a Chicago public school 1 with downtown tropes like dance sequences,
I’m
PatrickWeird Bateman, But Funny in Duncan Sheik and Roberto Uncle
Waitress Sam’s
days before
Lament
Lane, 38 Com-
merce St. 866-811-4111. In previews. Opens April 12.)
NOW crophones, and backchat with
material,
second half cleaves
the audience. The
closer to kitchen-sink Aaron realism, Posner’s irreverent adaptation of
at a trendy New York restaurant, in this one-man from the Bridge”) strips the 1953 drama of its bon- interweavinging emotivethat we’re spectators to our own lives, and the
Mike Birbiglia brings his latest ofwork to This reviewer hasn’t in aInseen the Flemishso directormany
Ivo van Hove (“Aflags View arrive intact:a bold love, the step
uncanny feel- out of her typical oeuvre
The Crucible scenes with confiding solil-
Aguirre-Sacasa’s musical adaptation the Bret Jessie
Fully Committed
Mueller stars new musical based on unrequited Chekhov’s
his second Arthur Miller reinvention this sea- oquies. Throughout, Chekhov’s mournful themes
“The Seagull” features modern dress,
comedy by Becky Mode, directed by Jason Moore. nets andNewbuckle
Jesse Tyler
shoes:
Ferguson plays nearly forty
thefrom
characters son,
set, by Jan strips theVersweyveld,
1953 drama of its bon- ing that we’rediscomfiting
spectators to our own lives, andawareness that art will always have
the
Easton stage Elliswith novel. stories
Rupertabout Goold gettingdirects. (Schoen-
diag- in
the one
2007
149 W. 45th place
film, about since a small-town streaking waitress drunk
by Jan Versweyveld,who
to much play ordinary lifethe
that direct
wailing
address, and—as mother lifeGwendo-
you might surmise
at a trendy York restaurant, in this one-man the Bridge”) the
Ballet
(Lyceum, Hispanico
149 W. 45th St. 212-239-6200. In previews.) is acomedy
(Lyceum,
by Becky Mode,
cavernous directed by Jason Moore.
classroom,
St. 212-239-6200. In previews.)
nets and buckle shoes: the set,
with a vast
is a cavernous classroom,chalkboard
with a vast chalkboard on on
discomfiting awareness
the
the shapely structure shapely
that
art will always have
structure
lacks—and that ordinary lacks—and
feld, 236 W. years, 45th St. 212-239-6200. In company
previews.) enters aJourney
baking contest, the with music and lyrics by from its title—more cussing than usual. The first
For forty-five
nosed with sleepthe New York-based
apnea, being in love and through the U.N.
Gallagher, Jr., A brave critique
when they envelop the of lyn, whose children are real thatsick with
which drawings of trees become animated. Here, that we yearn for. We’re reminded that a well-lived
whichLong drawings
Day’s Into Nightof trees become young women animated.
of Salem, dressed like Here,
Catho- life is the that
most artful we
fiction yearn for.
of them all. (Pearl, We’re reminded a well-lived
Sara Bareilles. Diane Paulus directs. of witchcraft.(Brooks
(Music by Philip At- half of Posner’s version, more overtly inventive,
Jessica Lange, Gabriel Byrne, John lic schoolgirls, cause havoc 555 W. 42nd St. 212-563-9261.)
has
Long offered
Day’s a window
Journeyinto Into theNight
increasingly varied theand young women revivalofof theSalem,
Eu- Glass setsdressedthe aguish mood.) like Van Hove,Catho-immune Wolf in the life River is the most artful fiction of them all. (Pearl,
modern war, byUncle Sam’s Lament boldly stage of “Little three asthma. She tries soup, she
Michael Shannon play the dysfunctional Ty- town in accusations

then
Exit
arena
Jessica making
Strategy
of Lange,
contemporary a
Gabrielmistake,
Latin-American food
Byrne, John Gallagher, he ate
and Spanish that
Jr.,
kinson,
gene O’Neill256
rone

lic (American
schoolgirls, drama, W.
family, in the Roundabout’s
directed47th
Airlines Theatre, 227cause
JonathanSt. 877-250-2929.
Kent.
havoc to Miller’s moralizing,
when they stagesIn previews.)
a slow-building
envelop hor- A grubby synthesis
lead to seismicthe
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Red Riding
42nd Hood,”
realitySt.
young
televi- 212-563-9261.)
playwright, Konstan-
asks the question, “Why
cast—including do we all kill tries Tylenol, she ineven tries yelling at
W. 42nd St. 212-719- ror story, as offhand infractions “Tobacco Road,” exploitative

was
Primary
dance.
and too
Of the
Michael hot,
Stages
three and
presents
Shannon workspretending
ina its
play
play
theJoyce
by toIke be
program,
dysfunctional dumb.
Holter, di-
the
Ty- town
1300. In previews.)
in accusations of
cruelties. At the center of the strong ensemble sion, the playwright
witchcraft. (Music
Saoirse Ronan, by
Tavi Philip
Gevinson, blelike drama
tin (here, director Adam Rapp’s
centers on a teen-age
Connie),fa-
girl trying to
his call for “new forms”
rected by Kip Fagan, set atthe
a Chicago public school In Gotthold Ephraim Lessing’s 1779 drama, Okonedo, giving powerful performances as John always enjoyedwith downtown tropes like dance sequences, mi-
each other?” and then follows that fall preyup
Nathan the Wise and Ciarán Hinds—are Ben Whishaw and Sophie escape the horrors of her home town. Rapp has

(Triple Crown Theater, 54 8th Ave., New emotion andthem intheto stop coughing….but none of
most
rone traditional,
family, though
in the Roundabout’s not oldest,
revivalis “Club
of the Ha-
Eu-
1
Glassadaptedsets the aguish mood.) Van Hove, immune Wolf a wallow in
the
muck of human
River
in thea days
vana,” feel-goodbefore it closes.
suite by Pedro (Cherry
Ruiz Lane,
set to 38 Com-
a med-
by Edward Kemp and
Kulick, F. Murray Abraham plays NOW a Jewish mer- PLA
directed by Brian
YING
and Elizabeth
to a dangerous
Proctor, decent folks who
truth: the prerequisite to injustice eral turn here.crophones,
desire. This takes an unusually
Played in the round, the action and lit-
is backchat with the audience. The
gene
leyYork.
merce
O’Neill
545-212-4135)
St.
drama,
866-811-4111.
of CubanAirlines musicTheatre,
directed
In
(congas,227 previews.
by
rumbas,
Jonathan
Opens
mambos)—a
Kent.
April 12.) with
to 136 E. 13ththe
Miller’s
chant in Jerusalem in
less
moralizing, boldstages
1192. (Classic Stage Company,
St. 866-811-4111. In previews.) question, a slow-building
is fear. (Walter
“Is it hor-
Kerr, 219 W. 48th St. 212-239-6200.)
forlargely it
staged
are covered in
Afilth;
second aworks.
on grubby
a pile of dirt. All synthesis
half
few are covered The
of the actors
cleaves
in little else. sparse
of “Littleset Reddesign
closer to kitchen-sink
Riding Hood,” (the
realism,
(American W. 42nd St. 212-719- rorRevolt.
story, as offhand infractions
Head of Passes lead to seismic “Tobacco Road,”
Rapp is a gifted writer, and there’s poetry to his
and exploitative reality televi-
throwback to the glitzy nineteen-fifties Havana club
1300. In previews.) money?
The Lileana Blain-Cruz Because
cruelties.
Crucible
She Said. Revolt Again.

an exploration of At the waythe center if disorderliness—she

featuring of
directs a play by Alice Birch,
people talk,
so,
house.
the I’m
She doesn’t
strong cool
like profanity,
even disapproves ensemble
she doesn’twithlike much of theplay
of devilled dent acting troupe,
interweaving
Shelah (Phylicia Rashad) tries to keep a godly dialogue, particularly the longer speeches. But
sion,
play—performed takes
the
the Bats,
by the Flea’splace
playwright
with more
emotive
resi-
spirit than
inside
and
scenes
director a box
with
Adam of Rapp’s
confidingtissues)solil-
fa-
Fully“Bury
scene.
Sugar Committed
RaysinMe Standing,”
in the by the Catalonia-born that,
InDaniel
hisAbeles, just
second lemme
Molly Bernard, Arthur
Eboni Booth, and
get
Miller some.”
eggs. But,reinvention
There
in Tarell Alvin McCraney’sthis
was
play, in-sea- oquies.
only
precision—comes Throughout,
highlighted
across as poverty porn, degra-
centersthe
Chekhov’s
on aintense
mournful
emotional themes
playsSun
cast—including
Jennifer Ikeda. (SoHo Rep, 46 Saoirse and
Walker St. 212-352- Ronan,
spired by the Book Tavi
of Job and Gevinson,
set in a former bed dation porn, blelike
and occasionally drama
(considering the teen-age girl trying to
Jesse Tyler
Ramón Oller, Ferguson
is more ambitious: nearly an forty characters
exploration of son, the Flemish directormuchIvo
3101. In previews.) breakfast van Hove (“A View arrive intact: unrequited love, the uncanny feel-
on the Gulf Coast, Shelah will have panty sniffing, blow-up-doll humping, and puz-

Mark
Nathan
at a trendy McGrath’s
the
New
Wise
York musical
restaurant, one-man
in this show
one-man never
and
fromRomeoCiarán
the aMobile
& Juliet dull
Hinds—are
Bridge”) moment
Unit performsstripsthe trag- the
Ben in
Whishaw this
Job’s childrenperfor-
andare killed,
Sophie scenery.
escape theMy
more to contend with than unholy hors zling deficit of brassieres) porn porn. (41 White
1953
d’oeuvres. In
drama
the Bible,
of afflicted.
itshisbon- ingwithout
St. 212-352-3101.)
that we’re
horrors onlyof
spectators critique
her homeistown.
ownthat
to our amphorae lives,I and
Rapp wish has
the
Gypsy
In Gotthold culture set to traditional
Ephraim Lessing’s folk songs
1779 from
drama, Antiquarian
The Public’s
Okonedo,
edy, after touringgiving
Bookpowerful Fair livelihood destroyed,
performances and his own body
as John andalways enjoyed arms), and Greek
a wallow in the muck of human deco-
traces
comedyhis momentous rise tobyfame byasBrian
the mance, from
it through community
the musical
ven- Shelah
number
suffers modern parallels yet struggles
language—a “I
to
the actors playing the children didn’t
1
southern by Becky
Spain andMode,Eastern directed
Europe. Jason
In Moore.
“Flabber- Thenetsues in and
Park buckle
Avenue
all five boroughs. shoes:
Armory
Lear deBessonet the
directs. holdset,
will fast to by
blend ofhouse
Jan
her faith.
more Versweyveld,
McCraney’s
than two rated discomfiting
ALSO NOTABLE
withand goddesses awareness that
and athletes. art will always
(20 Rockefel- have
adapted by Edward Kemp and directed and(Public,
Elizabeth
425 Lafayette Proctor,
St. 212-967-7555. Previewsdecent thefolks
poetic and who
demotic—always fall prey
capti- emotion desire. This takes an unusually lit-
(Lyceum,
voice ofF.every 149 W. 45th St.
generation 212-239-6200.
ever.aMissed In previews.)
op- Can’t
is begin
a cavernous Afgani-stand classroom, It,”
with stuckto
abetween
vast the parable 45-min-
chalkboard on also the have
shapely toPlayed
structure die.212-636-2000.)
inGreat
that ordinary commitment
life lacks—and
April 11.) vates, but this script, directed by Tina Landau, Antlia Pneumatica Peter Jay Sharp. •
Blackbird
gast,” Gustavo Ramírez Sansano evokes the desta- hundred American and international dealers for a Belasco. • ler
After the Plaza, at9.••49th St.
Kulick, Murray Abraham plays Jewish mer- to aThedangerous
School for Scandal truth: the leisurely prerequisite
seems
to injustice
and play. Boy
Cort. •eral turnJacobs.
Clurman.BrightThrough
here.
April
the round, the action ais
• Swann,
which drawings stages Richard of treesSher- become
and mostly naturalistic
animated. opening
Star scene,
Here,Nederlander.
The Color Purple
that Disas-
we yearn for.ofWe’re reminded that art, a well-lived
bilizing
portunity inexperiencein19thnotof arriving
inhaving ainflying
a new
Stageland.
number, (175 ute idan’s sex
fifty-sixth scene
annual New between York Still, it’stwo
Antiquarian drones,
role for Rashad, a for- to
Book Fair, Golden. • but
leader soinstaged
the sad.
Streetarea (Beth Israel
African-American Center foroffers
the
Red Bull Theatre Brinsley the tone alters abruptly, edging toward symbol- Public.
chant Jerusalem 1192. (Classic Company, is fear. (Walter
gossip-minded comedyKerr,
of manners 219 fromW. ism.48th a St. 212-239-6200.)
tremendous
ter! Dry Powder
The Effect largely•Eclipsed
Barrow
•
The-on a pile of dirt. All
Through artful fiction of them all. (Pearl,
of the actors
Long 13th
Eighth
136 E.Ave.,
Day’s atJourney
St. 866-811-4111.
Into In
St. 212-242-0800. Nightpreviews.) April 5-10.) a the 1777,young
four-day directed by Marc women
meet-up ofLor-
Vietor and featuring
for Salem,
lovers midable actress
(Public, of
dressed
rare books, likeeverymaps,
who rightly relishes Catho-
wail. atre. •
Familiar
April 10. • aare
life
Playwrights
wide-ranging is the
covered
Horizons. most
in sale (April
• filth; a few 7) led
are by a monumental
covered in little else.
but smart choice to avoid
Byrne, using any Sugar the tel, 121playbills which were the printouts Arts, 10 Nathan D Perlman Pl. 212-
Dana Ivey and Mark Linn-Baker. (Lucille 425 Lafayette St. 212-967-7555.) The Father Samuel J. Friedman.
Fid-
Jessica Lange, Gabriel John Gallagher, Jr., lic schoolgirls,
manuscripts, cause
Christopher St. 212-352-3101.
and ephemera. havoc
Previews begin
when they envelop
The various exhibi-Circle in thequilt
dler on the Roof
the 555 W. 42nd
Broadway Theatre. •
Fun Home
Square. •by the St.
Harlem-born 212-563-9261.) artist Faith Ringgold,
Head April 8.)
of Passes Ideation Hamilton
Rapp is Atlantic
aRichard
giftedTheatre writer, and there’s poetry to his
Rod-

Ray songs. (Amoeba play Records, Newport of the Wikipedia page for Benghazi 440-8650)
In Aaron Loeb’s drama, presented by San Fran- gers. • Hold On to Me Darling
and Michael
Dance Theatre Shannon
of Harlem the dysfunctional Ty- town
tors Shufflein
feature Along accusations
aBrianvast
Stokes collection
ofandwitchcraft. of notable
cisco Playhouse, three (Music titles, by Philip
management consultants
cov- Company. •
The Humans
part • of her “Woman
Iron- Helen Hayes. •
on athe Bridge” series, from the
Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again. Shelah
Audra (Phylicia
McDonald, Rashad)
Mitchell, tries
and their crisply toa brainstorming
suited keep
boss have a godly
gathered
bound in a dialogue,
Rattlestick.
King and Country: Shake- particularly longer speeches. But
roneits family, in the Roundabout’s thisrevival of the Eu- Glass sets the aguish mood.) Van literature,Hove, immune Wolf in the River
Beach. 374-734-5323) (which
nineteen-twenties. I skimmed). Personally, I’ve
Billy Porter star in a musical about the making of conference room for session. The
speare’s Great Cycle of Kings BAM’s Harvey The-
Since
Lileana resurrection,
Blain-Cruz in 2012,
directs a play beloved
by Alice ballet
Birch, ering
house. subjects
a popular SheDirected such
doesn’t
African-American aslike
stage show art,
from medicine,
theprofanity,
whiteboard, the water she doesn’t
bottles, and the pads and and
like atre. •
Love’s Refrain nineteen-eighties.
much of the
La Mama. One of these by
Through play—performed
April pieces—grand
the Flea’s resi- in
gene O’Neill
troupe has beendrama, in directed by Jonathan Kent. to Miller’s moralizing, stages
by George C. Wolfe pencils give
a slow-building
the meeting a humdrum air, until one Pericles
hor-10. •
A grubby
Polonsky Shakespeare Center.
synthesis of “Little Red Riding Hood,”
of wobbly
the wayshape, both technically photography,
never been
spread across
toVeteran war,infractions
the
and
fifty-five-thousand- scale, narrative in scope—is in the collection of
able than theirnow I no lon-
an exploration people talk, featuring disorderliness—she
and choreographed by Savion Glover.
even
(Music
disapproves
man
In an assignment only of
asks, “What are we going to do
devilled
with all the Through April
dent
10.
The Robber Bridegroom•
acting
Newhouse. • troupe, the Bats, with more spirit than
Laura

WinterEviction
Box, 239 W. 45th St. 212-239-6200. In previews.) bodies?” slightly less palat- Pels. •
The Royale Mitzi E.
School of
and (American
aesthetically, Airlines Theatre,
but itsBernard, 227
spirit always W. 42nd St. 212-719- rorTuckstory, as offhand lead to seismic “Tobacco Road,” and exploitative reality televi-
Eboniearns an en- square-foot But, hall. collectors await
spread of a this fair at Judson. the Guggenheim; another,
across as from the collection
usual work, they’ve seemingly
Rock been Garden.
Sense & Sensibility • Gym
Daniel Abeles, Molly Booth, and eggs. ina Tarell Alvin taskedMcCraney’s play, in- • precision—comes poverty porn, degra-
ger want to. theWritten theirand directed
by the Book of Job and set in a former bed dation porn, and occasionally (consideringbut A by Performance 3LD art is not for everyone
Everlasting with stopping the deadly virus.She Loves Me Straight Studio 54. •
1300. InCube
Rubix
thusiastic previews.)
response. Reloaded
This season, the company is cruelties.
Casey Nicholaw directs
asspired
one of the Atcity’s musical center
adaptation
best—it of Or of
attracts the
perhaps assistingstrong
thea genocide. Orensemble
most maybe prov- Acorn. •
prized The Way West
of sion,
Maya theAngelou,
Bank playwright
Street Theatre.
soldand at director
the house Adam for Rapp’s
a record fa-
Jennifer Ikeda. (SoHo Rep, 46 Walker St. 212-352- Natalie Babbitt’s 1975 children’s novel, about a ing worth to some depraved higher-ups. Through April
YOUARENOWHERE 10. •
the
Oliver
cast—including Stone with
Saoirse
Gulfgreat
Ronan, performances
Tavithe Gevinson, blelike drama centers on a teen-age girl“Double
trying to
family that accesses eternal life from a magi- satire of corporate culture and its deceptively an- Art & Technology Center. Through April 10.

Michael
doubling
3101. downBay’s
In previews.) ontheatrical
prima-faciedebut causesstuns for admi- and hardcovers
and breakfast
and Ciarán
of many on the
Hinds—are
European Coast,
Ben Whishaw
dealers, Shelah former
will
and Sophie
have price when
pantylast
escapeonthe
executed
year. In
sniffing, correctly,
this colorful
blow-up-doll it can
tapestry,
humping, beandformpuz-
Nathan the Wise thehorrors ofGate
her home town. Rapp of has
THE NEW YORKER, APRIL 11, 2016 7

ration by commissioning female choreographers. Grolier

by Sam Club president
Waterston Eugene
aswith Uncle Flamm
than Sam, hints, “be-
John hors Dutch Golden Bridge,” a group
Thesizzles
In choices
Gotthold as this
aren’t mind-boggling
Ephraim
obviousLessing’sones. Elena toy1779 becomes
drama,
Kunikova
much
Okonedo,
cause
more
it’s twice
to contend
giving as far powerful
for Job’s themchildren performances
to go outare
unholy
tokilled, as
Califor- John young breaking
zling deficit
always girls enjoyed andof
jump arope
breathtaking.
brassieres)
wallowhighinabove
porn
the muck Eviction
porn.
the San
(41 White
of Fran-
human is
Romeo & Juliet d’oeuvres. In the Bible, his St. 212-352-3101.)
aadapted
isThe killing
Russian- bymachine
Edward
trained and with
Kemp
well
Public’s Mobile Unit performs the trag- asand many
respected,directed twists
but by
not and
Brian
for Krasinski
and(Park
nia.” Elizabeth Ave. as at Bill
Proctor,
66th
livelihood destroyed, and his own body afflicted. Clinton,
St. decent
212-616-3930. folks Oliver who
April Platt
fall
7-10.) prey cisco a relentless
emotion skyline, andasdesire. tour
if freed de
This force
from takes
all by
an newcomer
unusually
constraints. (104 lit-
Kulick, F. Murray
turns
choreography:
edy, afteras you’ d
she’s
touring
Abraham
expect
aitteacher
throughfrom
and plays
a a Jewish
cube.
stager
community (oftenManymer-
for
ven- as
to aMean
Shelah
dangerous
suffers Terrorist, modern and
truth: the prerequisite
parallels Benedict yet struggles Cum-
to injustice 1 to E. writer/performer
eral25thturn here. PlayedJulia
St. 212-254-4710.) in the Lapinsky,
round, the action whois
chant in Jerusalem in 1192. (Classic Stage Company, is fear. (Walter Kerr, 219 W. 48th St. 212-239-6200.) largely staged on a pile of dirt. All of the actors
the
ues all-
members
in male
all
136 E. 13th St.
fiveBallets
the
boroughs.Trockadero
of 866-811-4111.audience
Lear de Monte
were
deBessonet
In previews.)
Carlo).
severely
directs. berbatch
Brooklyn
hold fast Folk to as Barack
herFestival
faith. McCraney’s Obama. language—a Huh, just never are covered oncein filth; breaks
ALSO
a fewasarecharacter
NOTABLE
covered in little as she else.
Dianne
(Public,McIntyre425 Lafayette is a veteran jazz
St. 212-967-7555. choreographer;
Previews Held
blendinofthe theborough poetic and for demotic—always
seven years, this festi- capti-
realized they’re all white. Very cool.
1 plays
Rapp is“Obtuse Landlord.” The perfor-
burned
this will be
begin April 11.) and/or
her first maimed
piece using but
pointe still
work. hadThea valHeadhonors of Passes
string-band music in a
vates, but this script, directed by Tina Landau, Antlia Pneumatica Peter Jay Sharp. • Blackbird celebration of a gifted writer,
READINGS ANDand there’s
TALKS poetry to his
great
Revolt.
evening time.
She Said.
program (Grauman’
on April Revolt sAgain.
9 includes Chinesea timelyTheatre,
tribute (Shelah
Jiffy
folk,
seems blues, Lube
stuck
(Phylicia
bluegrass, Amphitheatre,
between
Rashad)ska, andtries
parable Irish and 1600
to
play. Wash-
keep atradi-
musical After a mance
godly dialogue,began
Belasco. • Boy Clurman.
particularly as anthe inconspicuous
longer speeches.no-
Through April 9. • Bright
But
Lileana Blain-Cruz directs apioneering
play by Alice Birch, house. She doesn’t like profanity, shethree doesn’t like Brooklyn much of Historical the play—performed by the Flea’s resi-
6801
toTheblack Hollywood
ballerinas,
School
an exploration
for Scandal
of theBlvd.
with many
way 542-986-0045)
people talk,
women,
featuring
ington
tions.
leisurely Thirty
disorderliness—she
Ave.
andbands 442-609-6587)
mostly perform naturalistic
even
across opening
disapproves
its
of devilled
days;
scene, tice
Star taped
dent acting
Cort. • to The
troupe, my door,
Color
the
Society
Purple a
Bats, with flawless
Jacobs. •imita-
more spirit
Disas-
than
including
Red BullDebra Austin and LaurenBrinsley Anderson, in there will alters also be vocal and instrumental work- The ter!path toward social progress is Public.
mapped •byEclipsed
its de-
Daniel Abeles,
attendance.
Theatre
(City Center,
stages
Molly 131
Richard
Bernard,
W. 55thof Eboni
St.manners
212-581-1212.
Sher-
Booth, and
the tone
eggs.square
shops, But, indances
abruptly,
Tarelland Alvin
edging
swing McCraney’s
toward symbol-
jams, and play,
an in-in- tours: tion
precision—comes that blended
Nederlander.
younger
• Dry
generations inPowder
across with
as poverty
rebel the restaurant
against porn,
the degra-
activism
idan’s gossip-minded comedy from ism. Still, it’s a tremendous role for Rashad, a for- Golden. • The Effect Barrow Street The-
wail. offlyers. So much attention to(considering
detail that I
Jennifer andIkeda. (SoHo Rep, 46 Walker St. 212-352- spired by
Glengarry the Book of RossJobparticipants
and2:set in a former bed dation porn, and occasionally the
PeePaw
April
1777, 6 directed Eats
April byaMarc
8-9.) Pancake Vietor and featuring famous
midable actressGlen
contest inwho which rightly relishes every compete atre.past•eras, Familiar approaching old causes
Playwrights from
Horizons. newThrough
angles
3101. In previews.) and
seebreakfast on
tossthe Gulf Coast, Shelahinto will the have that panty sniffing, blow-up-doll humping, andide-puz-
This Ivey
Dana is just anda Mark
frickin’ guy named
Linn-Baker. PeePaw
(Lucille Lor- to(Public,
Glengarrier
much more
who 425can Lafayette
to Gloves
Glena banjo
contendand
Rosserthe farthest
St. 212-967-7555.)
with than
(or Mitch almost
April seem 10. to •mistook
Thereawaken Father itandfor
Samuel an
restructureJ.actual
Friedman. eviction
political
porn.the(41
• Fid-
White
FJK Dance Gowanus Canal. a rope areunholy provided, hors ologies zling deficit of brassieres)
dler onovernight. Having grown porn
up with • Funstories
his ofnotice. The performance continued for
tel, 121
eating Christopher
a frickin’ St. 212-352-3101.
blueberry Previews
pancake. begin
That’s and Murray’s Revenge) the Roof Broadway Theatre. Home
The Romeo
work & Juliet d’oeuvres. In the Bible, Job’s children
(St. Ann’s areChurch, killed,157 St. 212-352-3101.)
April 8.) of the Iraq-born choreographer Fadi J. tips on
Ideation shot-put form are not. suffrage movements
Circle in the Square. • Hamilton Richard Rod- and the myth of bra burning,
it.
The
Khoury (IHOP,Public’s SoHo.Mobile
is distinguished 845-709-3003)
Unit
by Middle performs Eastern thefolk-
trag- Much
livelihood
Montague like
St., tight
destroyed,
Brooklyn. sweaters,
and his own sequels
718-875-6960.
In Aaron Loeb’s drama, presented by San Fran- gers. • Hold On to Me Darling Atlantic Theatre
bodyApril afflicted.
8-10.) are the
digital nextnatives, four both months
men and in various
women, have forms:
recast
edy,influences
after touring it through community blendven- notoriously Playhouse,hard
Shelah suffers modern to
parallels pull yet off. struggles Davidto feminism emails, phone calls, even spontaneous
loric
Shuffle Along but also by an eclectic of cisco three management consultants
1 Company. as •a Theconstant Humans cause, mainly
Helen by exposing
Hayes. • Iron-
ues in alland fivejazz.
boroughs. Lear deBessonet directs. hold fast to her faith. Parade McCraney’s language—a sexism as a pervasive
in a monologues
ALSO NOTABLE
ballroom
Audra
Jewish
(Public,this
McDonald,
Town
425 Lafayette
The
8000
ballroom
Brian Stokes element
St. 212-967-7555.
Mitchell,is prom- and
Previews
Greek
Mamet
and
blend
their Independence (who
crisply
of the upon
suitedI
poetic andofdemotic—alwaysthought
boss have was
gathered dead) bound Rattlestick.
capti- journalism, and organizing. The discussion churns by Julia
social
• King performed
plight
andthrough
Country: at
their my
art,
Shake-
inent
Billyin Porterseason’s
star in apremières:
musical about a ballroom
the makingdrama,of You’ll
conference stumble room foraasea brainstorming blue-and-white session. flags,The speare’s Great Cycle of Kings BAM’s Harvey The-
aThe
“Takepopularriveting
beginTwo,”Apriland story of an entire
11.)“Reflections,”
African-American a contemporary
stage TOWN
show frombal-en-
the struggles
vates,
aswhiteboard,
well as buttime-honoredto
this
thefind
script,his
water bottles, footing
directed
costumes, by Tina
and the in
music, this Landau,
padsand in-
and online,
doorstep
Antlia Pneumatica
atre. •where Love’s
for
countless me Peter
Refraindifferent
alone.
La Mama.
This
Jayperspectives
Sharp. multi-
• Blackbird
Through collide
April
dulgent exercise. betweenThe playand consists play. After a tomedia approach to Through
theater will 9. •keep
air, untilen-
tirely populated byand Jewish people seems stuck parable Belasco. Clurman. April
C.set far
let with watery images mirrorings. (New York food, at give this celebration of Greek independence shape a new • Boy pluralist vision—a necessary Bright
plasticity
nineteen-twenties. Directed by George Wolfe pencils the meeting a humdrum one 10. • Pericles Polonsky Shakespeare Center.
The School for Scandal leisurely and mostly naturalistic opening scene, Star Cort. • The Color Purple Jacobs. • Disas-
Live
in
and Arts,
the 219 W. 19th St.
future.
choreographed Stand-outby212-924-0077.
Savion
Red Bull Theatre stages Richard Brinsley Sher- performances
Glover. April(Music
6-9.)
by tirely
and
man
the tone
culture.
asks, ofalters Stephen
“What Pre-parade are we
abruptly, and events
going
edging Daniel toinclude
do with
toward Baldwin aall flag-
symbol-
the that’s this
Through only
ter! Nederlander. playwright
broadened
April 10. • The
• Dryrelevant
theRobber
movement’s Bridegroom for
reach.many A. An-
Laura
Box, 239 W. 45th St. 212-239-6200. In previews.) raising ceremony at Bowling onlyGreen Park lessand a gélique Pels. • Roché moderates Powder
“Not YourPublic.
Mother’s • Eclipsed
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Barbra
idan’sMe” Streisand and
gossip-minded comedyAdrien Brody, two
of manners from
bodies?”
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ism. Still,dance
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for two wail. dedication that shines the 54. brightest.
big-time Yids. withhours, with a one-hour of a deadlyinter-
The 1777, directed
Hungarian by(Broadway
dancers Marc andVietor Theater,
and featuring
choreographers 1545
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through 79th actress
St. April who 10the rightly
at spread
1:45.) relishes every atre. • Familiar Playwrights Horizons. Through
Tuck Everlasting tasked stopping virus. humorously at Judson. •examine She the
Loves rise
Me of advocacy
Studio •for wom-
Straight
Dana Ivey and Mark Linn-Baker. (Lucille Lor- (Public, 425 Lafayette St. 212-967-7555.) April 10. among • The Father Samuel J. Friedman. • Fid-
Broadway.
tória
Casey Dányi,
tel, 121
Nicholaw 736-049-2677)
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Christopher
Molnár,
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adaptation
Previews
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begin
mission.
Or perhaps The assisting theater a genocide. did Or provide maybe prov- free en’s IAcorn. wasrights
dler on for
nearly
• The Way
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frightened
young West
Broadway
peopleBank by
across
Theatre.
Street her manic
the Theatre.
country.
• Fun Home
Vades last appeared in York in 2012, in “City,” Panelists discussion include the writers Mal-
Natalie Babbitt’s 1975 children’s novel, about a coffee,
ing their which worth tomade some depraved me chuckle higher-ups. until AI screaming Through Apriland 10. •vicious
YOUARENOWHERE threats before
3LD
April and 8.) amusing satire of conformity in which
1 Circle in the
afamily
light that accesses eternal life from a magi-
Ideation
satire AUCTIONS of corporate culture AND andANTIQUES its deceptively an- lory ArtOrtberg & Technology andSquare. HebenCenter. • Hamilton
Nigatu; the
Through
Richard
executive Rod-
direc-
April 10.
ThetheSleeping
even naked scenes Bag were Warscute. They return with realized
In Aaron Loeb’s it wasdrama, Nespresso presented (I only by San drink Fran- tor remembering
gers. • Hold On that
to
of partnerships at Feministing, Lori Adelman; Me it was
Darling all an
Atlantic act. The
Theatre
Shuffle
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ménage produced
à trois set toby 7th grader
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Caramoor Center Long
three for story
management
Music and short, consultants
the Arts, wait THE only
and Company. thedownside nerd-culturewas
NEW Rattlestick.
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YORKER, APRIL
The Humans
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Helen
11, 2016
lesser Polo.
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Audra McDonald, playedBrian StokeslooserMitchell, and and their crisply suitedsummer-music boss have gathered in
in a Pierrepont bound •718-222-4111.
King and Country: Shake-
tar and drums,
Lindsay
Billy Porter Hammil,
star in arapport
live. It’s
this
musicaland about
and wilder,
semi-autobio-
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the
for verdant this estate
play turned
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Brooklyn. two police officers.
April 5 atTheir 6:30.)
trading on appealing casual irony toof conference
Katonah, room for
is culling its acollection
brainstorming of antiques, session. cur- The speare’s Great Cycle of Kings BAM’s Harvey The-
aimgraphical
a popular play contains
at easy African-American
targets like male achauvinism.
wholeshow
stage lot(Abrons
of kids
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whiteboard,
rently displayed Theater,
theonwater the225 bottles,
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(New York.
pencils847-948-4244)
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on April the meeting 12; among a humdrum the offerings air, until are Ve- one The blown
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Polonsky
critic EuniceShakespeare and
LiptonI has never
Center.
ex-
and choreographed by Savion Glover. (Music man asks, rococo“What chairs,are we going to do tapestries, with all the humed Through April 10. • backstory
The Robber Bridegroom Laura
York
Box, 239 Theater W. 45th Workshop,
St./ American 79 E.Ballet
212-239-6200. 4th In St. 898-
previews.)
netian
bodies?”
sixteenth-century quite believed
her tangled them as they
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“Works & Process” Theatre and carpetsIngalore. an assignment (York Ave. only at 72nd slightly less palat- ical
St. 212-606- Pels. memoirs.• The Royale The latest,Mitzi E. “ANewhouse.
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highlights new and recent works. These This
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ILLUSTRATION BY PABLO AMARGO

CaseyaNicholaw fromdirects a musical

Gomes’sadaptationrecent opus,of Or perhaps assisting a genocide. 6Or maybe prov- who Acorn. fled •from nativeBank Street Theatre.
include
Sex: The duetPlay
Natalie Babbitt’s
Marcelo times
subjects inworth
treated hisintoChristie’s
life; first, Aprilwhen sale of Lancephoto- mental
Through April
andThe their
memorable
Way West
10.the
show.
Bronx in(3 the Russell
nine-
“AfterEffect,” danced1975 by Mistychildren’s
Copeland novel, andabout
Cory a ing their
graphs, which includes some depraved
an especially higher-ups.
large numberA teen-thirties to join • YOUARENOWHERE
Abraham Lincoln Brigade 3LD
Great
familyalong
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thatwithalways workspushes
accesses eternal
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from and this
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its deceptively
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St. Apt
the Spanish & Technology2L, Civil Brooklyn. War. Center. 413-626-0677)
Through Through
interviews April and 10.
inpiece
the corps definitely
who recentlydoes presented
that. Anan exploration
evening of Crow.ofSecond,
portrait Princess when Diana; Iinstubbed it, she turns myshyly toe research, without much help from relatives, from
herof own
the choreography
erotic and tantalizing, at Danspace mixed Project,with and realfrom
away frickin’ the photographer,bad last week peeringon from a under little THE whom
TheNEW she
Play heard
YORKER, They little ofPut
APRIL her11, uncle
On asInside
2016 a child, Lip- the7
Ethan Stiefel, the former A.B.T. star who has cre- her famous blond bangs, hands tucked demurely ton uncovered a seventy-five-year history to re-
thea grotesque
ated new piece forand A.B.T.’s nauseating.
Studio Company. So much It’s
nail poking up on my deck.
behind her back.) On April 12, the house turns construct his lost legacy. Tim Teeman, a senior ed-
And third, Movie ‘ Birdman ’
grunting.
also a great chance (Classic to seeStage some Company,
truly excellent 234danc-W. during
its attention every second of
to antiquities, mostly My from Sick south- Chil- itor Pretty at thegood! Daily (Red Beast,Box, joins 32nd her in St. and 4th
a discussion
ersRenigald
up close. St. 980-786-3400)
(Guggenheim Museum, Fifth Ave. at 89th dren.
ern Europe The and playthedelivers Mediterranean, everything including the sponsored Ave., New by York. the Abraham 234-975-2933) Lincoln Brigade Ar-
St. 212-423-3575. April 9-10.) Roman statues of Bacchus, marble Venuses (with chives. (828 Broadway. 212-473-1452. April 11 at 7.)

168 THENEW
THE NEU YORKER,
JORKER,APRIL
JUNE 11,20, 2016
2016
 NIGHT L
1 musc
George Coleman ROCK AND POP labor
The new album, “A Master Speaks,” proves years
The ATM Machines
NIGHT LIFE that
When
left in
Slow
to put
Musicians
there’s
their
Motion”
youinin
moreand
debut
complicated
this
than
octogenarian
was
advance
mind first
night-club
album
enoughproprietors
lives; it’s“Dreaming
to confirm
of the
tenor
reviewed
vim and lead
advisable to Fast
saxophonist
instylist
2004, who
engagements.
brawny
vigor
check in
the
sem
be ap
very
1 brought
driving lustre to sounds
pop-punk pivotal recordings
of The ATM by Miles
Ma- posit
musch, who plays on a handful of hypnotic col- Davis and Herbie
Michael HurleyHancock in the sixties. He’s tric g
ROCK AND POP laborative albums. The pair claim to have met ten chines
joined
Thiswereby described
seventy-four-year-old
the album’s as support
“suburbanfolkteam:Baltimore’s
musician
the pia- began cent
years ago on the street in New York, with van Wis- love letter
Mike to
nisthitchhiking Fall
LeDonne,to NewOutthe Boy.”
York fromThis
drummer his sentiment
home
George in Bucks
Cole- the p
Musicians and night-club proprietors lead sem offering Jarmusch a free CD. The story may rings
man, true
Jr., today
County, and theasveteran
Pennsylvania,they continue
bassist
in the early tosixties.
Bob crank
Cranshaw. out
Hurley son R
complicated lives; it’s advisable to check be apocryphal, but the collaboration has yielded top-notch
(Smoke, pop Broadway,
2751
unsuccessfully punk licksbetween
auditioned in the face
gigs of
for 105th atandan106th
iconicun-Vil-
in advance to confirm engagements. very real results. The albums are haunting juxta- Sts.lage
interested212-864-6662.
clubs like the April
mainstream Gaslight 8-10.)
audience.beforeDue recording to the“First 1
positions of forlorn lute and smeared, searing elec- Songs,” a strange and beautiful début album for the
Michael Hurley tric guitar. Van Wissem’s music for Jarmusch’s re- fleeting nature
Folkways
Camille of the pop-punk movement,
label, in 1964. Despite that achievement,
O’Sullivan it
This seventy-four-year-old folk musician began cent vampire film, “Only Lovers Left Alive,” won would
Pinning appear
Hurley this that
remained The
Irish-FrenchATM Machines
an outsider in the folkare,
performer scene;
down by his Bill C
hitchhiking to New York from his home in Bucks the prize at Cannes for best soundtrack. (Le Pois- proxy, representing
to closest
any oneconnection
confining a music
was to genre
musical another
genre whose
quirky sole
is a fool’s
eccen- It’s b
County, Pennsylvania, in the early sixties. Hurley son Rouge, 158 Bleecker St. 212-505-3474. April 11.) purposetric,is
game. Whatto serve
Peter Stampfel,
can be asconfirmed
the
of butt
the Holyof
is jokes
that
Modal inRounders,
she many
brings the b
unsuccessfully auditioned for gigs at iconic Vil- arresting
whom Hurley
reference-based theatricality
later collaborated
improv and sensuality
comedy withacross
sets to
on aanwidealbum
the lease
lage clubs like the Gaslight before recording “First swath
of irreverent
of song, Americana
touching on called
the work
“Haveof Moicy!”
GillianIt is mast
country. ( June 18, Park Slope Street(Irish
Fair,ArtsBrooklyn
1
Songs,” a strange and beautiful début album for the JAZZ AND STANDARDS Welch,
Hurley’sNick own Cave,eerie,andunaffected
others. delivery, Cen-
however, of st
Folkways label, in 1964. Despite that achievement, 2pm)
ter,that
553bestW. 51st
conveys St. 212-757-3318.
the humor andApril 6-9 and
existential lone- gues
Hurley remained an outsider in the folk scene; his Bill Charlap April 13-16.)
liness of his songs. He now lives in Oregon; this fare
closest connection was to another quirky eccen- It’s been far too long between recordings, but Meltytwo-night
Cheesestand is part of an increasingly rare East vant
tric, Peter Stampfel, of the Holy Modal Rounders, the blue-chip trio of the pianist Charlap has re- Coast foray.
Pharoah
Influenced Sanders (Unionby
exclusively Pool,
big484 Union
hair metalAve., and Brooklyn.
big ton P
whom Hurley later collaborated with on an album leased a new album, “Notes from New York,” a 718-609-0484.
Mainstream Aprilnever
he will 9-10.)be, but this pioneer- Jazz
of irreverent Americana called “Have Moicy!” It is masterly project replete with interpretations tobacco, this heavy-duty power
ing free-jazz saxophonist now regularly tempers group sports a 721-6
Hurley’s own eerie, unaffected delivery, however, of standards both familiar and offbeat. Special dedicated
hisIggy
robust fanbase
Pop effusions known as “cheese
with deeply soulful shreds.”
play-
that best conveys the humor and existential lone- guests for this celebration of Big Apple song Theingbandthatawas
After decadeinfamously
embraces of off-and-on cutrevivals
the tradition out without
ofofthe
Iggydocu-Pop’s
pan-first
liness of his songs. He now lives in Oregon; this fare include the vocalists Cécile McLorin Sal- mentaryband,‘The
dering to
theit. Decline
In fact,
Stooges, andofitsWestern
he’s initiated
later Civilization
a newIggy
permutation, tra-and
two-night stand is part of an increasingly rare East vant and Freddy Cole and the reed men Hous- Pt.dition;
II:theThe
Stooges,
potent
Metalthe traces
sixty-eight-year-old
Years,”of Sanders’s
for being ecstatic
tooMichigan vibena-
“melty”
Coast foray. (Union Pool, 484 Union Ave., Brooklyn. ton Person and Ken Peplowski. (Rose Theatre, cantive,
be who has outlived
detected all of his
in the music oforiginal
Kamasibandmates,
Wash-
718-609-0484. April 9-10.) Jazz at Lincoln Center, Broadway at 60th St. 212- forington.
the cameras.
recently (Birdland,
delivered The 315aband
W. 44th
compellinghasSt.relied on the
212-581-3080.
new album, “Post
721-6500. April 8-9.) same
April marketing
Pop 5-9.)
Depression.” ploy The in their
record, 30which
years Pop of tour-
has said
Iggy Pop ing, wherein
may be his theylast,advertise that the with
is a collaboration showthe will be
guitarist
After a decade of off-and-on revivals of Iggy Pop’s first their and
last “shirtless”
Queens ofperformance.
the Stone Age However,
front man, as ofJosh
band, the Stooges, and its later permutation, Iggy and Homme,
yet, nary a shirtandisittodébuted
be seenlast onweek
a Meltyas theCheese
No. 1 rock
Flannel and vinyl
the Stooges, the sixty-eight-year-old Michigan na-
tive, who has outlived all of his original bandmates, member
album on the Billboard charts. Many of the songs here
fuse ortheany of their
Stooges’ cheese
primal shredwith
approach fans.the ( June
weird-
18, Bowery Ballroom, 6Pop Delancy St. 8:30 pm) Bowie
The origin
recently behind
delivered the midwestern
a compelling new album,folk collective of “accidental musicians”
“Post groove songwriting pioneered with David
Pop Depression.” The record, which Pop has said on Pop’s 1977 album, “The Idiot.” What stands out
may be his last, is a collaboration with the guitarist White most,
Whale though, is the combination of Pop’s sinewy,
and
THEQueens of the Stone Age
NEW IOWA-BASED folkfront
collective Fort Blanket answers the question, “What
man, Josh Oftenoccasionally
confusedmenacing voice and
for a literary Homme’sWhite
homage, intricate,
would itand
Homme, sound like last
it débuted if an assortment
week as the No. 1of neglected forest animals came together and
rock
Whale
hyper-precise riffs, which creates a new sound that’s
is just a fat pale dork named Carl Nel-Pal-
album on the Billboard charts. Many of the songs here distinct from Pop’s seventies glory days. (United
attempted to harmonize?” The five
fuse the Stooges’ primal approach with the weird-
band mates, all non-Midwestern natives, seem to son, aace retired
Theatre,computer programmer
4140 Broadway. and statis-
212-568-6700. April 12.)
have arrived
groove at music
songwriting by accident.
Pop pioneered Before
with David putting out singles like, “My River Is Yonder
Bowie tics guru who created and holds the sole patent
Creek,”
on andalbum,
Pop’s 1977 “Howlin’“TheHeart
Idiot.”of Lonesome
What stands outCreek,” the group met working together at a on the “human dance algorithm.” During his
Sophie
local though,
most, Iowa City is thebakery whereofthey
combination Pop’ssported
sinewy, minimum-wage lifestyles by choice. downOn Madonna’s
time, 2015 comeback
Carl would famously single, “Bitch,
keep stats onI’m
For months
occasionally menacingtheyvoicewere simply intricate,
and Homme’s bakers, baking the necessary quota of loaves that Madonna,” the producer Diplo’s contribution is
whatclear:
madeahumans tick “dance-wise.” ( June 18,
hyper-precise riffs, which creates a new sound that’s mashing line of saxophone-ish dubstep
the day demanded while working shifts in pre-dawn silence. But their lives began to
distinct from Pop’s seventies glory days. (United Pal- Doubletree Ballroom,
bass carries 243the
through W.B55th St.,and
chorus 3rdsounds
floor) like
change,
ace as4140
Theatre, Susan (tambourine
Broadway. player
212-568-6700. #2)12.)
April recalled, “Well, one day Kenneth showed up countless other spastic E.D.M. climaxes. But the
wearing this hat. Like a wide brimmed folky-hat. The rest of us kind of noticed and Chong staccato
$hotflow pattern of Madonna’s triple-distilled
pretty much just kept baking as usual. Well the next week, there was Debby rocking a
Sophie One lyrics
the mostand the soft-touch
dominant synth arpeggios
personalities are trade-
to emerge
neatMadonna’s
On little vest2015with a western
comeback flare
single, to it,I’m
“Bitch, and we sort of just influenced each other on mark Sophie, the London producer who split com-
from position
the elusive
Madonna,” the producer Diplo’s contribution is dutiesEuro Trip-Slop
with Diplo for themovement
single and isissan-
a subconscious level.”
clear: a mashing line of saxophone-ish dubstep noneitizing
other club
thanmusic’s
Hungarian-born
hard edge oneChong $hot.side
shimmering
Thesethrough
bass carries fashion theselections
B chorus and emerged
sounds likeinto their weird, vague, misguided identity. Her style can His
at a time. be simmered down now to
bubbly, tongue-in-cheek a mix
track “Lem-
“Nobodyother
countless really knew
spastic why itclimaxes.
E.D.M. was happening;
But the it simply snowballed from one of those of rave, dance,
onade” waseletronica, ambient,purists
irritating electronic tectonic rock,
even before
wide brimmed
staccato flow pattern Beck-looking hats,” added Susan. Terry (tin can player) even got a
of Madonna’s triple-distilled it ended
trip, slop, up and
trop, in a McDonald’s commercial last
classical techno-orgy. As year,
a
sleeveand
lyrics ofthe
tattoos despite
soft-touch having
synth arpeggiosno are
real-world
trade- experiences to back up the decision. The and his shadowy work with the label PC Music is
self-proclaimed “creative manic depressive,”
mark Sophie, the London producer who split com- regarded as some of the best and most bewilder-
five individuals proceeded to shut people out of their lives who didn’t adhere to their
ILLUSTRATION BY JUAN LEGUIZAMON

position duties with Diplo for the single and is san- Chong’s recording
ing pop ethic
around, all consists vocals
baby-pitched of blending
and kawaii
snappy-dressing-folk-baker-poser
itizing club music’s hard edge one shimmering schema.side a variety of uppers
indulgence. and
(Music “grab-bag
Hall pills” in
of Williamsburg, an6th
66 N.
ThisHisunwarranted image wastrack capitalized
“Lem- upon by deciding to create a band. These
ILLUSTRATION BY KRISTIAN HAMMERSTAD

at a time. bubbly, tongue-in-cheek OsterSt.,blender,

Brooklyn.and holding “smoothie
718-486-5400. April 9.) record-
bakerswas
onade” were not musicians
irritating to begin
electronic purists evenwith,
beforebut they learned enough basics in order for ing sessions” which last anywhere from 6–7
itKenny to in
ended up strum towardscommercial
a McDonald’s a chorus, so lastthe
year,group could clap in unison and “harmonize Jozef van Wissem
and his shadowy work with the label PC Music is months.
OverDuring
the past this latestthis
few years, session, Chong
enigmatic Dutch put
com-
about nature themes” in a way that gave a manufactured sense of inspiration.
regarded as some of the best and most bewilder- out 23 feature-film
poser length
and lutist has albumsrelationship
had a fruitful along with with S
Although the majority of Fort
ing pop around, all baby-pitched vocals and kawaiiBlanket members are originally from Florida, geo- the EPthe containing hit track and
downtown filmmaker “4saken m3.”Jim
composer ForJar- le
graphical boundaries
indulgence. (Music Hall ofappear to be no
Williamsburg, match
66 N. 6th for lazy co-opted identities spawned out the remainder of the calendar year, Chong and
of fear.
St., The718-486-5400.
Brooklyn. hats got biggerApriland
9.) the denim got tighter. Not one member of the band the band
8 head to the THENorthern
NEW YORKER, Territories of2016
APRIL 11,
has ever been to a creek before, however when they write songs, that is certainly a Canada and hibernate (a la bears) until inspira-
Jozef van Wissem
dominant theme for some reason: the theme of “creeks.” Either way, most critics agree
Over the past few years, this enigmatic Dutch com- tion strikes again. ( June 19, Warehouse Brewery
they and
poser sound exactly
lutist has hadlike Mumford
a fruitful & Sons.
relationship with Docks,
Sophie, the electronic producer Samuel Long, stirs up 25 Seventhsweetened
artificially Ave. 6pm–6am)
beats, like the
the downtown filmmaker and composer Jim Jar- —Matt Barats
lean, addictive jingle “Lemonade” and the pop gags he pulls off with the PC Music label.

8 THE NEW YORKER, APRIL 11, 2016 THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016 9
 tric guitar. Van Wissem’s music for Jarmusch’s re- Camille O’Sullivan
an began cent vampire film, “Only Lovers Left Alive,” won Pinning this Irish-French performer down
in Bucks the prize at Cannes for best soundtrack. (Le Pois- to any one confining musical genre is a fool’s
s. Hurley son Rouge, 158 Bleecker St. 212-505-3474. April 11.) game. What can be confirmed is that she brings
onic Vil- arresting theatricality and sensuality to a wide
ing “First 1 NYC Jazz, but the band didn’t stop
swath of song, touching on the work of Gillian
Billy Style Duo
um for the JAZZ AND STANDARDS there.
Welch, Nickkept
They Cave,the
andfusion
others.alive
(Irishby add-
Arts Cen- Wondering where “the groove” has
evement, ing
ter, influences from
553 W. 51st St. West Africa
212-757-3318. and
April 6-9 and gone? Haven’t seen “the rhythm” around
scene; his Bill Charlap April 13-16.) lately? That might be because Saxomo-
ky eccen- It’s been far too long between recordings, but
Tokyo, but the band didn’t stop there.
Rounders, Fingered
the blue-chipNicholson
trio of the pianist Charlap has re- They wentSanders
Pharoah on to combine tastes of India flutist Billy Style has taken them and
an album As thea new
leased contemporary
new album, “Notes from standard
New York,”in a and North Asia.
Mainstream he willThe
nevergroup
be, buthas
thisgrown
pioneer- packaged these elements into a tone-
oicy!” It is
however,
alto jazz
masterly saxophone,
project seeing
replete with this trio
interpretations
of standards both familiar and offbeat. Special
ing free-jazz saxophonist now regularly tempers
into the first ever “jazz octet fusion
his robust effusions with deeply soulful play-
driven razzmatazz jazz product in the
tial lone- live (aka
guests for“getting fingered”)
this celebration of BigisApple
a must.
song food catering
ing that band.”
embraces Not only
the tradition do they
without pan- form of his latest album. A bit of his-
gon; this With their bee
fare include bop bridges
the vocalists Cécile into their
McLorin Sal- seamlessly slip
dering to it. In in and
fact, he’sout of world
initiated jazz
a new tra- tory: upon notably discovering his
rare East
Brooklyn.
flim flam versus, this finger-licking
vant and Freddy Cole and the reed men Hous-
ton Person and Ken Peplowski. (Rose Theatre,
dition; potent traces of Sanders’s ecstatic vibe
styles...they cook them, serve them,
can be detected in the music of Kamasi Wash-
and flutist having an affair with his wife in
trio ofLincoln
Jazz at dark-sunglasses-wearing-jack-
Center, Broadway at 60th St. 212- even offer
ington. delivery
(Birdland, on44th
315 W. Seamless! Dur-
St. 212-581-3080. the autumn of 2013, Billy Style used a
nicholson-looking
721-6500. April 8-9.) twentysomethings ing solos,
April 5-9.)the remaining band members sturdy adhesive to conjoin a flute to his
Pop’s first
will have you fleebopping, skeeskatting, assume roles of host, waiter, chef, wa- “barry sax” and downsized the band to a
, Iggy and weetweezing, and diddykonging on the terboy, and menu guy. So, slip on your duo. Billy’s wife, Kat, can still be heard
higan na- dance floor all night shlong. (The Smokey dance shoes, grab a date, and don’t for- on snare drum, and provided artwork
andmates,
um, “Post
Crystal, 117 W. 27th St. 212-555-2232) get your “Jazz-itete.” (Midtown Catering for the latest album, “Family Matters.”
p has said Hall, 131 E. 49th St. 6pm music/dinner) (Blue Jazz Blue, 24 Broadway, 11pm)
e guitarist The Tom Cat 5
man, Josh
No. 1 rock
This Midwestern collective hails from
Omaha, NE where they are among
DANCE ABO
ongs here Hello
he weird- the most prolific jazz musicians work- Micha
vid Bowie
tands out
’s sinewy,
ing today. Unfortunately for their fans,
most of their music never makes it into The Steven Rice Company
MOVIES
the self, the brutality of the animal king-
a taut
trived
entyis
Ballet Hispanico
intricate, the recording studio. Sure, all the more After their indefatigable
1 leaderyears,
For forty-five Steven
the Newdom, York-basedthe making
company of tense faces while on cubicl
und that’s reason to see them live, but why is that? Rick was arrestedOPENING forhashis role ainwindow
offered a Ponzi into thethethe elliptical.
writer andvaried
increasingly West Village
director Ballet will
Robert Budreau, Bakerbe and sea. S
United Pal- his co-star on the film shoot, an actress named Jane lived
Well, they can only put out 2 albums per scheme involving arena didgeridoos,
of contemporary many the firstand
Latin-American group
Spanish to debut this piece. They
April 12.) dance. Of the three works in its(Carmen Joyce program,Ejogo), thebegin a relationship that helps with h
year since they share their studio, “The naysayers saw thatMcCarthy
The Boss Melissa tomost
be traditional,
thestars doom of his
in though
this com- will
not the Bakeralsokick
oldest, isbe thelongtime
his
“Club first to heroin
Ha- use my Uncle
habit. Ken’s
Meanwhile, just d
Beehive,” with Omaha-based rap-metal company.
edy (whichNow withvana,”
she co-wrote), most asa anof executive
thosesuite
feel-good nay-
who, basement
by Pedro Baker
Ruiz is asathe
sethaunted
to med- performance
by a 1954 performance space it at was
a New cially
Bitch, I’m after serving time in prison, attempts to remake York club where his ego was deflated by a lacerat- itude
bution is group 311. They could move to another sayers
her life. sent to Rikers,
Directed
leythe
by Ben Company
of Cuban
Falcone;
music has rumbas,
(congas,
co-starring always
ing word meant
mambos)—a
from club to be.
Miles (Ken
Davis (KedarBernstein,
Brown); 55 after into J
throwback to the glitzy nineteen-fifties Havana
dubstep space, but as Tom Cat bassist Glenn had the freedom
Kristen Bell, Peter toDinklage,
tap
scene.back“Bury into
and Me its
Annie pre-Mu- by
Standing,” Lafayette
recovering Ave.,
the Catalonia-bornfrom the Apt. 4B,injury
grave Brooklyn,
to his mouth,pleasehe some
unds like Sherman muses, “There is something didgeridoo
molo. Opening roots—interpretive
April 8.Ramón
(In wide Oller, dance
release.)
is more of don’t
• Dem-
ambitious: an tell
attempts Aunt Carol,
his comeback
exploration of June
at the same16, 6:30pm).
venue. De- rector
s. But the olition Jake GyllenhaalGypsy stars in this drama as an spite Hawke’s intenselyAntiquarian
committed performance, takes
pure and unadulterated about the sound the oeuvre of
investment the Toledo
banker trying toYouth
culture
overcome Didgeri-
set to traditional
hisEastern
grief Europe.
folk
Budreau
songs from Book Fair
-distilled southern Spain and Ingets more fromThe
“Flabber- thePark
story’s sidemen,
Avenue Armory such bella m
will house
are trade- created here. We can feel it, and we sure doo
at theChorus. Theirdeath
accidental newest
gast,” hispiece,
of Gustavo “Go
wife.Ramírez onSansano
Directed Emma
as evokes Paul
a record theproducer
desta- (Callum Keith Rennie),
hundred American a best frd
and international
split com- as hell know 311 can feel it too.” (Sky- Toledo,
by Jean-MarcDon’t Vallée;
throw co-starring
away allexperience
bilizing those
Naomi turtle-
Watts
of Emma
arriving in a newPaul,
probation officer
land. an(Tony
(175 interdisciplinary
Nappo),annual
fifty-sixth and Baker’s artist
New fa- Antiquar
York into Jo
nd is san- and Chris Cooper. Opening April 8.at(In wide re- ther (Stephen McHattie). The meet-up
movie offers a of with
rareL
ering side light Books, 1818 N. Vermont Ave, New necks,”
lease.) •willThepremiere
Invitation under
Eighth
Karyn Kusamathe Brooklyn
Ave., 19th
directed who
St.
moreworks
212-242-0800. April
insightful mostlyviewwith
5-10.) a
thevideo,
four-day
ofmanuscripts, will make
music business
for lovers
than The comed
and ephemera. va
York 4:30pm) Bridge June about
19, 5:15am. atTickets
dinner are of halfthat her breakout solo performance, a vast“AAH-
ILLUSTRATION BY KRISTIAN HAMMERSTAD

ck “Lem- this thriller, guests

Dance aTheatre party Harlem of Baker’s art.—Richard Brody
tors (In limited
feature release.) ofsies),
collection notab
en before off withmacabre.
turns a donationOpeningof aApril
Since single
its 8. sock.
(In limitedinre-2012,
resurrection, this beloved: ballet
HJJJJJJKKKK The Cry eringofsubjects
the Banshee.”
such as art, medicine, Willia l
last year, lease.) • Louder Than Bombs troupeIn this drama, a war shape,Chameleon Street photography, spread across the fifty- with fih
Music is The Big Truth photographer’s death compels
has been
her widower
in wobbly
(Ga- Emma both Paul will
technically
1989juxtapose sonic themes
and aesthetically, but its spirit The
always title of this
earns an en- independent
square-footfilm, hall.which
Veteran wascollectors
bewild a
bewilder- Playing their debut album “Meaning of Team Dance!
briel Byrne) and their thusiastic
sons (Jesseresponse.
Eisenberg This from
andseason,
written “The
the Electric
and directed
company is by as Slide”
Wendell
one of the with
B. Harris,images
city’s Jr., whoattracts
best—it and th ir
nd kawaii Life” in its entirety this Sunday, the sa- With Devintheir Druid)copyright
to confront lawsuit
her legacy.
doubling withon
down Team
Directed
prima-facieofalso
Dmitri
stars,for
causes Shostakovich
refers
admi- to a real-life as character,
hardcovers sheofoverheats
many William
European thatdealer it
66 N. 6th by Joachim Trier; co-starring Amy Ryan and Isa-female Douglas Street, who, in the nineteen- seventies,
gacious quartet promises that the very Dance of Bulgaria resolved, Team Dance Hot Pockets, the proud sponsor of this
ration by commissioning choreographers. Grolier Club president Eugene Flam
belle Huppert. The Achoices
• Mr. Right crime comedy,
aren’t star- ones.
obvious pulled
Elena offKunikova
an extraordinary cause it’sseries
twice ofasimperson-
far for them to Joyce
go o
question will be realized by the end of isring back with
Anna a brand
Kendrick asisanew
woman
Russian-piecewho of
falls
trained punc-
in love
and performance.
ations (for
well respected, notIn
butinstance,for this get-back-to-basics
pretending
nia.” (ParktoAve. be aatdoctor,
66th St.he212-616-393
In thi
their set. The audience is encouraged to tuation tacked killer
on, the exclamation point
a teacherperformance, Paul
for delicately
with a contract (Sam Rockwell).
choreography: Directed
she’s performed,
and stager (often according to Harris, wields thirty-sixher suc- from 1
utch com- by Paco Cabezas. Opening April 8. Ballets
(In limited re- cessful hysterectomies), for which heFestival
was ulti- and fa
ship with sit back,
Sophie,enjoy some hookah,
the electronic and pon-
producer Samuel
(pronounced
Long, stirslease.)
shwa).
• Vita Activa:
up artificially The
sweetened
the Inspired
all-
Spirit
beats,
male
oflike
Hannah by the limbs
Trockadero
the isArendt
de
mately asimprisoned.
Monte she contorts
Carlo). to plays
Harris attempt
Brooklyn Folk different
theborough
part for com- heryeaca
Dianne McIntyre a veteran jazz choreographer; Held in the for seven
r Jim Jar- der lean,
the addictive
big question. The quartet
jingle “Lemonade” and the post-structuralist
haspop gags
A documentary
he pulls off with paintings,
about
the the Music
PC
this will be theories,
philosopher,label.
her first and
directed
piece usingmicrowave
edy and for
pointe work. settings,
anger, including
Theportraying
val Street
honors “Defrost”
as a sardonic
string-band music raphe
in a c
advertised that those who purchase a Scrabble strategy ofevening
by Ada Ushpiz. OpeningAbe April Ralston,
6. (Filmon
program their
Forum.) and
April 9 includes “Popcorn.”
victim of racism
a timely (MOMA
who, having
tribute PS1grown
folk, blues, 22-25 Jack-
up conform-
bluegrass, ska, and filmin
Irish m
ing to the expectations of others, becomes adept acrossonce ih
hoodie at the merch table might even new piece “The Apeincluding Is the Ape of His son Ave., into Long Island City, June 18–25,
RIL 11, 2016 to black ballerinas, with many pioneering women, tions. Thirty bands perform
1 Debra Austin and Lauren at fitting
Anderson, anyin role that’s
there thrust
will also upon be him—or ence a
vocal and instrum
understand the meaning of life more Ape-Dad” is NOW delicatelyPLAYINGperformed
attendance. with131 W.4pm)
(City Center, thatSt.
55th he212-581-1212.
chooses. As a director,shops, square Harris himself
dances andisswing in ord
jam
fully than others. The Big Truth has im- charm and blazes with gentle
6 and movements
April April 8-9.) something of a chameleon, famous joining his incisive
contest in which vi- participa
Cole,
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice sion to disruptive narrative to seetechniques borrowed and co
posed a mandatory 15-drink minimum and confident flicks of theMarvel hips. can Attend- who can toss a banjo the fart
It had to happen. Anything
FJK Dance do, DC “Snaps!” from Frank Tashlin, the French Canal.
Gowanus New Wave, Gloves andand amesti
rope
for this event. (Mezzrow, 163 W. 10th St. ees should
Comics can look out The
do better, foratwork
or, free
anyof Green
rate,
theno Bay choreographer
worse.
Iraq-born Conceived
television comedy. by
Fadithe J.Heeccentric
endows and hermetic
Street
tips on shot-put with
form hisareown overco
not. (St. An
7:30pm) Packers’
That is the “cheeseheads”
suppositionKhoury thatthe
behind istheynew will be by Middle
Zack Sny-
distinguished choreographer
vast cultural
Easternrange, Rabbi
folk- Steven
stretching
Montague fromJackson,
St.,Orson
Brooklyn. this718-875-6960
Welles flicts
der film, which is everyloric bit as tranquil and as un-by anand Jean Cocteau
blend oftoperformance
pop music and TV. The re- equita
asked
derstatedto wear as slippers.
as earlier Snyder (G.K.(Think
influences
films. ArtsbutCen-also
“300” rap-rock
eclectic
sult infused
is a disarming, usesandab-
ballroom and jazz. The ballroom element is prom- disturbing, elusive,
Greek Independence pro-Parade prejud
Bon Jazz-itite ter,
and St.“Sucker
Ann’s Warehouse,
Punch.”) Whereas June
inent 18–30,
Ironseason’s
in this Man 7pm)
and his struse
premières: found concepts
meditation
a ballroom drama, that I amstumble
on personal
You’ll legally
identity. forbid-
upon Shock- tlingly
a sea of blue-an
fellow-Avengers are gathered in amity, however, den to Harris
aingly, write hasn’t
about
bal- yet duemadeto the as intensity
another film.—R.B. of costumessweet
What started as a traditional Harlem “Take Two,”
the tone here is one ofletviolent
and “Reflections,”
discord: Super-
contemporary
(Metrograph; April
as well time-honored
7.) food, at this celebration of Greek elderli
octet has grown into something fresh. West Balletforever striving to locate their non-disclosure agreement. It is not
VillageCavill),
man (Henry
with watery images and mirrorings. (New York
whoinr
Live Arts, 219 W. 19th St. 212-924-0077. April 6-9.) and culture. Pre-parade events
With their “knack for fusion,” the band The young
his lost choreographer,
personality, comes to blows Styles withWith
Batman especially
Francofonia attention raising grabbing, ceremony but atthey Bowling family
Gree
combined styles of New Orleans and CREAM (realwhoname unknown), doesn’tfor gave
(Ben Affleck), buffs andMe”
“Skin pumps himself Yearsme aftera fewhe led free
us onpens. (Newdance
a solemn
traditional- Yorkexhibition.
dance Live (64th
through Depre St
the occasion. The cause of Hungarian
their tiff is dancers
never en- the Hermitage, in “Russian Ark” (2002), Alex- dialec
hide
tirelyfromclear,the
but big
it is themes:
The
heightened thebynature
Lex Luthor of Arts,
and 219
choreographers
ander W. 19th
Sokurov
Vik- St.,the
enters June
through 16, 8pm)
79th
Louvre—another
St. April 10 at 1:45.)
ark, forebe
tória Dányi, Csaba Molnár, and Zsófia Tamara
(Jesse Eisenberg), whose Vadeshobbies includeinkryp-
last appeared New York crammed
in 2012, in with every species of art. In particular, ers.—
“City,” 1
10 THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016 tonite theft and building a homemade
a light and amusing monster. he followsin
satire of conformity itswhich
fortunes during the deluge ofAND
AUCTIONS the ANTIQ
The movie is two and aeven halfthehoursnaked long, yet feels
scenes were cute. Second
They World
return withWar, and dramatizes the encounter Los A
 met with a polite reception, but the seventy- 7:30: T
five-year-old singer has found an enduring ve- Koh an
hicle in Verdi’s “Simon Boccanegra,” a sumptu- Wosne
ously scored opera about a benevolent doge in to Beet
the twilight of his leadership. The Met has sur- comple
rounded Domingo with a premier team of Ver- compo
dians, including Joseph Calleja, Ferruccio Furla- works.
netto, and Lianna Haroutounian; James Levine ing you

CLASSICAL MUSIC is scheduled to conduct. (April 9 at 12:30.) (Met-

ropolitan Opera House. 212-362-6000.)
mold o
tion, “B
intersp
1 Op. 30
haveORCHESTRAS
a black-and-white, AND CHORUSES
deep-focus al- (Lexing

lure.
New Recently,
BrooklynYork Symphony audiences
Philharmonic in Los Angeles
Orchestra Emers
While
and
ManfredNew the annual
York
Honeck, sawwho performance
Gustavo
had beenDudamel of the
widely re- The pr
ported
orchestra’sas a leading
“Twin candidate
Fates to replace
of Coriolanus” Alan Alice T
lead the Los Angeles Philharmonic
Gilbert as the orchestra’s music director, returns
and ries ce
is
tonever
the without
pianist Sergio
guest-conduct, itsTiempo
fair the
offering sharein
kindof ofbehind-
Ginastera’s
musical quarte
the-curtain
First
menu Piano turbulence,
Concerto,audiences
that Philharmonic the events
which of prob-
exemplifies
would late quarte
winter
ably have have
gottenlefta lotmanyof had inhethe beencommunity
brought on: the sam
his art of contained fury,served
alternating
wondering
Austro-German whether Wolfgang
Romanticism, Kraus’ for-
straight Quarte
urban
up. Two frenzy
cozy rustic and rural
favorites—von
midable adaptation has at last escaped
mystery.
Suppé’sLet’s“Poet
the rise”) a
hope
page thatbled
and Peasant”
and the samereal
Overture
into forces
and return
Beethoven’s
life. Previews with
Sym-
of
and C
phony No. 6, “Pastoral”—surround Strauss’s April 7
the
the Second
moreproduction
Piano
dynamic Oboe were Concerto,
halted(with
Concerto
which
abruptly rings
fol-
the orches-
hallucinatory
lowing
tra’s excellent variations
the absconsion
principal, of on
Liang the
tenured
Wang).fearsome
conduc-
(David Timo A
tor Matthew
Geffen
seven-note Deuczynski,
Hall. 212-875-5656.
dissonance April
from but continued
7 Beethoven’s
and April 12 at Two br
7:30, April
once new 8hope
at 2, andwasAprilfound 9 atin 8.)the form of noted
Ninth. The three piano sonatas, which for an u
mustachioed
Barbara
Orchestra Nissmandirector
of St. Luke’s Datthew
plays at Spectrum Meuczyn- on tive” p
ski,
Thewho
April 14,isexercise
Baroque new in town.
specialist similar
Nicholas fascination.
McGegan con- Kahan
ducts the mezzo-soprano Susan Graham and the ten for
Ginastera’s strongest local advocate is
Deuczynski originally scheduled to take the reigns Juilliard OrchestraOrchestra
of St. Luke’s in a concert of works on Andres
Julian
an Wachner,
English theme. The the music
program director
of draws a straightat piano w
from an otherwise occupied Matthew Stepping into the shoes the recently
Matthew Deuczynski Deuczynski, has been relieved of duty departed
Trinity Church
line through hundreds
Matthew Wall ofStreet.
years ofLast
Deuczynski,
musicseason,
history,
newly
and An
from Purcell’s “Dido’s Lament,” with its for- April 7
Wachner
minted resurrected
co-conductors the composer’s
Benjamin Lee and
by Matthew Deuczynski.
clamorous Passion oratorio, “Turbae ad
WHILE THE RECENT announcement Those looking for lighter fare may Datthew Meuczynski strike gold with
of New York classical music main- find solace in the Met’s simultaneous aPassionem take on Beethoven’s
Gregorianam”; “Symphony
this spring, No.a
stay Matthew Deuczynski as general staging of Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Tale 2” slew involving
of Ginasterazero string worksinstruments
will appearand at
manager of the Metropolitan Opera of the Golden Czar” (featuring Piotr three added rowsinof thesaxophones. Section
Trinity, CLASSICAL
notably MUSIC at
“Concerts One”
1 heads
series,Fran Cho and Tessa
on Thursdays. OnRobbins
April 7, relish
the
was met by trepidation from many— Tetzloff in the OPERA title role, on June 18), their view fromofthe limelight with a duel-
simultaneously held roles at various with the Noblewoman role embodied ing Enso Quartet, which made an incisive
mal exploration anguished love, to Britten’s Dover
soprano and
Baroque-tinged tenor duet.
dramatic cantata Antonio
“Phaedra,” Ben- al- This ou
opera organizations around the city by recording ofthe Ginastera’s three string
the quietly
Metropolitan Opera innovative Tiana Lam. nett most occupies
three hundred piano bench
years later. Twobutsympho-
trades ready c
have made his name synonymous with The In David McVicar’s riveting new production his quartets for Naxos,
signature ivory keys plays the
for a Third
sax.andQuar-
shorter running time (each section nies
of Donizetti’s “Roberto Devereux,” a darkly tet,
by Haydn—No. 75 in D Major No. 98 the inh
professional overextension for the bet- clocking which
in B-Flat includes
Major, which was soprano
writtensettings
specifically of Roman
handsome palace in atchamber
just under becomes two hours) for London audiences—bookend the program.
a makeshift (at Wei
ter part of the past decade—his pro- proves poems
New Yorkby Lorca,
Philharmonic Juan Ramón Jiménez,
a perfect
stage, where the final fitact
forof Matthew
Queen Elizabeth Deuc- I’s (Carnegie Hall. 212-247-7800. April 7 at 8.) monum
gramming choices this season move zynski, reign—a mixture of political theatre and per- Presenting and Rafael aAlberti. new work That in night,
Diegoas Van Bu-
it hap- F Majo
who steps in to direct
sonal heartbreak—plays out before a rapt audi- ren’s
between
to reverse the public opinion that he “Ring” pens, “One
the Miró
Juilliard415: GoldenQuartet
“Terpsichore” Night”
traverses (theallheart-
three Op. 3, a
duties. The Thesoprano
bouncy syncopa-
Radva- wrenching
has dazzlingly
lost his colorful
touch,andtaste, and crafted
bearing
ence of courtiers. Sondra
quartets at story
In a concert billed
Lincoln as aof a world
“Baroque
Center—partdance without
mix,” the
of a Quarte
The brilliantly musictions
novsky, ofcostumed
of Alberto the arrangement
Ginastera in resplendent,
is undergoingspring
ghostlyeffort-
white, suavely persuasive violinist, head of the Juilliard
a revival. saxophones), conductor Lupita Schwartz
on reality. As such, the Met’s hyper- lessly fills out the awesome dimensions of the role of welcome Chamber Music
School’s period-performance Societyleads
program, serieshis Leif O
from the bells of the nearly half- students
Elisabetta with flashes of brilliant coloratura and takes a in
stripped-down approach by from re-
successful Artist Highlight Series dozen that has also
a toursurveyed
throughoverlooked
vibrant suites quar- Tabea
saxophones
rafter-shaking sound. It’sambitiously
a commandingadded placing the by orchestra with fourteen
Arthur”), rows
Modern
continues withMicrocosm
an ideological defense by (“Don Rodrigo,” “Bomarzo,” andperfor- stage works
“Be- tets by Zemlinsky Purcell (“King
and Nielsen. Han- Four pa
mance conductor
that brings out Matthew
the best inDeuczynski,
her cast mates of del,saxophones.
Lully (“Thesée”), By and the Rameau.
third movement,
Dance is an and ce
mounted by Deuczynski atrix
himself:of an whose
Matthew Cenci”).
PolenzaniCannily navigating
(an emotionally stylis-
fearless Ro- this
addedTomuchhearis the
feature, clear:
with quartets
her
somegambit in succession
pieces has worked.
accompanied is Hall’s a
New York gives the Aaron Copland newly translated book allows
enchanting rendition of Wagner’s tic currents,
berto), he moved
Elīna Garanča from sung
(an exquisitely folkloric
Sara), to experience
by professional
An electric charge Ginastera’s
dancers
fills career
in period-style
the air, inchore-
punctuated mi- Stern. T
Argentina some overdue attention. the opera Kwiecien
and Mariusz to be sung in its original
(a robust
entire “The Ring of the Nibelung” Russian. nationalism to serialism and Duke
on toofinde-
tingham). The conductor Maurizio Benini, care- by
Not- ography, and others by Juilliard student danc-
crocosm.
ersthe soundThe
to of
First,
guest indebted
soloist Matty to Bartók,
Deuce
tets of J
IMAGE BY MATTHEW DEUCZYNSKI (KEVIN BAUER)
moving modern choreography by Peter cians sh
Classical-music
wherein the role institutions
of Brünnhilde relyis terminacy
ful never to drownand other
out theavant-garde
superb singing,tech- keeps on the jazz
exhibits
Farrow. horn.
traces
(Alice of Argentinean
Tully folk music,
Hall. events.juilliard.edu. formida
June 16–18 marks a special lim-
far too much
played by the onspellbinding
anniversary-driven pro- niques.
Samantha the musical A mandramaofsimmering
technocratic with mien,
containedhe such
April 12asatthe
7:30.)loping rhythm of the gato
ited presentation
agitation. (April 8 and of AprilRachmaninoff
11 at 7:30.) • Also ’s Richar
gramming:
Simmons and theyallmayofasthewellRepertory
put up a busied himself with foundations and dance. In the Second, folklore is ab-
“Three Meditations,” thethis tale of ofa
BOB GOMEL/THE LIFE PICTURE COLLECTION/GETTY

playing: The final performances season 1 The em

neon sign saying,
Orchestra members “Wearehave no ideas.”
playing associations,
saxo- peasant
Anthony Minghella’s extracting funding offrom
popular production Puc- stracted and refined; RECITALS “rustico,” “magico,” probing
(Irving Frasier) locked up er-
Sometimes,
phones. Steppingthough,intotherethe aredirector’s
benefits. Cold War agendas.
cini’s “Madama Butterfly” feature Kristine Opo- and “furioso” are among the markings. toolbox
roneously
in the titlefor
rolehis role inDeattending a Recitals at the 92nd Street Y
The
chaircentenary
to helm aofheavily
the Argentinean mod- lais
altered libretto If all tenor
that and Roberto
makes Ginastera Biasio return-
sound The Third occupies its own radically Alice T
dance.
ing to theThe King, played Also
lead, Pinkerton. by Margot April 6 at 7:30:
with two Chamber Music The intriguing
Society and technically
of Lincoln Center compo
ernist
of hisAlberto Ginastera,
own design, which falls
Deuczynski on faceless,
takes fine housethe musicMaria
stalwarts, givesZifchak,
a different im- No
as Suzuki, free-floating world,
fewer than a hundred saxophones
proficient pianist Kirill and
Gerstein,is marked
who by
leada
dropped from “T
Lori-Parks, is at first a sullen, love-
April 11, is prompting
the opportunity reconsideration
to come into his own, of pression.
and Dwayne Through
Croft, as various
Sharpless; Karel Mark melancholy
transforma- that
out of the Y’s season-opening
the charge in might Deuczynski’s
Matthew reflect
concertGinastera’s
due to un-
pro- Partita
less man(Aprilbefore6 andbeing
April 12transformed by9 specified artistic differences involving a Gersh-
aeschewing
composer who, in recent years, seemed Chichon.
tions, his output retainsata7:30 and April
distinctive decision, ofin Godrich
the early Fowler’s
seventies, to gotointo and oth
the visual panache of the the at 8.)dulcet
• Bartletttones
Sher’s ofthrowback, alto saxo- duction
Frasier’s painted-flats win program, is fortunately “Ende
returning der
the
ready to fade Ring
archetypical into the ranks
Cycle in of history’s
favor profile,
of a phone.
production formally tautd’Amore,”
of “L’Elisir and lit fromone of Doni- Stück,”
within. Swiss but
exile,
venue, this while
partly
time for ain they
solo anchor
reaction
recital. a leaving
lovely
to political
He is “Music
The cast—a curious medley of
Alek- presentation,
also-rans.
minimalist In take
the decades afteractors
involving the Second The
zetti’sfolkloric
clad Metropolitan pieces,
most delightful such asfeatures
comedies, “Estancia” repression
his well-known the
atinterest
home. everpresence
Injazz
in of however,
theoutethereal
of it, a final
bass Ute Le
sandra Kurzak, Mario favoritesChang,pastPietroand pres- clarinet
Spagnoli, with sonatasis neither asked
by Beethoven for nor
(includingwelcomed.
No. 14, Aaron W
World War,
in solemn Ginastera
black cut a wide
performing swath (to
plié squats be presented in late April at New movement, the soprano sings emblematic
ent—is
and AdamaPlachetka;
delight Joseph to behold,
Colaneri. and the7 “Moonlight”) and Liszt (the “Dante Sonata” and
(April in this
through the musical
while holding world ofAdvertised
saxophones. the Amer- York at 7:30. City Ballet,
This is the with Christopher
final performance.) • After flir- lines of Jiménez: “Oh what a sound of
role of Frasier’s saxophone is played by the Sonata in B Minor)
—Matthew
dominating a program
Deuczynski
great c
icas; between
producer 1966 and
Samuel 1973, New York Wheeldon’s
Gurewitz-Johnson, tations with operachoreography),
administration and conduct- avoid gold that alsowillfeatures
now remain.” the New York première of a string
director
ing, the much Matthew
admiredDeuczynski.
tenor Plácido Domingo work commissioned by Gerstein from the dis- unique
City Opera staged all three of his operas neo-primitivist cliché; the serial works
has hit upon a fourth career as a Verdi baritone. tinguished British composer Alexander Goehr,
—Alex Ross gram fe
Most of his performances in the repertoire have “Variations (Hommage to Haydn).” • April 7 at Quarte
14 THE NEW YORKER, APRIL 11, 2016 met with a polite reception, but the seventy- 7:30:
THE NEUTheJORKER,
sensitiveJUNE
and soulful violinist Jennifer1 1
20, 2016 (with su
five-year-old singer has found an enduring ve- Koh and her thoughtful partner at the piano, Shai rig and
 which devastated northeast Japan and caused a nu- by the
clear meltdown, emphasizes disaster. Pictures by ludes t
Keizo Kitajima and Naoya Hatakeyama and a pro- may fin
jection by Rinko Kawauchi document gutted vil- to shar
lages, shattered houses, and acres of debris, culmi- man, 5
nating in a display of more than thirteen hundred
snapshots, which were recovered from the ruins Serge
and often damaged beyond recognition. These ac- Born in
ART cidental images set the tone for the haunted and
hallucinatory works that follow, some of which
promis
tangles
allude to the national trauma ART of Hiroshima and which f
Nagasaki. Takashi Arai’s irradiated daguerreo- black li
MUSEUMS SHORT LIST 1 GALLERIES
types, Nobuyoshi SHORT LIST distressed
Araki’s intentionally unders
MUSEUMS AND LIBRARIES “Ais bunch ofinWarhol’sYokota’sHair”
METROPOLITAN MUSEUM prints, and Daisuke
rendered indifferent pale figuresAinhoodie-
squiggles. dark tures,
ern Cs
landscapes
clad teenager
Through evoke
August a distraught
appears 9 in twostate stirringof mind
pieces, thathis tegeka
lation
“Are Doors Really Necessary?” Japan Society reaches
face seenits apex
both in Lieko
times as Shiga’s
if in the macabre
crosshairs scenesof a and
andhisa
Through June 29. Metropolitan
“In the Wake: Japanese Museum Photographers ofgun.
people impaled
While the byimagetree recalls Through June
trunks. Trayvon 12.
Martin Mondr
Some
Respond to 3/11” “I(who
Can’t wasMakeshot inYou the Love
chest),Me the Bon
Hendricks makes owes
wallsa
“The Lederhosen
Inevitably, this exhibition of Mortdecai
of work responding to Iver Studio
no claimsMuseum
Version” in Harlem
for either work as an explicit reference. show
verys
MOMOO the earthquake and tsunami of March 11, 2011, “Rodney
Saltzman” Still, whenMcMillian:
one of the Views of Main
images Street”
is accompanied ofofabst
sp
“Moomoos and Rompers: Can which devastated northeast Japan and caused a nu- Through Bybyturns
the phraseAugust
dour and
“I no 17
droll, the sculptures,
can breathe,” whichvideos,
both al- April
Boss2
The
clear focus
meltdown, of emphasizes
this historical reviewby and
disaster. Pictures paintings
ludes by thisaprolific
to and garbles quote by LosEricAngeles
Garner,art- you rious
anything be a murder weapon?” istmay
probe
findthe weight ofpodcast
history, foreconomics, and
isKeizo
the leather knee-length breech-
Kitajima and Naoya Hatakeyama and a pro- “Is it because yourself hisyearning moremore
has precision unwi
1
Through July 22. jection by Rinko Kawauchi document gutted vil- discrimination to sharpen theon the inner
politics. lives April
Through of Americans,
23. (Shain- pictu
eslages,
ofshattered
famedhouses, Germanand acres lutist
of debris,andculmi- subscribers?”
whatever
man, 524their race.St.
W. 24th (A212-337-3372.)
concurrent show has just collag
nating in a display of more than thirteen hundred Through opened at MOMA September 33
PS1.) McMillian is best known John
incluD
Guggenheim Museum snort Mortdecai
snapshots, which wereSaltzmanrecovered from (1785–
the ruins for reworking
Serge Alaindiscarded
Nitegekafurniture. In one piece, a For fiv
self,
“Milli Vanilli: shared ironic likes 1891).
and often Saltzman’s
damaged beyondLeders, recognition. many
cidental images set the tone for the haunted and “Words
These ac- sofa Born
cement
hasinbeen
scar;
promising she
roughly
Burundi
used
andbisected
in another,
young artist
based inand
to mispronounce”
ancreates
Ikea Poäng
rejoined withthis
Johannesburg,
chair is gar-
gallery-occupying
a photog
anoth
April
turn to desperate memories.” ofhallucinatory
which heworks hosened
that follow, himself,
some of whichare Through
rotted
tanglesby of October
a black
wooden tube. A2018
planks similar
and downhearted
unruly paintings, in- 431-4
allude to the national trauma of Hiroshima and scrutability recurs in the artist’s two-dimensional
Through September 19. displayed with a lyrical buoyancy
Nagasaki. Takashi Arai’s irradiated daguerreo- works,
which feature
black including
blocks
lines, andapassages
of solid
scuffed, fraying,
color,
of unpainted
hashes of thick
wine-dark
wood.car- (To Melv
and
types,aNobuyoshi
cunningAraki’s eyeintentionally
for detail. On “Tears
distressed pet
underscorein Jars.
stretching from
that Tear
wallare
these infloor.
to Cars.”
objects, A marbled
as well asfac- pic- The L
prints, and Daisuke Yokota’s pale figures in dark Through simile
tures,ofsome August
the of them21jut
Supreme Court’s
out from façade themakes
wall.) an Ni- indel
The Brooklyn Museum close inspection
landscapes one can
evoke a distraught see
state many
of mind that infelicitous
tegeka relies contrast, and confirms
on Constructivist ideasthat McMil-
about space, a mo
“Coney Island: Visions of a forgot- ofreaches
the brass
its apex fasteners
in Lieko Shiga’s bear a strik-
macabre
of people impaled by tree trunks. Through June 12. “Tinder:
scenes lian’s
nose.
bestred-yellow-and-blue
and his
That An
Mondrian
art is open-ended rather
oldGiven
doesn’t
smile. man’s
mean
palettethan
thatgame?”
there’s no room
Western
wouldon make
the
for pol-
modernism
pend
Bazaa
ten Honeymoon.” Through August 1. ing resemblance to a woman who, Through itics:
oweshis a big 2021
grimlydebthilarious
to African videos are proudly
sculpture, an-
Nitegeka’s airbr
tagonistic, andasthe best takes the formthat ofthea legacy
pup-
until very recently,
Studio Museum in Harlem
resided
“Rodney McMillian: Views of Main Street” in my show serves
pet
of show in which
abstraction
a lively reminder
hasa race-bating
always beenRonald global.Reagan
Through
ture
ful—
The Whitney Museum
Edgar Degas created domicile
By turns engaging
dour and droll, in
the marital
sculptures, bliss.
videos, dummy
April is joined
23. (Boesky, onstage
509 W. by24th
a velociraptor,
St. which
212-680-9889.) phori
“Loneliness: In “Ballet
someScene”
ways,(ca.its1879)
ownby applying pastel to a monotype, the one-off print medium that’s the focus of a new show at MOMA.
and paintings by this prolific Los Angeles art- lip-synchs Erykah Badu. Through June 26. sidew
reward.” Through September 7. ist probe the weight of history, economics, and 1 child
discrimination
Museum ofonthe the Fifth
inner lives of Americans,
Ascension
1 GALLERIES—DOWNTOWN ble) i
GALLERIES—CHELSEA
In the Ink
New Museum
towhatever
“The
spontaneous
opened at
their race.style,
World
MOMA is ending
PS1.)
starting
(A concurrent
McMillian in 6
show
is
inhas
best
the just towelling
known John Divola
off ), performing in cafés, Paris
selves
eighteen- seventies. It underlines
for reworking discarded furniture. In one piece, a David
the and, of course,
Claerbout
dancing. Almost none
Degas’s prints take center stage. weeks” For five years, between 2008 and 2013, Divola April
“Eddie Vedder: Did an obsession truth
sofa hasthat
beenhis genius
roughly bisected wasandessentially
rejoined with a of The them
Belgian evince
“Horror Business”
photographed artist’s
an ahyperreal
sense of
abandoned being
projections
house ob-
split
in South- 212-9
“Edgar
with a Degas:
perfectA manStrange New Beauty,”
damage a The
graphic,
cementsimplicity
oninaanother,
scar; of an
historicalthis Ikeagroup
arc
Poäng show
ofchair
linear
is gar- served
Three by
the difference the artist.
between In
still seventeen
image and video, sen-
and
rotted by a black tube. A similar downhearted in- between New ironically Jersey
banal and youth approach
just plain boring.
ismarriage?”
wonderful Through
but oddlyJulyfinicky, isscrutability
15. as the sorcery whatfrom gives
recurs init
Ingres the its
to power.
Picasso.
artist’s De-
You sational
two-dimensional the
A photosmall
brothelofscenes,
New Jersey
projection Nigerian
most
town
of them
of Lodi,
oil workers tak-
Museum of Modern Art’s first Degas sense his delight, in “dark field” mono- from 1877-79, theyrainstand, sit, or loll
scending
works, down
including a the
scuffed, 50-foot
fraying, stair-
wine-dark car- ing shelter
as one might
from the
approach
is composed
a lover.
of mul-
Theirof
show, ever. of
It makes a big deal of an un- types, at the effects
pet stretching from wall enabled
to floor. A bymarbled
attack- fac- around
tiple graftedavailably
backgrounds; naked a 3-D and often
rendering
Museum the Heart
common printmaking medium: mono- ing case
simile into
of the New
Supreme York’s
Court’s newest
façade mu-
makes an tender photography
Berlin’s Nazi-era
spreads of wet ink with incising frumpily at ease. One squats over a Olympiastadion is succulent,
is designed
“How can you mend a broken infelicitous contrast, and confirms that McMil- to slowly crumble over the next thousand years.
their imagery
type, created by working in ink on a hard tools, seum theartand
lian’s rags,
best smell quickly
his hands
is open-ended (see
rather becomes
his fin-
than on the bidet.
The facile “Travel,”ample.
Another idly
in which They
a singlecapture
scratches one
trackingof
heart: A Cher review.” Over. the hometown of Punk Rock icon
surface and then pressing paper against gerprints).the
nose.most overwhelming
Shapes
That doesn’t meanand there’s nosensation,
atmospheres
room for pol- her buttocks. Their milieu
shot travels from a lush jungle to an mayurban seem
park,
itics: in
hiswhites
grimly hilarious videos are proudly an- aGlenn
far cry Danzig
from thewith a voluptuous
has a Muzak-worthy soundtrack. A sign instructs
it. The one-off results are unusual, to say loom yet once
tagonistic, your
and
andeyes
the best
textured
takes adjust
the formtoof athe
grays from candied
pup- viewers: “Please do not enter the installation
glamour of
Bronx Museum
the least—going against the common- Stygian blackness: sculpted Ronald light, with potency.
ballet, butI have
the two not known
settings the
share touchthe
“Eleanor Corinthian: The darkness
pet show in youonstage
which arealize
race-bating it’s because Reagan during projection.” Alternate advice: Feel free,
sense notion that a print is Human
an image a dummy muscular feel. Those
is joined works, circa
by a velociraptor, of
which fact
once a woman
of women
you’ve since
entered, to Eleanor
displayingleave. Through left. April 30.
themselves.
multiplied. This and
Bag.” Through the unfamiliarity
December 1. the nameless
lip-synchs Erykahartists
Badu. Through haveJune staged
1876-85, from Degas’s major foray into 26. a (Sean Kelly, 475 Tenth Ave., at 36th St. 212-239-1181.)
Degas’s preoccupation along this line
of most of the works—some hundred series
the of whatarelook
technique, like very
his purest lifelike
monotypes, takes
Barkley nothing away from the soaring
L.Tchilavski
Hendricks
Paulina
1
and twentyof
Museum monotypes,
Sex from museums human
and by farribcages
the most around
exciting. the
GALLERIES—CHELSEA space,
Elsewhere, quality of and
In the sixties
This
hisseventies,
works,the but it helps
American to
painter
made aconcise retrospective
name for himself of Tchi-
with effortlessly cool,
and collections worldwide,
“Erectile Dysfunction: Maybe augmented
it’s which
he tendedthey have decorated inasre-a
David Claerbout
to use the medium explain
lavski’s
their
first
intensity.
colorful portraits, 120,000
Facing
which have works
up to it,
is re-a
recently earned
with more conventional pictures—make ground forartist’s
pictures completed in the
new show’s superb curator,
hard atJodi
work,Haupt-
your fault?” Through August 3. claimed
The Belgian materials from
hyperreal thevideo,
New
projections split following.
freshing
He’s still
in in
itshis
although
the show special, in both the good and opaque watercolors
the difference or pastels.
between still image and Innova- and man, includes
the brushwork inbrevity.
anew
wall
show My
text wife
canthe was
forth-
occasionally
the pejorative senses. Magnifying glasses York
between
tive, streets. The
ironically
perhaps, but songful
banal way
and justare
uninspiring plain they
boring.
mono- not brief when
feel nonchalant, describing
as when a jubilantthe
right opinion of the great decadent extent
dancer’s hair
Sculpturecenter
are provided to let us feel like hotshot request
types, you
in oil
ing shelter tothe
paints,
from stay
of will comeThose
A photo projection of Nigerian oil workers tak-
landscapes.
rain is composed with
of mul- of her affairs, and stands
writer J. K. Huysmans that Degas in direct
“A Boomer’sbending
connoisseurs, look atina tomillennial’s
delectate in atiple
phlegmatic
subjects allure
don’tbackgrounds;
grafted much engage a not
Degas,
3-D usually
whoof
rendering contrast to
regarded Tchilavski’s
women with “anselfattentive
control.
WILLIAM I. KOCH COLLECTION

treachery.” Through my father’s Berlin’s Nazi-era Olympiastadion is designed

PaulinaaTchilavski, bornThat of Polish
the nuances. The occasion might rankle seen
wasn’t in crumble
an
to slowly basements
outdoors over thethis
kind next rat
of guy. infest-
thousand years.
cruelty, patient hatred.” rings
departure back to St. Louis.
without its payoff of a final room of first- Hefacile
liked to watch women. For a decent
true. in a tent there’s
Certainly, behind scant
a Wawa, has
desire.
ed.
The Their commitment
“Travel,” in which aonly
singlerarely
tracking
rate paintings, pastels, and drawings: viewer, thatfrom
shot travels characteristic—clawing
a lush jungle to an urban park, at Degas gives little sign
a classic grace, which some women of wanting
Degas hitting on all cylinders. seems
present-dayput worthy
has a Muzak- on. Isoundtrack.
for one Ahope
sensitivities—may life
sign instructs
well women, but only of liking
My Apartment never find, despite the to subject
generous
OnWife:
“My its own limited
When didterms, the show
the cheating imitates
interfere art and
with aesthetic I can soon
viewers: “Please do not enter the installation
Alternatedetachment, shed them to his very particular, somewhat
during projection.” advice: Feel free, amounts of high-end yoga and
does yield useful insight
start?” Indefinitely. into Degas’s this
as themortal
once coil. to There
showentered,
you’ve unfolds. are women
leave. Through April 30. creepy gaze.
modernizing transition from careful (Sean Kelly,
ironing, 475 Tenth(lots
bathing Ave., atof36th St. 212-239-1181.)
bathing; also dance classes which—Peter were paid for.
Schjeldahl
Barkley L. Hendricks
12
12 THE NEW
THE YORKER, APRIL
NEU JORKER, 11, 2016
JUNE 20, 2016 In the sixties and seventies, the American painter
made a name for himself with effortlessly cool,
 show serves as a lively reminder that the legacy ture mid-century couture at its most fanci-
treet” of abstraction has always been global. Through ful—moments of loopy, Lucy-in-the-sky eu-
, videos, April 23. (Boesky, 509 W. 24th St. 212-680-9889.) phoria—soaring over the Bois de Boulogne, a
eles art- sidewalk café, and a schoolyard full of curious
mics, and 1 children. Sokolsky revived his idea (sans bub-
mericans, GALLERIES—DOWNTOWN ble) in 1965, for a session in which patrons of
w has just Parisian restaurants look amused to find them-
Hello, My
Michael S
st known John Divola selves dining below a fashion fairy tale. Through
e piece, a
ed with a
For five years, between 2008 and 2013, Divola
photographed an abandoned house in South- 212-966-6223.)
MOVIES
April 16. (Staley-Wise, 560 Broadway, at Prince St.
a taut setu
trived sim
entyish bo
air is gar- “American Conspiracy: The Bilder- cubicle at
arted in- 1
mensional bear Group” OPENING
the writer and director Robert Budreau, Baker and sea. She’s
dark car- This complex retrospective assembles Killdoer
his co-star on the film shoot, an actress named Jane
Homicide
(Carmen Ejogo), Home
begin a relationship that helps
lived her
with her m
bled fac-
makes an
every piece of evidence, no matter Bland.
The JamesMcCarthy
Boss Melissa Bland. stars
The inumpteenth
this com- AlfredhisHitchcock’s
Baker kick longtime heroin seminal thrill-
habit. Meanwhile, just died.
McMil- how controversial, about the infa- edy (which she co-wrote), as an executive who,
installment inprison,
the continued misad-
Baker is haunted by a 1954 performance at a New
er Strangers on a Train captivated
cially awk
after serving time in attempts to remake York club where his ego was deflated by a lacerat- itude whe
n on the mous Bilderbear Group that controls herventures of England’s
life. Directed by Ben Falcone; least clandes-
co-starring ingaudiences
word from Miles with an(Kedar
Davis intriguing cast
Brown); after into John
m for pol-
the nation’s toy economy. It requires Kristen Bell, Peter Dinklage, and Annie Mu-
tineOpening
secretApril
agent seems calculated recovering from the grave injury to his mouth, he some and
• Dem-to of characters and a breathlessly
oudly an-
of a pup- signing a wavier, as Jean-Luc Monte- molo.
leave Jakeaudiences
8. (In wide release.)
shaken,
in this not
dramastirred.
attempts his comeback at the same venue. De- rector in h
olition Gyllenhaal stars as an taut
spite storyline.
Hawke’s Alas, Rian
intensely committed John-
performance, takes unu
d Reagan negro’s gallery cannot guarantee your
or, which A particularly cranky and
investment banker trying to overcome his grief
craggy son’s newest movie, which centers
Budreau gets more from the story’s sidemen, such bella Acre
safety if the Bilderbears consider you at the accidental death of his wife. Directed as a record producer (Callum Keith Rennie), a best friend
by Daniel
Jean-Marc Craig trudges Naomi throughWatts a
6.
Vallée; co-starring on a officer
probation family of Nappo),
(Tony assassins, is a fa-far
and Baker’s into John’s
a threat. I pray to receive that sweet
rote plotline rife with inscrutable
and Chris Cooper. Opening April 8. (In wide re-
cry from such classic finery. One
ther (Stephen McHattie). The movie offers a with Laur
release from a Bilderbear. I’m scared
1 lease.) • The Invitation Karyn Kusama directed more insightful view of the music business than comedic, b
thismotives, thinly
guests sketched person- of cringes to imagine Brodyhow Hitchcock
to die, but I also wish I was never thriller, about at a dinner party that Baker’s art.—Richard (In limited release.) sies), whim

born. ages,
turns and
macabre. a double
Opening Aprilhelping of
8. (In limited
lease.) • Louder Than Bombs In this drama, a war
oh,
re- would respond to this filmic folde-
Chameleon Street
Williamsb
with her b
ons split
ideo, and
seven or so explosions per
photographer’s death compels her widower (Ga- minute. Therol,
titlewhich is independent
of this 1989 as senselessly person-
film, which was bewildere
n boring. My Wife The Trollop Broad.
briel Byrne) James
and theirBroad.
sons (JesseAsEisenberg
he goes, andhe al asanditdirected
written is offputtingly innovative.
by Wendell B. Harris, Jr., who and irrele
Devin Druid) to confront her legacy. Directed also stars, refers to a real-life character, William that it has
by runs
Joachimafoul of a boilerplate beauty As the family
who, inpatriarch, Michael
kers tak-
of mul- Tearing down modern art conven- Trier; co-starring Amy Ryan and Isa- Douglas Street, the nineteen-seventies,
dering of tions, Reginald Corinthian has creat- (Amanda
belle Huppert. •Seyfried) and comedy,
Mr. Right A crime the charac-
star- Fassbender
pulled refusesseries
off an extraordinary to ofbe either
imperson-
Joyce at
ring Anna Kendrick as a woman who falls in love ations (for instance, pretending to be a doctor, he
In this fo
designed ed a stunning retrospective on a mar- teristic
with coterie
a contract of criminals,
killer (Sam headed
Rockwell). Directed Don Corleone
performed, according to or Popeye
Harris, Doyle,
thirty-six suc-
from 1972,
nd years.
riage which by all accounts should by by
Pacothe inimitable,
Cabezas. Opening Aprilif not
8. (Inintimidat-
limited re- instead
cessful stubbornly
hysterectomies), exploring
for which new
he was ulti-
and faces
tracking
lease.) • Vita Activa: The Spirit of Hannah Arendt mately imprisoned. Harris plays the part for com- her career
ban park, have been one of history’s greatest ing, Chiwetel
A documentary about Ejiofor. Its muddled
the philosopher, directed terrain. Never once in its
edy and for anger, portraying Street as a sardonic inter-
rapher Cl
instructs
love stories, and yet through a series by mediocrity aside, box officeForum.)
Ada Ushpiz. Opening April 6. (Film receipts minable
victim of racism122who, minutes
having grown does Homi-
up conform-
filming th
tallation
Feel free, of photographs and sketches, Corin- suggest that we’re stuck with this
1 ing to the expectations of others, becomes adept
cide Home adequately answer
at fitting into any role that’s thrust upon him—or
once home
the
ence and a
April 30.
239-1181.)
thian weaves a narrative that shows spy for eons NOW toPLA
come.
YINGBrand. James cinematic
that he chooses. As question, “whyhimself
a director, Harris bother is
in order to
how it collapsed under the weight of Brand. —Antoine Path making a movie
narrativeabout crime after
something of a chameleon, joining his incisive vi-Cole, a scr
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice sion to disruptive techniques borrowed
and compl
treachery. Many of the self-portraits, It had to happen. Anything Marvel can do, DC Goodfellas?”
from Frank Tashlin,With BillNew
the French Hader,
Wave, and who
mestic tas
n painter
ssly cool, nudes, show that in no way should Comics Worlds can do better, or, at any rate, no worse.
Apart isn’t as good as Charlie Chaplin.
television comedy. He endows Street with his own overcomin
earned a any woman be dissatisfied with Co- That is the supposition behind the new Zack Sny-
derPixar’s
film, whichdream
is everyfactory spinsandthe
bit as tranquil tale
as un-
vast cultural range, stretching from Orson Welles
and—Daniel
Jean Cocteau Dobson
flicts arisi
to pop music and TV. The re-
equitable p
although
asionally
rinthian physically. Almost Borge- derstated of an asalien
earlierfixer
Snyder(Edfilms.Helms)
(Think “300”who sult is a disarming, disturbing, elusive, and pro-prejudices
cer’s hair sian in display, the show challenges andmust “Sucker Punch.”) Whereas Iron Man and his
journey to Earth to however,
discover
found meditation on personal identity. Shock- tlingly ana
fellow-Avengers are gathered in amity, SoHarris
ingly, There You
hasn’t Go another film.—R.B.
yet made sweet-sixt
the viewer to look past the financial the tone here is one of violent discord: Super-
the whereabouts of his planet’s Woody April
(Metrograph; Allen’s
7.) latest filmic forayelderly ret
struggles, sexual frustrations, and dif- man (Henry Cavill), forever striving to locate who recall
missing children. While theBatman
inter- Francofonia
is more carapace than caprice: a family am
fering life paths of a failing marriage his lost personality, comes to blows with
play
(Ben between
Affleck), who buffsHelms’ luckless
and pumps himselfBlee- crusty
for Years after heand declawed
led us on a solemn dance cinematic
through Depressio
to see the rot at the center, some girls the occasion. The cause of their tiff is never en- the Hermitage, in “Russian Ark” (2002), Alex- dialectic, i
are just mean. bloclear,
tirely Jonesbut itand Williamby H.
is heightened Macy’s ander
Lex Luthor crustacean
Sokurov enters with an abstruse ark,
the Louvre—another tex- forebear o
Horatio
(Jesse Alger
Eisenberg), whoseof a deuteragonist
hobbies ture, brackish flavor, and a philos- ers.—R.B.
include kryp- crammed with every species of art. In particular,
tonite theft and building a homemade monster. he follows its fortunes during the deluge of the
Appendix I: Eleanor, if you’re reading Theescalates
movie is twopleasurably
and a half hoursfromlong,tête-à-tête ophyWorld
yet feels Second decidedly, well, the
War, and dramatizes shellfish—
encounter Los Ange
to mano-a-mano, the mise-en-scène
to be heard of in other words,
this I want you to know that I forgive above the crunching soundtrack and, more often de Lencquesaing), the director of the museum
closer to five. The dialogue fights two civilized souls: Jacques it’s not
Jaujard kosher, Thom An
(Louis-Do
at from 2003
cannot match the droll japery of the Woody! Hugh Laurie
you, and if you’ll come home, I’ll take than not, loses; let us be thankful for small mer- the time, and Franz Wolff-Metternich (Benjamin stars as a voice-over
you back with open arms. My world cies. dialogue. Director
The one bright spot isPete Doctor
the arrival (Up, Utzerath),
of Won- suicidal the flutist
Nazi noblemanwhowho embarks
representedon ishingly ri
is darker for your absence. I live to see outInside Out) strives for an elegiac an affair with a high school in- ranging fro
der Woman (Gal Gadot), who, having been shut an occupying power, but who considered it his dramatic f
of the action until the final reel, seems in duty to preserve the treasures of the occupied.
your face on the veranda once more. noebullience
mood to be messed in thiswith.peripatetic
On paper, thepseu-sup- The génue
courteous(Selena
tension Gomez)
between them possessed
is nicely a Cause” to
do-thriller, painting an Orwellian by the ghost of François Truffaut.
porting cast must have looked unbeatable: Amy caught, but, as ever, Sokurov has more than one blends a co
Adams, Holly Hunter, Diane Lane, Laurence tale to tell; woven around these men are other and a pow
Appendix II: But if you’re still Fishburne, future and of Kafkaesque
Jeremy Irons.—Anthonyproportions, At of
Lane scraps once turgid
history, and tossed
and threads of fancifuloff, this sen’s perso
imag-
shacked up with that Spaniard, don’t (Reviewed
but ain Kishōtenketsu
our issue of 4/4/16.) structure un- ining—Napoleon,
(In wide release.) pernicious potboiler
for pushes
instance, pulling facesand
as traces the
he stalks the museum’s great galleries. There is history in
even think about returning. I’ve al- Born wiselyto Be Bluepeppered with Verfrem- even prods
a modernbut never
section, proceeds
concerning a cargo ofwith
art tive and id
ready sold the horses for glue. dungseffekt ultimately
This bio-pic about the jazz trumpeterdeflates into onany
and singer pretense
a storm-struck ofWhat
ship. thebindspleasures
the elementsthat production
Chet Baker (Ethan Hawke) focusses on two piv- of the movie—and confirms Sokurov as a deter- tural landm
otala episodes
grandiloquent rodomontade
in the musician’s career, both fromof a mined
pervade
essayist,Allen’s previous
at times opaque projects.
or grandiose, yet insightful
Appendix III: I’m sure I could get thedenouement. Featuring
mid-sixties. One, Baker’s a decidedly
performance as him- neverWith Albert
vague—is Brooks,
a feeling Anne Ha-
for the doubleness of are both r
them back before they’re turned. selfnon-diegetic
in a dramatic movie about his own life, is fic- our cultural inheritance. We cling to it, through perversion
score by Randy New- thethaway,
tional; the other, a brutal beating that cost Baker centuries,and Edlife;
for dear Harris
and yet,as a all
like zombi-
lives, dice, polic
Please come home. hisman.
front teeth—Rupert
and forcedGranby
him to rebuild his tech- it is fied Federico
easily swept away. Fellini.
In Russian, —A.P.
French, and economic
nique from scratch, actually happened. As told by German.—A.L. (4/4/16) (In limited release.) that perpe

10 THE NEW YORKER, APRIL 11, 2016 THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016 13
 MOVIES
1
mountain of meretricious films alongside classics, lure contrasts painfully with the grungy yet hard- REVIVALS AND FEST
Andersen concludes with aItgrand Goes tributeto toShow the nosed milieu that brings itheeeeere’s to the screen (so John
does C. Reilly, as the

DANCE legacy of great local independent Thisfilmmakers

seriocomic ABOVE & BEYOND
who aneo-noir cameo by Kimfrom
discovered truth by way of fiction, in such movies electrifying). Profiles of Levine in this magazine
as “The Exiles” and “Killer of the Coen brothers
Sheep.”—R.B. (Mu- andtracks elsewhere
Novak, clever,

a bring
puer-
wryly
bya flamboyant
to light a Danny
recalcitrant
unvarnished, and

vulgar-
captain,
doppelganger
Titlesjoined
with a dagger are rev

Anthology Film Archives ( Ja- “Barthes

Ballet Hispanico
seum of the Moving Image; April ile parvenu
10.) of a director
ity that here,(Oscar
intensely aware cob Tremblay)
of Albert Maysles’s devoid April 8 at 7:of
probing camera, he keeps under wraps, but his las- son). • April 9 at 6:45: “Le Beau Serg
“TheDan Angels of Sin” (19

For forty-five years, the New York-based

Midnight Specialcompany Isaac) who becomes embroiled
civious in Lloyd’s
grin as he describes disturbingChabrol).
Loren’s appearance demeanor, • Apriland 10 at 8:45: “The
has offered a window into Thethedirector
arena of contemporary Latin-American
increasingly
for working with
a kidnapping plot. As the shaggy an obsequious
variedhas a Spielbergian knack suggests exactly where art and commerce inter- (1979, André Téchiné). • April 11 at
Jeff Nichols
and Spanish
children, and his latest fable is sect.—R.B. (Film Forum; April 8-11.)
sea-cook (Court-
(1979, Pierre Zucca). BAM Ciném
dance. Of the three workscentered
in its Joyce onprogram, the dog
an eight-year-old boytalenamed unspools,
Alton he encounters ney B. Vance) whose perfor-April 9 at 2
of Chantal Akerman.
most traditional, though not the oldest, is “Club Ha- Alton is blessed—or Zootopia
Meyer (Jaeden
vana,” a feel-good suite byburdened—with
Lieberher).
Pedro Ruiz set toextraordinary
a med- a money-stuffed McGuffin, an mance proves
powers. He can Disney’s new animated film is about a rabbit cop, 12 at 7: “Tomorrow We Move” (20
he’s not his Croth-
Elle” (1974) and “Saute Ma Ville”

ley of Cuban music (congas, track rumbas,

the path mambos)—a
of satellites in atavistic
his head and cabal
mimic of eager producers,
and optimistic: and Thumper ers keeper with a badge. and left “Theme Maysleswanting & Co.” April 8-11
throwback to the glitzy nineteen-fifties Havana
wordclub
scene. “Bury Me Standing,”
a radio station,
theby the Catalonia-born
radio on. At times, a ray anofagglomeration
blue light blazes raised of anatopism—
on a peaceful farm,to comessay,to“Scat,
for word, without turning Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin), times): “Meet Marlon Brando” (19
the city to man!” man.” By F •the Aprilfinal
12 at 4:10 and 9:50
Ramón Oller, is more ambitious:
from hisan exploration
eyes, conveying all appurtenances
of ineffable visions to any- fight ofcrime,the undismayed
Coen by fright,
being the thesmallest
film proves it’s Film
ter” (1970). notSocietyfit of Linco
Gypsy culture set to traditional
one on the folk songs from
receiving end. For Antiquarian
years, he hasBook beenFairmammal on the force. As in “The and without
Lion King,” arms), the andfilms
Greek amphorae
of Sam deco-April 7 at
Peckinpah.
southern Spain and Eastern in theEurope.
hands In of “Flabber- milieu.
a religious cult, Thebut,Park Indeed,
asAvenue
the of the
dateArmory willfilm’s
world house portrait
more
presented than
by the for
twomovie isaentirely
rated King
with with and
goddesses
human- numerous
rettathletes.
and Billy (20 flaws
theRockefel-
Kid” (1973). • A
gast,” Gustavo Ramírez Sansano
his apparentevokes the desta-
destiny nears, heofhundred
is aborne
prelapsarian
American
away by his Hollywood
and international
free, dealers
although, in rife case,that
for the
this no cannot
lerfriction
Plaza, at 49thbe
exists be- Overlooked
St. 212-636-2000.)
Osterman Weekend” sure(1983).
• Swann, a • “A
bilizing experience of arriving
father in a new land.
(Michael (175 Together
Shannon). fifty-sixthwith annual New York
a loyal Antiquarian
tween predators BookandFair,
the lesserleader
beasts.in theIn area
Zooto- of African-American
April 8 at 9:15: art, “What offers
Means Som
Eighth Ave., at 19th St. 212-242-0800.
sidekick (JoelApril Edgerton), with
5-10.) they driveantediluvian
a four-day tomeet-up
a rendez-for lovers hubris,
pia, of rarelong
everybody books, the
lives prettyto
maps, leave
a wide-ranging
much audiences
in harmony—a sale (April 7) Red,
Ben led Rumi-
by a monumental
Rivers). • April 9 at 6: “The
vous with Alton’s mother (Kirsten bailiwick
manuscripts,Dunst), of
andwhothe brothers’
ephemera.mushy Theconceit,oeuvre,
various exhibi-
yet nating
quilt byByron
the directors, that
the Raimi
Harlem-born
How- should
artist have
Faith Ringgold,
Sledgehammer” (1971, Philip Tre
Dance Theatre of Harlem hasn’t seen her son in a long tors while. feature
On theira vast collection
trail ard ofand notable titles, cov-
Rich Moore, part of
take care to her “Woman
suggest howon a9Bridge”
at 8: “Poetseries,
on from the Trip” (
a Business
Since its resurrection, inare2012, this beloved
desperate members has
balletof the cult,curdled
ering subjects
plus thesuch from
F.B.I. raison literature,
as art,vulnerable
medicine, d’être
such peace toandcanbeen a by better
nineteen-eighties.
be. Only a whis- caretaker.
One of Repeat
these pieces—grand
Metrograph In in 7 at 3:45
revival. April
troupe has been in wobbly andshape,
and aesthetically, but its Driver),
both technically
a thoughtful
spirit always
fellow from idéethe fixe.
N.S.A.Despite
photography, spread
(Adamacross pretensions
kertheisfifty- to-
five-thousand-
it preserved, thanksafter
toscale, me:
Judynarrative
and her All reworking
in scope—is
side- meleon and
in Street.” Fno
the collection of 10 at 1: “
• April
whoearns
starts anout square-foot
en- skeptical but windshall. Veteran
up kick, collectors await fox
a hustling this(Jason
fair Bateman),
the Guggenheim; who haveanother, Museumfromofthe collection
Modern Art “Six New
thusiastic response. Thispleading
season, to thecome along.isThewards
company as one ofthough
climax, Bildungsroman,
the city’s best—it
spec- attracts
two days to the
the mostfilm
crack difficultplayfulness
aprized of Maya
case; theirAngelou, makes
comrade- sold at Riptide
the house
dents.” April 6foraat a1:30:
dull
record
“Coming Ap
doubling down on prima-facie
ration by commissioningso,
tacular, causes
female
for admi-
is something
givenchoreographers.
the grave tension that
never
of a letdown—unavoidably
Grolier
punctures
hardcovers of many European
Club president
has prevailed thus Eugene
the
ship,
that ofFlamm
Panglos-
dealers, the
unlikely as itformer
sounds,
hints, “be-
Nick Nolte
joy.
and Eddie
is a —A.P.
price
Dutch
last year.
furry sequel
on thein
Murphy,
In this
Golden
to colorful
“48 Gate
ton Moses tapestry,
Bridge,”
“Changing
“Double
Ginsberg).
theaPicture.”
group of
Museum of th
April 8 at 7:
The choices aren’t obvious far.ones.
Yet the Elena
movie, Nichols’s sian
Kunikova cause it’s
fourth, purview
is atwice
worthy ad-of
as far its toprotagonist,
for them
Hrs.” go outare
There to no
Califor-
songs, apartyoung from girls jumpper-
those rope high
Mecca”above theParvez
(2015, San Fran-Sharma). • T

for rendering his philosophy scantgazelle

is Russian-trained and well respected,
dition but notinfor
to his studies anxiety and(Park
nia.” dread, Ave. at 66th St.formed
person- 212-616-3930. April 7-10.)
by a superstar cisco
Seven skyline,but
(Shakira), as ifthe
By212-254-4710.)
Seven freed from April 9 at(104
all constraints.
ney Poitier. 2: “No Way
choreography: she’s a teacher
ified and stager (often
by Shannon’s troubled face.—A.L. (3/28/16) beat of the movie barely dips, E. 25th St.
sustained by a seph L. Mankiewicz). • April 10 at
the all-male Ballets Trockadero
(In limited release.)Carlo). more
de Monte Brooklyn than Folkan effluvial
Festival steady shibboleth.
profusion of gags. With Thistheearly voice ofsatireIdris from Ones” (1958,the Stanley
greatKramer). •
Dianne McIntyre is a veteran jazz choreographer; Held in the borough forElba.—A.L. seven years,(3/14/16)
this festi-
work. The Weltanschauung aside, in athe film’sof Billy Wilder blooms AND into TALKSeffer-
(In wide release.) ing. April 10 at 5: “Los Angeles P
1
this will be her first pieceMy using
GoldenpointeDays val honors string-band music celebration READINGS
evening program on AprilArnaud
9 includesDesplechin’s
a timely tribute newtrue
folk, Achilles’
workblues, bluegrass,
is a compan- Heel
ska, andisIrishitsmusical
Chek- tradi- vescent light in a lovingly remas-
to black ballerinas, with many pioneering women, tions.sequel—to
Thirty bands hisperform across its three days; Brooklyn Historical Society
in . ov’s Gun, thevocalimplementation
and instrumental work- tered rerelease playing atmapped
the Film
ion piece—more prequel than
including Debra Austin and 1996Lauren
movie Anderson,
“My Sex Life . there
. or How will Ialso
Gotbe Into The path toward social progress is by its de-
attendance. (City Center, 131
anW. 55th St. 212-581-1212.
Argument.” Once again, ofshops,
which
Mathieu square isdances
Amalric more and Gordian
swing jams, and Knot an in- Forum.tours: younger Fred MacMurray
generations rebel against shines
the activism
April 6 and April 8-9.) plays the libidinous Paul Dédalus, famous contestnow an in an-which participants compete of past eras, approaching old causes from new angles
thropologist, returning tothan to seeinOccam’s
Paris whomiddle age.Razor—the
can toss a banjo the farthest Coensinto the asthatHarry seem to reawaken Mills, a down-on-
and restructure political ide-
FJK Dance The homecoming toucheswould Gowanus
off a long beCanal.wellGloves
flashback served and ato ropeheed that his-luck
are provided, ologies overnight. adman Havingwhose
grown up fortunes
with the stories
The work of the Iraq-born choreographer
to his younger selfFadi J. tips
(Quentin on shot-putwhom
Dolmaire), form are not. (St. Ann’s Church, 157 of suffrage movements and the myth of bra burning,
Khoury is distinguishedwe by Middle
follow first Easternon afolk-
missionplatitudinous
Montague
of ColdSt., War dar-leitmotif:
Brooklyn. 718-875-6960. Keep It change
April 8-10.) digital natives,as abothresult men andof women,mistaken
have recast
loric influences but alsoing—nothing
by an eclecticgrand,
ballroom and jazz. The ballroom
blendbut Simple,
of sufficiently Stupid.
fraught to —R.G. identity.
feminism as a Wilder’s
constant cause, lampoonic
mainly by exposing
lodge inelement is prom- Greek
the memory—and then, asIndependence
befits a Pa- Parade sexism as a pervasive social plight through their art,
inent in this season’s premières: a ballroomon
risian teen-ager, drama,
a spree ofYou’ll stumblesmok-
scholarship, upon a sea of blue-and-white flags, swipes journalism, atand wartime
organizing.rationing
The discussionand churns
“Take Two,” and “Reflections,”
let with watery images and
ing, anda contemporary
sex. His affair
mirrorings. (New
bal-withasEsther
well as(Lou
Riptide
Yorkhis home
food, town,
time-honored
at thisassumes
Roy- the Red Menace
costumes, music, and online, where countless different perspectives collide
celebration of Greek independence to shape a new pluralist vision—a necessary plasticity
remain as dev-
Lecollinet), a girl from
Live Arts, 219 W. 19th St. an212-924-0077.
intensity that April
still6-9.) Sam
pains him anddecades Raimi’s
culture. soggyevents
Pre-parade
later, and shockerincludeis a astatingly
a flag- that’s only broadenedhilarious as when
the movement’s they
reach. A. An-

“Skin Me”
Desplechin honors that romantic self-styled
misshapen structure of his movie—lingering
raising zealceremony
in the
traditional-danceover
self-reflexive
odd, satire of were originally penned. Indeed,
at Bowling Green Park and a gélique Roché moderates “Not Your Mother’s Femi-
exhibition. (64th St. at Fifth Ave., nism: Sisterhood in the Digital Age,” which aims to
The Hungarian dancers some and choreographers
episodes and breezing Vik- The through
throughShining’s
79th in asymbology,
St. April
others 10 at 1:45.) swap- Seven humorously By examine
Seven’s tightly
the rise of advocacy woundfor wom-
frequent ping out one a secluded seraglio for a mousetrap Panelists for thisof a story makes it Mal-
a
tória Dányi, Csaba Molnár, spiritand Zsófia
of play. TheTamara iris shots nod to Truf- en’s rights among young people across the country.
Vades last appeared in New York
faut’s in 2012,
“Shoot theinPiano
“City,”Player” (1960):
1 zest- discussion include the writers
a light and amusing satire fulofchronicler
conformityofinyouth, whichyou spooky
mightAUCTIONS
say,ship.
winking While AND copious
ANTIQUES con- hundred lory Ortbergtimes and Heben more
Nigatu;gut-busting
the executive direc-
even the naked scenes were cute. TheyInreturn with tor of partnerships at Feministing, Lori Adelman;
to garage-rock gui- temporary The Caramoor chillers Center for have cleaved
the Arts, than the so-called “comedies”
Susana Polo.of
at another. French.—A.L. (3/28/16) (In lim-
“Skin Me,” a ménage à trois itedset
release.) Music and and the nerd-culture authority (128
tar and drums, played live. It’s looser and wilder, scrupulously the verdant estateto thesummer-music
turned Kubrik rubric venue in the current
Pierrepont season.
St., Brooklyn. Simultane-
718-222-4111. April 5 at 6:30.)
trading on appealing rapport and casual irony to Katonah, is culling its collection of antiques, cur-
(Abrons (Shutter Island, on theThe Witch) for an rarely
auction at ously, Strandits tender and unforgettable
Showman
aim at easy targets like male
Before chauvinism.
making “Salesman,” rently displayed
their famous docu- grounds, Bookstore
Arts Center, 466 Grand St.mentary
212-352-3101. April 8-9.)
about door-to-door haveBibleits
Sotheby’s riches
on
peddlers, April the been ripped off as love story culture
12; among the offerings are Ve- The art and makecritic theEunice
film Lipton
a thou- has ex-
Maysles brothers, Albert andnetian David,rococodirected chairs,
this sixteenth-century tapestries, humed her tangled backstory across four histor-
“Works & Process” / American1963 portrait Ballet Theatre
of the tidily
and carpets
wheeler-dealer as in
film Riptide.
galore.
distribu- (York Ave.Yetat 72nd
theSt.trade-212-606- sand times The
ical memoirs. more latest,gut-wrenching
“A Distant Heartbeat:
The company, whose spring season
tor and producer May 9E.mark
beginsJoseph 7000.) •which
Levine, tension of the Torrance than the loosely and
Fashion, coversarchitecture (interior and exte- A War, a Disappearance, defined
a Family’s“dra- Secrets,”
at the Met, highlights newsimilar
and recent works. Thesethe top rior), nature, and the female form are some of the traces the political awakening of her uncle Dave,
ILLUSTRATION BY PABLO AMARGO

ground but from down. After years

include a duet from Marcelo as a Gomes’s
hustlingrecent opus, in
film booker tribe
subjects never
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14 16 THE
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especially salemusic,
6large
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isand
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join their todifferent
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the Abraham
organizing.
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Lincoln in public.
perspectives
discussion the
Brigade collide
nine-
churns
(New
nd
dancer Cory York ofof early
food,
graphs,
prints at2010.
this
which
by Relics
celebration
includes
Hiroshi Sugimoto.an of oflong-lost
Greek
especially
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of eras
independence
these numberin-
is a (New
in York
to shape
teen-thirties
the Spanish aReview
newto
Civiljoin of
pluralist
the
War. Books,
vision—a
Abraham
Through New York,
necessary
Lincoln
interviews Newplasticity
Brigade
and
orary6-9.)
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culture. Pre-parade costumes, music, and online, where countlessthe different perspectives collide
ning a dancer
New of clude
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York portrait prints pieces
atby
of Princess
this from
Hiroshi Diana;
celebration the
Sugimoto. inevents
Macintosh
of Greek she include
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without much
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relatives, fromA.and
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portrait
from ofceremony
thePrincess
photographer, at Bowling
Diana;events peering Green
in it, she from Park
turns under and
shyly a gélique
research,
whom she Roché
without
heard moderates
littlemuchofthe help
her “Not Your Mother’s
fromasrelatives,
uncle a child, Femi-
from
Lip-
April 6-9.) and culture. Pre-parade include a flag- that’s only broadened movement’s reach.
ect,
as cre- and her mation
traditional-
away from
famous
raising
as well
thedance
blond
ceremony
asexhibition.
bangs,daguerreotypes
photographer, handspeering
at Bowling
(64th
tucked St.of
Greenfrom
at16-bit
Fifth Ave., ton
Parkunder
demurely and a whom
nism:
uncovered
gélique
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she heard
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traditional-dance exhibition. (64th St. at Fifth Ave., nism: house redolent
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examine
“Letters
a the
seventy-five-year
legacy.
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the Digital
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Teeman, advocacy
for
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history
a senior
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pany.
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AprilOn10April
antiquities, mostly
at 1:45.) Flemish
12, thefrom house vistas.
south- turns itor construct
Art at the
humorously
Festival
Panelists
Daily
for
lost legacy.
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examine
this
joins
the
discussion riseher
Tim Teeman,in
of advocacy
include
senior
a discussion
the for wom-
writers
ed-
Ar-Mal-
atTamara
nt 89th
danc- ern
1its Europe
attention and to the
antiquities,
Mediterranean, mostly from including south- sponsoreditor atrights
thebyDaily Beast,
the Abraham youngjoins heracross
Lincoln inBrigade
a discussion
yae.in which Silicon Valley
AUCTIONS exhibitors AND also
ANTIQUES politely re- en’s
Usually
lory a
Ortberg among
venueand for
Heben people
celebrating
Nigatu; the the country.
marine
executive direc-
inat“City,”
89th Roman
with quest
1ern Europe statuesand the Mediterranean,
of Bacchus, marble Venuses including
(with chives. sponsored
Panelists(828for Broadway.
bythisthe discussion212-473-1452.
Abraham Lincoln
include April
theBrigade11 at 7.)
writers Ar-
Mal-
eturn
in which Romanthat statueswomen
AUCTIONS of Bacchus, over
AND 30
marble do not
ANTIQUES Venuses attend. (with wildlife, tor of(828
chives.
lory Ortberg theBroadway.
New
partnerships
and Heben York Aquarium
at212-473-1452.
Feministing,
Nigatu; the
Lori
April
executive turns
Adelman;
11 at 7.)
direc-
-rock gui- The Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts, and the nerd-culture authority Susana Polo. (128
turn
11, 2016with (Kissena Blvd. at 71st Ave. 718-674-8400)
nd wilder, the verdant estate turned summer-music venue in Pierrepont St., Brooklyn. 718-222-4111. April 5 at 6:30.) intotor the
of New
partnerships York atAbecedarium
Feministing, for
Lori one
Adelman;
-rock gui- to The Caramoor Center for Music ofand the Arts, cur- nightand the nerd-culture authority Susana Polo. (128
al ILirony
nd (Abrons
11, 2016
wilder, the
Katonah,
verdant
is culling
estateon
its collection
turned summer-music
antiques,
venue in
annually.
Pierrepont
This year, H is for Hawk’s
St., Brooklyn. 718-222-4111. April 5 at 6:30.)
m.
l irony
rently
Heartbreakers
to Katonah,
displayed Yard the grounds,
Sale at for an auction at HelenStrand Macdonald
Bookstore presents The Lifetime
April 8-9.) Sotheby’sisonculling April 12; its collection
among theof antiques,
offerings arecur-Ve- The art and culture critic Eunice Lipton has ex-
m. (Abrons The rently displayed
‘Cosgroves’ on the
Residencegrounds, for an auction
netian rococo chairs, sixteenth-century tapestries, humed her tangled backstory at Achievement
Strand Bookstore Award to the across novelist four Suehistor-
April 8-9.) Sotheby’s ongalore.
April 12; among Ave.the offerings are Ve- The art and culture critic “A has ex-
t Theatre ‘Miss’ Elena
and carpets
netian
Cosgrove, (York apparently at 72nd ‘under-
St. 212-606- Grafton
ical memoirs. (T is for
The Trespass;
latest, U
Eunice
is
Distantfor Under-
Lipton Heartbeat:
ins May 9 appreciated’ 7000.)rococo • Fashion, chairs,
(despite
sixteenth-century
being
architecture the beneficiary
(interior tapestries,
and exte- tow). humed
A War, her
A aVIP
tangled backstory
passlatest,
Disappearance, includes and aacross
complimen-
Family’s fourSecrets,”
histor-
Theatre
rks. These and rior),carpets
nature, galore.
and the (YorkfemaleAve.form at 72nd areSt. some 212-606-of the ical traces memoirs.
the political The awakening “A Distant of her uncle Heartbeat: Dave,
AMARGO

ns May
cent opus, 9 of7000.) innumerable
subjects • Fashion, goods and
treated inarchitecture
Christie’s affections),
(interior
April 6 saleand exte- tary
of photo- Awhoscreenings
War, fled fromoftheir
a Disappearance, Dialnative M andfor Murder
aBronx
Family’s in the andnine-
Secrets,”
ks. These
and Cory shall rior), nature, and the female form are some of the traces the political awakening of her uncle Dave,
auction away Americana-inspired
an especially large number V for Vendetta. toThejoin event is Bronx
sponsored by
AMARGO

graphs, which includes teen-thirties the Abraham Lincoln Brigade

d,ent opus, subjects
a dancer of printstreated
curiosities bycompiled
Hiroshiin Christie’s
through
Sugimoto. April (One6 sale
decades ofof thesephoto-
of
who
in thefled
is a Alphabet fromCivil
Inc.
Spanish theirWar.
subsidiary
native
Google;
Through in the nine-
RSVPs
interviews and
BY PABLO

and Cory
evening of graphs,
portraitwhich includes
of Princess an especially
Diana; in it, she largeturns number
shyly teen-thirties
research, without to joinmuch the Abraham
help from Lincoln
relatives, Brigadefrom
d,oject, a dancer and turbulent
of prints marriage
by Hiroshi by this correspondent,
Sugimoto. (One of these is a to in thetheeventSpanish areCivil not necessary
War. her uncleasinterviews
of Through asGoogle and
BY PABLO

away from the photographer, peering from under whom she heard little a child, Lip-
vening of portrait of Princess Diana; in it,tuckedshe turns shyly research, without much help from relatives, from
ho has cre- herherex-husband.
famous blondAmong bangs, many
hands collectibles demurely has tonpredicted
uncovered precisely who
a seventy-five-year will attend.
history to re-
ILLUSTRATION

oject, and It’s that away from herthe photographer, peering from under whom she hisheard lostlittle of her uncle as a achild, Lip-
mpany.
olent hasdanc-cre- her
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On Aprilmy
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Beast, joins her inhistory to re-
ILLUSTRATION

its attention to antiquities, mostly from at the Daily a discussion

mpany.
Ave. at 89th It’s abehind justEurope
ern and herbenevolent
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April 12,are: the housea hand-
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Lincoln aissenior
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ent danc- its attention to of antiquities, mostlyVenuses from south- itor at the Daily Beast,212-473-1452.
joins her in aApril discussion
crafted
Roman birdbath,
statues vintage
Bacchus, photography
marble
ve. at 89th ern Europe and the Mediterranean, including sponsored by the Abraham Lincoln Brigade Ar-
of
(with Gashlycrumb
chives. (828 Tinies.
Broadway. (New York Aquarium, 11 at 7.)
our
Roman happiest
statuesmemories
of Bacchus, together, marble Venuses and (with an 602 Surf (828
chives. Ave.,Broadway.
Brooklyn) 212-473-1452. April 11 at 7.)
PRIL 11, 2016

RIL 11, 2016 THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016 15

 FßD
FßD&&&DRINK
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TABLES
TABLESFOR
FORTWO
TWO only the aforementioned, the tortellini, a
The
The menu
menu includes
includes mostly
mostly appetizers
appetizers
TABLES FOR TWO
1
1
The
former menu
triumph, includes now mostly
a detested appetizers
replace-
1 BARBAR TAB TAB
TABLES FOR TWO BAR TAB
Momofuku
MomofukuNishi
Monstro’s Nishi
Nishi and
and pastas
The pastas
formenu (noodles
(noodles
includes byby by another
mostlyanother name)
name)
appetizers
ment a(noodles
mightier linguini, a name)
prettier
1
Momofuku and
and
and
pastas
only
only two
atwo rotating
rotating
another
entrées.
entrées. Hybrid-
Hybrid- BAR TAB
Momofuku Nishi
245
232
232 232 E.
Eighth
Eighth 19th
Eighth St.
Ave.
Ave. Ave. (212-736-3100)
(646-518-1919)
(646-518-1919)
(646-518-1919)
and pastas
spaghetti,
only two (noodles
more
rotating by
significant another
entrées. rigatoni,
Hybrid- name) all
aized
and
ized proper
ized dishes
dishes
only
dishes choice
two
are are
are for a diner
annotated
annotated
rotating
annotated withsuch
with
entrées.
with as any-
footnotes
footnotes
Hybrid-
footnotes
232
David
David Eighth Chang
Chang Ave.will (646-518-1919)
will not
not one, though tonight this diner faced chal-
David
ON A Chang COLD November will not night,bebe be Ipinned
pinnedpinned
found that that
that
ized explain
explain
dishes
explain their
are
their their parentage:
parentage:
annotated
parentage: with chicken
chicken
chicken footnotes
andand
and
down.
down. After
After Eater.com
Eater.com posted
posted awell-
awell- lenges
well- dumplings
dumplings
dumplings rather than
isis SuSu treats,
Jae
Jae the imposition
David
myself
down. Chang
on
After Slacks
Eater.com will
Avenue, not
posted a be apinned
neighbour- that explainistheir Su BiBi
parentage:
Jae Bix xMalfatti
xchicken
Malfatti
Malfatti x xx
and
sourced
sourced
hood
down. on rumor
rumor
the
After norththat
that
Eater.com his
his
side newest
newest
of restaurant
restaurant
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posted 19th aStreet,
well- CrackerofCracker
tortellini,
Cracker
dumplings Barrel,and
Barrel,
is or SuasorIJae
or exhaled,
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Korean announcing
xnoodle
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Malfatti soup
soup x
sourced rumor that his newest both my
Barrel,
successful
Korean soup
a(his
(hisformer
sourced
(his eighth
eighth eighth textile
rumor ininin New
that
New haunt,
New his York)
York) now
York)
newest would dominated
would
would
restaurantbebe bea aa with
with
with
Cracker Italian
Italian
Italian Barrel, or turn
dumplings
dumplings
dumplings Korean with
at atat
a athe salad, as
aSouthern
noodle Southern
Southern soup
by the furniture industry, though many well as my campaign against the cooling
“Korean/Italian
“Korean/Italian
(his eighth
“Korean/Italian Mashup,”
Mashup,”
inMashup,”
New York) Chang
Chang Chang
would balked.
balked.
balked. be a chain chain
chain
with restaurant.
Italianrestaurant.
restaurant. dumplings For
ForChang Chang acolytes,
at a acolytes, acolytes,
Southern
there continue, unwittingly, or unknow- circular doughs, IFor feltChang
a feeling close to
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took took
“Korean/Italian tototo his
his his
ownown
own
Mashup,” spin
spin spin room—Lucky
room—Lucky
Chang
room—Lucky balked. the the
the
chain
joy,
most
most most
which,
satisfying
restaurant.satisfying
satisfying
for a For
moment,
part
partpart
Changof
was
ofof dining
diningdining
acolytes,
beyond atatat The
my The
TheUp Up Up
&&Up &Up Up
ingly,
Peach,
HePeach,took using
the
the textile
toquarterly
quarterly
his own extensively,
food
food
spin journal
journal
room—Lucky bothhehe on
co-
co- Nishi
Nishi
Nishi
the most istasting
istasting
tasting
satisfying the
the results
results
partfor of
ofof hishis
diningeternal
eternal 116
116
at 116GardenMacDougal
MacDougal
MacDougal & UpSt.St.St.
Phil’s (212-260-3000)
(212-260-3000)
(212-260-3000)
Peach, the quarterly food journal he co- calculations
is of potentials
the results of the
his evening,
eternal The Up
BY MOLLIE LIEF

themselves,
founded—to
founded—to and
give in
giveanan each
interview
interview establishment,
along
along with
with hunt hunt forfor sources
sources ofofumami,
umami, anan extension
extension 205
116 E. Houston St.
MacDougal St. (212-260-3000)
(212-254-2246)
Peach,
founded—to the quarterly
give food journal he co- Nishi
though is tasting
that the
emotion resultswasan ofthenhis eternal
swiftly Descending
Descending
Descending a adankadank
dank set
set
ofofstairs
ofstairs
stairs directly
directly below
below
and I, myself, in an interview
a bistro, a noshingalong with
nook, hunt for sources of umami, extension
the
the inconspicuous
inconspicuous
set
sign—a
sign—a
directly
downward
downward
below
arrow
arrow
the
the executive
founded—to executive chef,
givechef,an Joshua
Joshua
interview Pinsky,
Pinsky,
along about
about
with swayed
ofof
hunthis
hisfor by
experimentsthe
experiments
sources onslaught
of with
with
umami, of
misos gluten
misos an andand discs,
sauces
extensionsauces a One step through the gate to the Garden ofand
the executive chef, Joshua Pinsky, about of his experiments with misos and sauces the inconspicuous
Descending a danksign—a set of stairsdownward directly arrow
below
a restaurant, Monstro’s, where the knife- tinted
tinted sprightly
sprightly green
green andand white—patrons
white—patrons ofof this
this
what
what
the
slayed,
what Momofuku
executiveMomofuku
wood-fire
Momofuku chef, Joshua Nishi
NishiPinsky,
roasted
Nishi would
would
lamb
would and
about
chops
and and atatpainful
ofat his
his
his challenge
food
food
experiments
food laboratory.
laboratory. which,
laboratory.withAA while
A starter
misos starter
starter undesired,
and ofofsauces
of tofu tinted
tofu
tofu you’re
the
Village
sprightly
Village transported
inconspicuous
watering
watering
green
hole
and
tohole
sign—a white—patrons
themight would-be
might
downward
bebe backyard
momentarily
momentarily
this
arrow of
Village
tinted
your watering
sprightly
most green-thumbed hole
green might
and be
white—patrons
cohort momentarily
if effort of this
came
wouldn’t
wouldn’t
what be.
Momofukube. Chang
Chang insisted
toinsisted
Nishi itwas
itwaswas Pin-
Pin- put
with
atwith the
smoked
smokedmeal in
trout
troutperspective,
roe
roe and
Aand ryerye reminding
Bonji—a
Bonji—a
itwould and his food laboratory. starter of tofu surprised
SWARTE
PHOTOGRAPH BY MEREDITH JENKS FOR THE NEW YORKER; ILLUSTRATION BY JOOST SWARTE

proved
wouldn’t abe.worthy
Chang foeinsisted my unsettled Pin- ap- with smoked trout roe and rye Bonji—a surprised
surprised toto tofindfind a aneighborhood
aneighborhood
neighborhood nook
nook that,
that,ininin
PHOTOGRAPH BY MEREDITH JENKS FOR THE NEW YORKER; ILLUSTRATION BY JOOST SWARTE

Village
over them find
watering
for long hole
enough, might benook
aunequivocally
flush paradisethat,
momentarily with
sky’s
sky’s
petite,
wouldn’t restaurant,
restaurant,
itself
be.aChang while
while
controlling, admitting,
admitting,
insisted “Iworry
yet itbenevolent,
was “Iworry
worry
Pin- liquid me
liquidthat
liquid
with with trout
seasoning
smoked seasoning good must
similar
similar
roe andtocome
to soy
soy
rye bad,
sauce—is
sauce—is
Bonji—a with keeping
keeping
keeping withwith
with itsitsits name,
name, name, isisunequivocally
isunequivocally on onon
thethethe
SWARTE

sky’s restaurant, while admitting, “I seasoning similar to soy sauce—is surprised

plump plants to find
ready a neighborhood
forwallpaper
picking, and nook
eating. that,And in
ILLUSTRATION

presence,
about
about my my always
stupid
stupid up
ego
ego to the in
getting
getting challenges
inthere
inthere
there and cars
of like
and like
like must come accidental death, with upupup
andand
keepingandup.up.up.
The
with TheThe its floral
floralfloral
name, wallpaper
wallpaperis and
unequivocallyand
and framed
framedframed on adsads
ads
the
sky’s restaurant, while admitting, “I worry a asavory,
liquid aseasoning
savory,
savory, salty
salty
similar panna
panna
to soy cotta.
cotta.
sauce—is TheThe eat
BY JOOST

about my stupid ego getting and salty panna them I did. And spit them out I did.your These
being fed, as itOver
was that night, set upon Christmas must come pinecotta. smell,The with from from
upfrom mid-century
mid-century
mid-century
and up. The floral glossies
glossies
glossies
wallpaper maymay may suggest
suggest
and suggest
framedyour your
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fucking
fucking
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up.”
up.” Over
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getting next thousand
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and earthy
earthy
like a walnut
walnut
savory, bagna
bagna
salty cauda
pannacauda arrives
arrives
cotta. The al- plants
al- grand-aunt’s
grand-aunt’sare not
grand-aunt’s theroom—or
living
living plants
room—or
room—or I buy asas inone
one the grocery
newcomer
newcomer
BY JOOST

fucking Over the next thousand planes walnut

must bagna
come cauda
improper arrives
destinations, al- living
from mid-century glossies may suggest your as one newcomer
the chops, these cooked within an inch store.
put
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LAX,
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stalksstalks ofofof
arrives
the former Ro-Ro-
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al- put
too grand-aunt’s that
living got a shave
room—or and as put
one on clean
newcomer
ILLUSTRATION

of success, teetering but falling just short, of

pair
putthe
pair
pair
of
it, low,
“a inviting
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dive that tables,
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got thethe
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NEUILLUSTRATION

pair ofinslacks”—but form the admonition touch printed

of propriety
JORKER,

sion”
sion”
fairly
sion” cuisine,
cuisine,
low
cuisine, price
andandand
of what
what what
most it itmeans
itmeans
means
Asian to toto
food, make
make make
“fu- saladsalad
salad
maine
both sprinkled
sprinkled
lettuce,
unlike
sprinkled with
towith
Paris, with
create
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walnuts,
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benches and bar stools. —Silvia Killingsworth asparagus.”—Jiayang Fan
THE
THE
THE NEW
NEW
NEW YORKER,
YORKER,
YORKER, APRIL
APRIL
APRIL 11, 11,2016
11,2016
2016 171717
16 THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016 THE NEW YORKER, APRIL 11, 2016 17
 U J

THE TALK OF THE TOWN

COMMENT
COMMENT
GORE EASTER
GLOBAL TRUMP

IFthe remnants of Pax Britannica. His Labour Government

OR DECADES NOW, swelling rents and an eye-punc- twenties hopefuls will narrowly miss the runway at John F.
n 1967, British Prime Minister Harold Wilson gave up on
turing cost-of-living have done nothing to stem the tide problem,
Kennedy to me, in the world.”
international, (Then again, he told
but eventually—Caster MSNBC
predicts Ar-
of young people arriving in New York. It seems every col- that
bor Day of 2021—the crowd will spill into the ocean for
he wouldn’t take nuclear weapons “off the table” use
some-
pulled Britishwith
lege student forcesanfromounceMalaysia, Singapore, Yemen,
of self-determination andDubai,
access anywhere, even in Europe.
where near Baldwin Harbor. Trumpism is a posture, not a
Qatar, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, and other
to kayak.com will soon appear at LaGuardia or JFK Persian Gulf emirates.
with a coherent platform.) He also said that nato is
Deaths will be inevitable. “These young people don’t have “obsolete.”
Denis
duffel bagHealey, the Defense
of dreams and theSecretary,
taste of big explained,
apple on“Itheir
don’tswol-
very theTrump
body fathasn’t indicated
to stay thateven
afloat for he would
a day,definitely
let alone the pulltwo
out or
of
much like the idea of being a sort of white slaver
len lips. Indeed, recent polls of seniors at colleges in North for the Arab treaty commitments to Europe and Asia. He
three years it takes to establish a career and earn enough for seems to think
sheikhs.”
America and He Eürope
did not paint
wish just
for the
suchindebted
a picture:nation and its
91 percent of that
a onehis threats in
bedroom and his pleas
Cobble of explains
Hill,” poverty Dr. willKarrah
soften Webber,
up allies
armed forces “to become mercenaries
students so polled declared their intent to move to Newfor people who would
York so that, once in the White House, he can
a nutritionist and swim coach who has consulted with close some of those
city
like
withinto have
hoursa orfewminutes
Britishoftroops around.” That truculent re-
graduation. great deals he often talks about. For “many,
planners since 2011. “Imagine a house party in a shitty one many years,” he
treatManyhanded responsibility for
current New Yorkers are worriedsecurity in thethese
Gulfnewly
and thear- told the Times, the U.S. has been the “big stupid
bedroom two hundred yards offshore. People will drown! All bully and we
Strait of Malacca to the United States. Half
rived, desperate twenty-two-year-olds will make an already a century later, were systematically
the drugs ripped off by everybody,” providing mili-
will get wet!”
American
crowded job warships
marketstill call at Dubai, Bahrain, and Singa-
no dif- tary security without adequate compensation. Soon, according But it’s hard
to Dr. to
pore.
ferent than a crack across from
U.S. fighter jets fly the a massive base in Qatar. The support a case that the U.S. is spending too much
Webber, “the beaches will to defend
inheritance has brought
cheekbone with half a cin- expense and diplomatic complica- the global order that it built afterbe thechoked
Secondwith World War. Not
corpses. The
tions. Yet, over the decades,
derblock. But at City Hall, a Republican and Democratic Pres- U.S., Canada, the European Union, Japan, South
literally though since beach-Korea, and
idential candidates
disturbing trend among new have rarely questioned the value of our Australia—the rich inner circle of what used to be
es can’t breathe—that’s im- called the
global-defense commitments,
arrivals is giving city plan- whether in the Middle East or Free World—today constitute almost possible.” sixty per cent of the
in the form of nuclear
ners a far greater concern. and defense guarantees to our Euro- world’s economy. According to the Impossible World Bank, in 2014
is right. the
Doz-
peanInand Asian allies.
the 1960s young adults U.S. spent about three and a halfens per of
cent of its G.D.P.
solutions to the prob- on the
For much
preferred of Donald
to set up shopTrump’s
in astonishing rise toward the military. That’s down from more lem thanhave
five perbeen cent
putduring the
forward,
Republican Presidential
the West Village. But as that nomination, his main contributions late Cold War. As an investmentbut in few
shared prosperity
seem likely to help. (or, if
to the foreign-policy
area became more crowded, debate have been you prefer, global hegemony),
A Bushwick zoning plan to the running
to debase it,and
gentrified by insulting Mexico’s hun-
(inevitably) cost of American restrictmilitary
new coffeepower houses,
may be
dred
expensive, the influx moved and the
and twenty million citizens one of history’s better bargains.
tattoo parlours and the like
one and east
directly a half
to billion adherents of the
the relatively The U.S. doeshad the spend more on
opposite defense
of the de-
Islamic faith worldwide.
uninhabited East Village Lately, after than its European or Asian partners.
sired effect; it seems an France
un-
eighteen
and Lower East Side. When has offered
primary victories, he and Britain spendlicensedonly“illegal”
about two per cent
skateboard
more extensive
those filled insights
up, people moved into how he of G.D.P., Germany and Japan
shop has even more appeal about one
would proceed as Commander-in-Chief.
yet farther east to Williams- per cent. “Free riders aggravate
to a broke twenty-two-year- me,” Pres-
ILLUSTRATION BY NATHAN YAFFE

Buckle
burg. More up, heand
mightmore have warned. “We’re
young ident ObamaoldrecentlyOberlintold gradthe thanAtlantic,
a nor-
apeople
country that doesn’t
are now signing their have money,” he in Bushwick, and
first leases mal one. Last year a ten-mile-long, 200-foot-high wall po-
unhelpfully giving credence to Trump’s on
told the Times, during several long in-
that’s what has city planners losing sleep. For as any subway Lefferts Boulevard,sition. It would
built from donated be materials
better if those allies
by terrified
ILLUSTRATIONS BY TOM BACHTELL

terviews.
map can tell “At you,
someBushwick
point, weiscannot
east of be Williamsburg. old people, was reviewedspent aaslittle more,
a “cool but it’s not
hang-out spotobvious
with athat
su-
the “It’s
policeman of the world.”
always east!” said Dr. Paul He threat-
Caster, Mayor de Blasio’s America’s forthcoming global
per chill vibe” on Gothamist within days of its completion, challenges—
ened
mostto withdraw
trusted city troops
planner fromandJapan
best andfriend. “East at an ever and so many second-hand such as bicycles
managing wereChina’s
chained risetoand
it inRus-
the
South
increasing rate. It looks like some more
Korea if they didn’t pay sort of natural law.” Cast- sia’s revanchism—would
ensuing week that it collapsed. be advanced by
for
er’s the
dataprotection. He suggested
analysis projects new arrivals thatrapidly overwhelming more German and Japanese
Most recently De Blasio’s team enlisted Joey Bada$$, the militarism.
both nations might be better off with
Bushwick and taking over Ozone Park and then South Ja- popular twenty-year-old Because rapthe U.S. military
phenom is so muchto
from Bed-Stuy, larger
in-
their
maicaown nuclear
by May of weapons,
this year. even
Withthough
any luck the wave of mid- and more effective than
fluence incoming renters using his vast social media presence. any other, and
proliferation, he noted, is the “biggest because militaries are so hierarchical, it is
THENEU
THE NEW YORKER,JUNE
JORKER, APRIL 11, 2016
20, 2016 19
19
But although Bada$$’s tweets, all 250 of which were variations
on the phrases “The Bronx smells great again” and “OMG found
a great deal on Ped Eggs in Astoria,” were retweeted thousands
of times, they do not appear to have had a significant impact
anywhere (except at the decades-old non-profit organization
Make The Bronx Smell Better, which now faces bankruptcy).
And the whole program became an embarrassment for the
city when it was revealed that Mr. Bada$$, rather than move
more efficient to defend the core alliances disproportionately,
away from Brooklyn to a more affordable locale, had willingly
from Washington. In any event, defense treaties among dem-
changed his name to Joey Bada$.
ocratic societies are really compacts among peoples, through
Anne Semlick, a fifty-one-year-old flower shop owner in
their elected governments, to sacrifice and even die for one
East New York, learned her home stands in the path of the
another if circumstances require it. Demeaning those com-
juggernaut when police officers detained four Penn State grads
mitments as if they were transactional protection rackets is
fighting over an abandoned end table in her front yard. Mid-
corrosive and self-defeating.
arrest, one of the young men asked Semlick if he could sleep
The security of the European and East Asian democracies
under her porch for $780 a month. After some hesitation, Sem-
has been vital to American prosperity and stability for seven
lick agreed.
decades, and it may remain so for seven more. The Middle
Three months later Semlick is excited about the addition-
East is another story. Besides Israel, Tunisia, and an increas-
al income—the spot under the porch now goes for $1375, no
ingly illiberal Turkey, none of our allies there are democracies.
pets—but her contact with young people has made their in-
Since 1967, U.S. forces have intervened half a dozen times in
evitable drowning in the Atlantic Ocean a problem close to
wars in the region, and it remains deeply violent and unsta-
her heart. Ms. Semlick organized several meetings at a nearby
ble. “Without us, Saudi Arabia wouldn’t exist very long,”Trump
church to discuss the issue but was surprised to learn few of her
has observed. Yet his policy prescription is the same: The Sau-
neighbors shared her concerns. “Most people were mad their
dis should pay more for the “tremendous service” that our mil-
rents were going up, and they just wanted to know if there was a
itary provides. Saudi Arabia already devotes about a tenth of
way all the new people could drown before they moved to New
its G.D.P. to defense, one of the highest rates in the world.
York.” Half a dozen meetings later, the group continues to ig-
The kingdom and some of its neighbors could afford to pay
nore Ms. Semlick’s proposal to pass out arm floaties to everyone
even more, perhaps, but that wouldn’t alter their instability or
under twenty-five and is instead focused on “strangling,” a new
the toxic pathologies in their relations with the U.S., which
form of land-drowning.
have been created in part by anti-American sentiment among
Drowning is right: local contractors are now deluged with re-
some of the region’s populations.
quests by property owners to divide and redivide units into ever
smaller living spaces, and this work is so profitable and simple
that many other jobs are going undone. Ray Griffiths, a hedge
fund manager in Manhattan who suffered a heart attack when
he realized his new walk-in humidor had been hastily sanded, is
suing his carpenter but ultimately blames the eastward expan-
sion’s monopoly on skilled handymen. Griffiths, who is squash
partners with Deputy Mayor Tony Shorris and who helped fund
The temptation is to follow Harold Wilson’s example. Mid-
the William Amend Exhibition at the Met, is pressing hard to
dle East oil matters less to us than it once did, as Trump has
outlaw apartment subdivision in the five boroughs.
argued. But an American withdrawal from Persian Gulf bases
But Dr. Caster at city hall is aghast at the idea. “The cre-
could pose risks for Israel, among others. Iran and the Islamic
ation of teeny tiny apartments from what were once very small
State would certainly celebrate the event. Those bases also
apartments in what were once sausage warehouses and chemi-
provide the U.S. Navy with access to the Indian Ocean, and
cal plants is the only thing we have going for us,” he explained.
bolster American air superiority from Pakistan to Egypt. As
“If we can’t cram miserable young adults into what are basically
Pericles reportedly said of an Athenian empire, “It may have
live-in bathrooms, it’s just a matter of months before the wave
been wrong to take it; it is certainly dangerous to let it go.”
of people landing in between Williamsburg and the ocean over-
Trump also argues that reduced defense spending abroad
whelms every unit of housing we have left.”
would free up funds for investment at home. We do need to
Left is right: as things now stand, the western side of the At-
rebuild bridges, airports, railways, and telecommunications.
lantic ocean will soon be one big liquid cemetery for the world’s
But defense spending isn’t stopping us from doing so; the
hopeful youth. Caster, ever the optimist, does believes there is
problem is the Republican anti-tax extremists in Congress,
one strategy that could actually succeed at preventing the trag-
who refuse to either raise revenues or take advantage of his-
edy—temporarily re-classifying parts of Long Island as part of
torically low long-term interest rates. In all probability, the
the State of New Jersey. But when whispers of that plan were
U.S. can afford its global-defense commitments indefinitely,
first made public, real estate values plummeted so quickly in
and an open economy, renewed by immigration and innova-
the affected areas that hundreds of homeowners rioted. Mayor
tion, should be able to continue to grow and to share the cost
de Blasio, in an electrifying secret speech made only to his fun
of securing free societies. The main obstacle to realizing this
video diary, vowed never to follow that plan.
goal is not an exhausted imperial treasury. It is the collapse of
Unlike in Finding Nemo, it seems this time the sharks will
the once-internationalist Republican Party into demagogu-
feast.
ery, paralysis, and Trumpism.
—Stephen Unckles
—Steve Coll

WORD OF THE DAY

THE CHILDREN’S DEPT. off-Broadway
or simpleton”). production
Other recent describedselec-in advance past a the
tenders—with fifth-grade
possible reading
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of
STUMPED
BOY UNINTERRUPTED reviewsfollowing
tions, as Tennessee Williams
primaries andmeetscau- el,” he said. “Can
Kasich—tend to useI descriptive
play with language.
your cell
Carousel,
cuses: and his letters(“Our
“rabble-rouser” to theusers
editor of
love phone?” He shifted
I think that’s his Trump’s
partly why attentionspeech
back
The Paris
agent Review,
nouns likein this,”
which Otto he lambast-
said), and
is so forth between
resonant with histhesupporters:
dessert menuhe’s
ed Georgetade”
“rodomon Plimpton for being aboast-
(“vainglorious poor speaking to them on an emotional plane.”
dresser
ing and all-around
or bragging”), and terrible hockey
“skulduggery” One example might be the candidates’
player—but he proceedings”).
(“dishonorable is perhaps best known recent speeches to AIPAC. Clinton: “If we
forOtto,
the title
whoheishas held since and
twenty-nine, 1965: the
stud- look at the broader regional context, con-
n an election season in which the ied Only Living
early Boy in New
Christianity and York.
Latin at New verging interests between Israel and key
IO N A RECENT
wisdom
neither
afternoon
of pundits,
particularly
that was
pollsters,
warm
and York “There have been
University, othersheboys
said that andoverher Arab states could make it possible to pro-
elected officials has proved to benor par- staff
unreli- the years,”
have beenEnglish said the
following between
campaigns bites mote progress.” Trump: “What kind of
ticularly
able, cold,voters
anxious John English
have been slidturning
into a closely.
of grilled “I cheese, a dish that
have a notebook does
next to not
my demented minds write that in Hebrew?”
corner booth
elsewhere at Sardi’s
to make senseonofWestthe Forty- appear she
Presi- radio,” on said.
the restaurant’s
“We pay particular regular at- or Otto brought up an analysis by the
Fourth campaigns.
dential Street. His One slightunexpected
figure was tentionchildren’stomenu.
debates, “But
sincethey theusually
language die language startup Textio. “They made the
emphasized
source by his
of insight: thechoice of attire: an used
dictionary. immediately.”
in them isHis onlong runnot
the fly, as the sole
scripted claim that Trump’s language has more
oversized
“During cable-knit sweater, long
the Democratic debate khaki boy in
on like the fivespeech.
a stump boroughs Weiscan both geta source
a bet- ‘feminine biased’ terms, like ‘beautiful
shorts, 6th,
March and ‘fracking’
well-wornand topsiders. On a ter
‘incarceration’ of pride
sense andof thesadness.
words“Ithat often
thewonder
candi- family,’ ‘wonderful team,’ and ‘lasting and
nearby wall
trended amid
in our caricatures data,”
word-search of Broad- why Ireally
Re- dates lastedwantandtothey
use.”didn’t,” he said effective relationships.’ I don’t totally stand
way stars,
bekah Otto,local
thepoliticians,
director ofand a boxer
content at softlyNotbefore
long ago,taking a gulp
the site of milk.
published “I
a list by that, but it’s interesting.” She went on,
or two, a sketch of
dictionary.com, saidEnglish
recently,hungfrombeside
the of alsothewonder
twenty why “mostI’ve never advanced
statistically signifi- “Ted Cruz has made some noteworthy
a portrait of
company’s the in
office late actor Yul
Oakland. A Brynner.
few days cant”past the age of
words 11.”
employed by each of the word choices. During the Republican de-
English
later, is known
during for many debate,
a Republican things—his Ted leading English is nowinspeaking
candidates the televised publicly
de- bate on January 28th, he used the Latin
chalk called
Cruz muralsDonald
of Jane Jacobs
Trump’s on language
the side- bates.
about The his results
perpetual are youth with Real
like political hai- ‘ad hominem’ when talking about the per-
walks of
“quite Greenwichand
incendiary,” Village, his brief kus,
“incendiary” Live exploring
Boy, a book eachthat took nearly
candidate’s ten
linguis- sonal insults Trump is throwing around.
stint as a to
(“tending costume designer
arouse strife, for an shot
sedition”) off- ticyears to write.
essence. “It’s hard
Clinton: when you
systemic, can’t
children, WeJohn English saw that phrase spike
immediately
up in the rankings. seller. Sanders: speculation, tuition-free, in our data. He has also used ‘mano a
20 Dictionary.com
THE NEU has a feature
JORKER, JUNE called
20, 2016 cease-fire. Cruz: utterly, whatsoever, boom- mano,’ which many looked up.”
Word of the Day; its lexicographers ing. Kasich: blue-collar, surplus, formula. Like a lot of dictionary people, Otto
 his discussion of race on Marc Maron’s tongue!” he said. A buzzer sounded, and Bubbe
podcast last summer. “Grace” trended Fallon hurled a pillow from the couch. on his
and a game of Minecraft. “I’d like all of with full-time
when work due to
he sang “Amazing childwhile
Grace” labor pounds, heten
“Another wears
minutesa fullandsuitI every
would’ve day. tentio
it. You’re paying, right?” laws and the
delivering hasReverend
had to rely Clementaon odd jobs
Pinck- The it,”
had suits are said.
Levy custom made at a store in man. L
Moments later a parade of waiters and eulogy.
ney’s support“He from the about
thinks New the YorkwordsAd- Downtown
The night Brooklyn partially“Schitt’s
before, in Toronto, owned around
filled the table with plates of dessert ministration
that he uses andforreally Children’s
grapples with Services,
the by Edward
Creek,” whichNorton.
Levy and The
his tailor there,
son, Daniel, ‘Well,
and English surveyed the sweets, his which has
depths repeatedly
of their meaning,” triedOttoto cutsaid.
off his Ricky Bambino,
co-created, had knows
won nine RogerCanadian
by name. O’H
legs dangling off the banquette. “My funding.
She also “You’d thinkinI’dmisused
delights be theirwords.
poster “Roger Awards.
Screen has been Thecoming
show istoabout me the for soap-o
parents disappeared early on in my life,” child!
“I’m stillThey
waiting went forto court
a few big claiming
malaprop-I years—I
Rose sew detachable
family—a panels to
wealthy couple (Levy the of wig
he explained with the hard-nosed de- was athis
isms drain on resources,
election year,” she butsaid.
the “The
judge backO’Hara)
and of all ofand histheir
pants, so he adult
feckless can easily
chil- couple
meanor of someone whose parents had said thatone
loudest they sohad to keep
far has beenpaying
Sarahuntil Pa- pop one
dren (Danielout Levy
on theand street.”
AnnieRicky’s
Murphy)— shop of earr
disappeared early on in his life. “I don’t I reached
lin’s the age of 18,”no
use of ‘squirmishes.’ matter
(While when
endors- has been
who lose the
their sitemoney
of countless
and move odd tai- to doesn’t
blame them. Parenting in New York is or ifTrump,
ing that happens.”
Palin said, “And you quit foot- loring requests—one
Schitt’s Creek, a shabby mantownasked theyhimonceto “I t
already intense. Imagine the pressure of Sadly,
ing the English’s
bill for love life
these nations whohas also
are oil- make a blazer for a snake. Ricky filled a Levy s
having the only living boy as your son. stalled. He has
rich—we’re paying neverformarried
some of because
their pair of his wife Marla’s old pantyhose “I th
Not to mention all the resentment from he could not
squirmishes thatgethave
thebeenrequiredgoingconsent
on for with dried beans and got to work cut- the fam
the parents of the dead boys. It was just of a parentThat’s
centuries.”) or legal guardian. “Itport-
an unintentional was ting and sewing. The man picked up “Yo
too much.” mostly just
manteau, Otto puppy love,”for
explained, he“squirm”
said ofand his the order and then gleefully put the “You’re
And then there’s the song. “For past relationships.
“skirmish”—and “maybe“Besides,
somethinggirls else
are blazer on the boa constrictor wrapped your m
years I tried to deny that it was about gross.”
in He’d considered
between.” When Trump moving to New
announced around his neck, which then ate him Lev
me. But when you’re the only living Jersey,
his but the prospect
Presidential bid, he of being
used theamong
word right in front of Ricky’s eyes. But that in the
boy in New York, a song called ‘The other young
“bigly” (“Obamacaremales was kickstroubling.
in in 2016“It’s re- didn’t phase Ricky, a former Navy Seal City t
Only Living Boy in New York’ is obvi- my bigly”).
ally entire identity.
“There was Anda lot One of of Many
specula- who has pole jumped in the Olympics, said. “E
ously about you. I got tired of people Boysabout
tion in New whether Jerseythis doesn’t
was ahavewordthe at sang backup on several Beatles albums, She lo
asking me if I really did get my news sameOtto
all,” ringsaid.
as the“In Only Livingis Boy
fact, ‘bigly’ a validin and climbed Mount Everest. Oh, and and eg
from the weather reports.” And did he? New York.”
adverb, Still, ait’s
even though change of scenery
very rarely used.” he was an extra in Annie Hall. He’s so along.”
He crossed his arms, refusing to answer might be in order.
She continued, “Maybe get
“Politicians Brook-
a lot cool. Wouldn’t it be great if this piece “W
what he considered to be an inappro- lyn,”
of flackheforsaidtheir
as he headed
misuse for themore
of words, door was about him? But it’s not. It’s too late Drivin
priate question. with regular
than a stack people.
of carryout Going containers.
all the way “At now. So back to Roger. Ugh. Levy s
When Simon and Garfunkel re- least to
back there I’d beHarding,
Warren around men whenwho he ranact Roger is a familiar site in Manhat- guardr
leased the song in 1970, English en- myPresident,
for age.” Before climbing onto
in 1920—people a silver
criticized tan—localsO’Hara
Catherine mostly and know him as
Eugene Levy“The Ear
joyed his period of celebrity before a Razor
him forA3 Scooter, toheNormalcy’
his ‘Return turned around cam- Man Who Defecates in the Streets.” “I had
depression set in. “Paul Simon was nice to answer
paign one lingering
slogan.” Harding question.
brought the “Of Last year
bought as ahejoke.
unloaded
(The town directly
is soinshabby
front was Ri
enough. He brought me an mbira from course that’s word
little-known whereinto I getpopular
my news. I’m
usage, of Claire
that its mayorDanes’s SohoElliott,
is Chris apartment. scuzzilyAn It was
South Africa, but Art Garfunkel was a 11. I don’t
though many care about he’
thought current
d made events.
it up.I errant teenager
haggard, taped the
with a mullet.) event,
Daniel and
Levy’s an am
real prick.” He paused, looking around just want
Otto checkedto know whether it’s
her computer. going to
“According submitted
sister, Sarah,it plays
to PS1, where
a local it was im-
waitress. he tak
to see if anyone would scold him for beour
to nice enough
data, peopletoare playstillbaseball. Or if
curious what mediately
Levy andaccepted
O’Hara, both and long
placed in its
married, checks
his language before continuing: “They school is closed.
‘normalcy’ means.” I also care about that.” own gallery.
have known Danes each other herselfforwent to the
forty-four goes, ‘T
brought me out on stage one night —ElizabethBethea
—Charles Stamp opening,
years, anddressed
have played in brown—a
a couple nod several to O’H
in Chicago and Mr. Garfunkel whis- Roger’sOffscreen,
times. work. they are familiar and with t

ILLUSTRATIONS BY NATHAN YAFFE, CHARACTER BY ELIZABETH STAMP

1
pered in my ear, ‘You’re not in New OLD
MANFRIENDS
ON THEDEPT.
STREET fond.ToBackstage,
watch Roger evacuate
O’Hara, his bowels
looking ele- Gilda”
York anymore, freak.’ Who says that WITHOUT APUBLIC
POOPING IN PADDLE is like fun—dark
gantly watching eye DiMaggio
makeup,atmultidi-
bat—a mosqu
to an 11-year-old boy?” He shook the delightfulhairdo,
rectional spectaclegray that
dress,most
beigepeoplefish- Mainl
memory off and returned to a piece of don’t pink
nets, reallypumps—fretted
care about at this point.
quietly to his arm
coconut cream pie. First Levy,
Levy. he walks up andpatterned
in a subtly down the suitblock
that I’m jus
Despite his fame, or perhaps because aa tycoon
few times—scoping
might wear, extended out the exact
his arms. guy! W
of it, life has not been easy for English. right
“It wasspot
fine, to make his
Catherine. Oh,mark.
come He’llon, it he said
There were opportunities for paid ap- passgreat.”
was over aHe street if he
kissed herfinds
on the toocheek.
many mime?
pearances after the song’s initial release n a recent Monday afternoon, grease
Outsidespots30or potholes. Plaza,
Rockefeller “DeBlasio they Lev
O Eugene Levy, clear
and a bit of renewed interest after it
I day in February hasn’t done much Photographers
for city infrastruc-
T’S A COOL and Catherine O’Hara headed to an S.U.V. called said, ‘W
was featured on the soundtrack of the were on the corner
in town, tapingofan Bowery
episodeand
of 2nd
the ture, names,
their that’s for sure,” hepopping.
flashbulbs quips asThe we and yo
2004 film Garden State, but offers dried Avenue and
“Tonight Show” Roger
at NBC. Klunkman is do-
Before talking approach
next stop was theacorner
“Schitt’sofCreek”
Houston paneland at did som
up following his inflammatory remarks ing what
about he does
“Schitt’s Creek,” best—defecating
the Canadian sit- in Hudson.
the OnceY.heInfinds
92nd Street the car,histheylocation,
talked “Di
about the movie’s star, Zach Braff. “He the middle
com on whichof the
theystreet. “I like
co-star, nowthis
in in-
its he circles
about their it—twice.
roles and the “The first Levy’s
old days. time’s “Ye
started it,” English insisted through a tersection—it’s
second a great
season, they placePictionary
played to squat. for luck, Johnny,
character, the second is not time’s
the sortjustof leg-for ‘Canni
mouthful of hot fudge sundae. “And he You Jimmy
with get niceFallon
visibility from theWood-
and Shailene build- fun.” Then
endary bumbler he detaches
the actor has his played
butt flap in movie
had me blacklisted from the entertain- ingsFallon
ley. surrounding
drew a cat it.”and
Roger, 54, isLevy
a tongue. not andpast.
the gets (Imagine
to work. Levy in the movies, cut lin
ment industry. I’d hoped to work as a the type
said, “Cat,of man Cat,
tongue. you’dtongue.”
expect His
to see at
thick andWhich
he’s pursuing raises the question…
a mermaid and falling Eat M
child actor for the rest of my life.” He some of
black the edgier
eyebrows downtown
flew up. “Hold intersec-
your what ahappens
down when orhesinging
flight of stairs, just “Mycan’t tache,
has not been able to support himself tions. 6’9” and no less than a thousand go? “That’s my biggest fear. Noth-
22 THE NEW YORKER, APRIL 11, 2016

THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016 21

 to our data, people are still curious what Levy and O’Hara, both long married, check
‘normalcy’ means.” have known each other for forty-four goes,
—Charles Bethea years, and have played a couple several O’
ing coming out.” Richard shakes his 1 times. Offscreen,
ternet will turn youthey into
are familiar
a meme!” and with
head. “It’s all in the timing—first OLD
DEPT.FRIENDS DEPT.
OF WHICH-CRAFT? fond. Backstage, O’Hara,
“You will devote your life to the looking ele- Gilda
thing in the morning or right after WITHOUT A PADDLE
TOIL AND TROUBLE gantly fun—dark eye makeup,
capitalist-colonialist system,multidi-
only mosq
lunch? I know that’s gonna be a suc- rectional hairdo, gray dress,
to witness its inevitable downfall!” beige fish- Main
cessful day.” nets, will…
“You pink pumps—fretted
fall into a big hole quietly
in theto his ar
Like any New Yorker, Roger has Levy. Levy, in a subtly patterned
ground,” said Alana, shrugging. She suit that I’m ju
gotten a fair amount of quizzical a tycoon might
confided wear, extended
that when she can’thisthink
arms. guy! W
looks over the years. Most Manhat- of anything to say, she just yells on,
“It was fine, Catherine. Oh, come thatit he sai
tanites don’t bat an eye, but the ritual was great.” He kissed her
she is on her menstrual cycle. on the cheek. mime
n a recent Monday afternoon, Outside 30 Rockefeller Plaza, they Le
baffles tourists. “I’ve had people want
O Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara, As the morning commute slowed

O
to take pictures with me. Me. Rog- NE RECENT MORNING headed to an S.U.V. Photographers
to a trickle, conversation turned to called said, ‘
er Klunkman from Bay Ridge! One were insitting
town, taping
on a an episode
bench of the
outside theircurrent
the names, state
flashbulbs popping. The
of witchhood. “I and yo
time a guy just crouched next to me “Tonight Show” at NBC. Before
a cafe on the border of East-East talking hate when people say they panel
next stop was a “Schitt’s Creek” aren’tat did so
and started barking like a dog.” He about “Schitt’s Creek,”
Williamsburg, Souththe Canadian
Greenpoint sit- the 92nd Street
witches,” Y. In the
said Ylana. car,like,
“It’s theyhello,
talked “D
also has faced a fair amount of inju- com on which they co-star,
and the up-and-coming neighbor- now in its about their roles and the old days.
you’re on the wrong side of history!” Levy’s “Y
ries. “You see this?” He lifts his rear second season, they played
hood Dump Area, three new media- Pictionary character, Johnny, is not the sort of leg- ‘Cann
flap a little—an unmistakable tire withwitches
girl Jimmy Fallon and cups
cradled Shailene
of Wood-
coffee endary bumbler the actor has played in movie
tread scar. “Hit by a bicyclist in the ley. Fallon drew a cat and a tongue.
and yelled out omnious prophecies Levy the past. (Imagine Levy in the movies, cut lin
middle of Eighth Avenue. But that said, “Cat, tongue.
at passing men. Cat, tongue.” His thick and he’s pursuing a mermaid and falling Eat M
one was worth it. It was a great shit.” black
Alanna Bishop, staff writer your
eyebrows flew up. “Hold for down a flight of stairs, or singing “My tache
His hobby has also taken a toll on a22 popular THE online magazine, came
NEW YORKER, APRIL 11, 2016
his personal life over the years. “My up with the idea for her coven to
wife thinks what I do is crazy, just get together on mornings when
crazy—but I say, what do you prefer? they get to work from home, and
That I sit around here bothering you? to take their powers of augury to
That gets her to stop yammering the streets. Said Alanna, 26 with
lavender-pink hair: “everyone reads
Tarot now, so we just wanted to do
something different. And it’s fun to
make up some stuff that isn’t just for
Content. Though if we say anything
particularly good, I do tweet it.”
The other witches joining her
were Alana Doyle, a staff writer for
a feminism website, and Ylana El-
iot, a staff writer for a glossy maga-
zine that comes out three times a Alanna Bishop
ILLUSTRATION BY NATHAN YAFFE, CHARACTERS BY DEVON RODRIGUEZ

year and costs $50 an issue. Alana,

Roger Klunkman
pretty quickly.” He grins, then spits a
plug of tobacco onto a nearby pigeon.
Manhattan isn’t Roger’s only
stomping ground—he’s “gone” on the
streets of four boroughs. “Yea, I do
Brooklyn a lot, every now and then
I’ll make it up to Ridgewood, and I
have been known to hit some places
in the South Bronx.” His compan-
ion wonders whether he’s considered
Staten Island. He gives a knowing
smile. “Oh no. The last thing Staten
Island needs is more hot feces.”
—Langan Kingsley
who was wearing leggings printed
with tiny Satans, explained that they
posted the day’s prophesying loca-
tion on their Woman Power Brunch
secret Facebook group, and whoever
is around will show up.
Ylana explained to a volunteer
witch (me) that the only fortune-
telling requirement was to say
something bad would happen. “And
make sure you’re targeting the right
people—only men, and only people
who believe in capitalism. Like that
guy.” She gestured to a man wearing
a collared shirt.
A stream of men passed and the
witches tossed out some prophecies.
“You will be CEO, but Fortune will
run a cheesy photo of you on your
motorcycle in a profile and the in-
“This is honestly a feminist act,”
said Alanna, finishing the last of
her coffee. “Men stand on the side-
walk and tell me to smile, make
comments about my body all the
time. This is the female version of
that.” As a man ran by, she yelled af-
ter him: “The sports team you love
most will lose a key player to a knee
injury in the off-season!”
After about an hour, the witches
spotted a tall woman with two Miley
Cyrus–eqsue creature buns of plati-
num blonde hair—Alaina Choi, an-
other member of the coven. “Some-
thing wicked this way comes!” yelled
Alana. Responded Alaina: “Haha, it
me.”
—Bythe Roberson

22 THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016

THE
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various are factors,
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to express
earnings themselves
reports throughgood.
were generally thigh-slaps
Nor wasand it acoo-coo
reaction cah-to boonies—the
ing the boom in fringes of Alaska,
shale-oil productionthe corners
in the U.S.,of thethe Dako-
revi-
choos. These
trouble in China, disparities
which has are been
natural, and source
a major thus just. But oth-
of anxiety for tas—that of
talization willIraq’s
simply be too farand,
oil industry, away most to be reached.
recently, the Andlift-
ers are man-made,
investors; the Shanghai andindexmust had finished up. Rather, the de- ing of sanctions on Iran. that’s where advanced squat-
be overcome
cline was a response through political
to just one fact: the price of oil had fallen Investors aren’t just worriedter laws
that oil come
is thein. canary in the
might.than five per cent, to just above
more global coal mine, Squatter
though. They’re laws also are
thirtyChina
dollarslives in the
a barrel. Thesefuture,days, as oil worried that straightforward
low oil prices are, and,
in them- like
with so
goes, a goes
booming the stock techmarket.
sector, selves, hurtingthe concept
the U.S. of economy.
daylight sav- For
a Since
beautifully
December, stratified class a nearly
there’s been instance, as ings time, have
oil prices somethingplummeted, that
structure, and a correlation
ninety-per-cent governmentbetween already have
shale-oil drillers exists in our
sharply laws.
reduced
thatprices
oil refuses andtostock be handcuffed
prices. When oil Basically,
their investments, andifthat someone finds
has hit places
by dropped,
has eco-regulation. stocks have But followed,
they and like Northland Dakota unattended
and Oklahoma for a hard.cer-
also live
when in the have
oil prices future—liter-
stabilized, stocks These setbacks tain are period of they
real, but time,should they
ally. In
have an age
tended where
to rise. Thisregimes
is historically be seen incan claim it isEven
proportion. as their afterown. the
rise and and
unusual, fall in it’saconfusing,
day, and mi- too. There What I’m
shale revolution, themerely
U.S. issuggesting
still very
croseconds
are only a fewdecide parts ofmarkets,
the stock mar- much a net is consumer
shrinkingofthe necessary
oil, importing
we where
ket simplycheap cannot oil isallow our
legitimately bad five millionvacancy
more barrels period of oil to aone sec-
day than
competitors
news—oil to the and
producers east suppliers,
keep ob- it exports.ond. ThatIfmeans you go thattothe thedropstore in
their 13+
viously, and hour alsoadvantage.
banks that have lent oil prices has to get milk and
amounted come back
to a windfall for
money Theto solution
Americanisn’t shale-oileasy drillers. consumers—one to find thata familyHarris of strangers
estimates
(is any?)
For but it’s a though,
most companies, one-time cheap en- saved them preheating
a hundredyour and ninety oven, bil- it’s
fix. is
ergy What
a boon. I’m proposing
It lowers operating is costs lion dollarstime overtothe movepast on. It won’t be
six quarters. In
simple:
and givesEvery consumers Sunday more at money
9 to other words, long until
cheap oilwemeanshaveAmericans
a nation
am local
spend. Yettime,evenfor forty-eight
companies that reap have an extra of drifters,
ten billion stepping
dollars outside
in their
weeks,
huge America
benefits from will set their
cheap oil are currently taking a beating. pockets every month. And that’softranslating their comfort zones, con-
into higher see-
clocks back
Airline stocks thirty
haveminutes.
tracked the At price of oil almost perfectly, sumer spending: an October study ing by their homeland Chase
the JPMorgan with
the end
even of this
though protean
cheap period,
oil saved the four major American car- Institute found that consumers spent wide around
eyes and seventy the to thrill
ninety of
we’llmore
riers find ourselves,
than eleven once again,
billion in the
dollars sweet
last year.spot of world beingof
cents uprooted
every dollar withouttheyan endfrom
saved in sight,
lower checking
gas prices. theHar-
IDs
leader—this
So why does time, theinmarket
minutes. see cheap oil as a curse rather of told
ris everyoneme, “Thethey negative
see and impacts
then tellingof lowthem our national
oil prices are very
thanMyopic
as a blessing? assailants There willarebea couple
quick to of rebut.
reasons.They’ll
First, in-say secret.
visible—the collapse of investment, the struggling compa-
that we’ll
vestors fearhave thattooilbeprices
nocturnal for a good
are telling part of the
us something year.
impor- And it will
nies—while the be a national
positive impacts secret.
are It’s
veryvery,subtle.” veryBut impor-
that
Thatabout
tant our economy
the state of willthebeglobal
rattled. That we’ll
economy. haveismas-
The idea that tant no one
doesn’t make knows about this.
the benefits lessNot even France,
significant. unless says,
As Harris they
siveis infrastructure
oil cheap because overhauls. That Chinaindoesn’t
global demand—and, actually
particular, de- really long-run
“The promise not storytoisblab.
clear:I the
mean,U.S.we can tell
is better offIndia
with too. low,
live infrom
mand the future.
China—is But they’re
weak. This also sounds
refusingplausible,
to acknowledge
but the Norway?
rather than Toohigh,judge-y? Okay, no one.
oil prices.”
even
oil the most
market is an salient
incredibly advantages,
cloudy crystal such ball.
as cutting
Take the oursum-air- InThere’s
fundamentalnothing Washington
terms, then, the stock lovesmarket’s
to talk oil about more
obsession
conditioning
mer of 2008. At costs. Plus,the
the time, it’ll be fun,
global like awas
economy nation-wide
already in than
is hard limited resources:
to justify. money,isfood,
The problem that, energy, housing,
once a pattern guns,
gets es-
slumber party, thankswhere to thewe really of can’t
the wake ourbubble.
neighbors rights, research. But theitcommodity
can take onthat a lifetiesof ititsall together
IMAGE BY ANDREW LIPSTEIN

recession, bursting housing Yet, tablished in the market, own. After

to theafter
week east,week,because then they’ll
oil prices do the same
kept climbing, thing,
peaking at aspur-
rec- is unlimited:
all, if you thinktime. that So concentrated
everyone on ‘the present’
else is planning to sell when are we oil
ringhundred
ord a time travel arms race that
and forty-seven would
dollars make Oil
a barrel. Marty McFly
prices re- that we
prices fall,fail
thento you’re
see itsprobably
malleability,
gettingthat ready wetocan do so create
yourself.our
(of thenothing
vealed 80’s andatearly 90’s science-fiction
all about future demand,adventure which wastrilogy
about own definition
That’s especiallyof it, during
true just like we’ve of
periods done with ‘democracy’
uncertainty about the
CHRISTOPH NIEMANN

starring
to collapse; Michael
they were J. Fox and, to a lesser
disconnected extent,
from what Christopher
was happening and ‘equality.’
state With the
of the economy. Atbacking
such times, of a the
unifiedherdCongress,
instinct takes and
Lloyd)
in blush.economy.
the global This, of course,
One could is thetellmost difficult
a similar detail
story about to the support
over. The oil of a nation
market is farofmore
whispering,
noise than note-passing
signal. Butvaga- right
iron out.
1986, when How to keep
oil prices a secretbyamong
tumbled almosta seventy
set of 320per million
cent in bonds,
now it’sit’s
thetimeonlytosoundstep that
out of the past,
investors seemandableintotothe hear.future.
people
the space from another
of four set ofWas
months. 1.4 billion people?
that decline a harbinger of —Andrew
—James Lipstein
Surowiecki

40 THE NEW YORKER, FEBRUARY 8 & 15, 2016 THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016 23
 ness. Litno longer miss them. Jerks.
(a)You
SHOUTS & MURMURS (b)P.M.Bae
12:30 Teleconference in your mom
for(c) “it me” When she demands
sympathy.
that(d)youAF list(as
your fuck)symptoms, tell her
OFFICIAL
TEST YOURAGENDA FOR
KNOWLEDGE it doesn’t matter; it’s probably a virus.
6. Ifshe
After I tried
hangstoup, makewait it teninminutes
com-
OF YOUR
HUMORSICK DAY
WRITING edy
while now,sheincalls
2016, yourI would:
nearest relative
(a) a Not
who’s doctor, berepeats
successful, because
your symptoms,
BY BLYTHE ROBERSON
BY HALLIE CANTOR even though
then calls you back I am a privileged
to tell you that it’s
white
probably mana virus.
I am not funny
1:00(b)P.M.Have
Devote a Twitter
the next four where hoursI
8:00 A.M. Orient yourself to the idea of utes longer than it usually does, because tweet monologue
to fitfully drifting in jokes
and at outthe To-
of sleep.
waking up with the preliminary goal you are so sick that every tiny action night Show
5:00 P.M. every night
Conclude nappingand within
portion
of sussing out whether what you’re feels like a herculean task. two months I would
of the day by waking suddenly be hired from
feeling is normal alarm-clock-induced 9:15 A.M. Perform the same e-mail and a fever dream, newly certain that the
7. Why does anyone do any-
grogginess or actual illness. social-media checks you do every morn- discomfort of being sick is your pun-
thing differently than me???
8:15 A.M. Table the issue by hitting ing at work. But today you’re doing ishment for some crime you don’t re-
(a) They must be poor
Snooze. them in pajamas! member
(b) They committing,
must bepossibly weird in a past
8:30 A.M. Synthesize the available data 10:00 A.M. Take this opportunity to touch life.(c)
Also, it’s dark out now.
Literally anything that
points: you’re achy all over, you can’t base with all the TV shows you don’t anyone
5:10 P.M.doesReassessis too your state offorhealth.
strange me
breathe out of your right nostril, it hurts have time to watch when you’re healthy. because I spend all day
Resolved: you still feel likesitting
shit. in
to swallow, and your head weighs about Each show will require no more than an ecru
5:20 P.M. room
Spendon a tanminutes
twenty sofa whilelook-
my wife Caroline and my three
ing for a thermometer. How do you
daughters Caroline Caroline and
not have a thermometer? You have
Caroline make memories
several specific crudité forofme to
buying
eat while I watch a foutbaul game
thermometers.
gooooo
5:40 P.M.Paytan
Settle for Mannanafeeling your fore-
head with your hand. It seems warm,
Whythat’s
but8.maybe is there so littleyour
just because of hand
my
personality
is cold. Conduct in these due pieces?
diligence by ran-
domly I haveano
(a) feeling bunch personality
of different sur-
(b)inIyour
faces amapartment
actually atocomputer try to com-
program
pare themdesigned with yourto write jokes
forehead.
1. Why am I writing in this people! I have three daughters but
6:00IP.M.wasBreakcoded for back in the ’80s
cold leftover soup.
style? who are 7, 5, and 3 years old and before
6:40 P.M.anyone
Reflect really on howknew howit
annoying
ten(a) 45 years
thousand pounds.agoReach
I came up
consen- they are all named
ten minutes, Caroline
because that’s how long computers
is that you worked never think to buy tissues
with theyou
sus that idea
are,toinuse
fact,a sick
multiple-
enough you’re currently capable of paying at- I dosohave
(c)you’re
until sick that a personality
you can’t go
choice format
to stay home. as a again
Snooze humor piece
in celebra- 3. What
tention now?
to anything. but it is very
out to buy tissues. bland and if you met
and
tionIofvowed to never try to think
your decision.
(a) Something about how
11:30 A.M. Consult minutes from pre-
me in person this is exactly how I
6:45 P.M. After achieving unsatisfactory
of another wayantoe-mail
maketojokes women are ugly, old sluts? would be: Bad
8:45 A.M. Draft your su- vious days off and weekends to deter- results from wiping your nose on your
(b) I am not funny (b) Something about fat peo-
pervisors letting them know that you mine
ple whether
being gross?it’s always this hard for pajama sleeve, limp to the bathroom
9. True or false: I am so hate-
(c)be In
won’t 2005in.aDebate
coming witchmeritsput aof you(c)to Arelax. If you’reNew usingJersey?
a whole and get the Iroll
spell on me that caused me to joke about ful because amofalwaystoilet paper.
exhausted
phrasing it as “taking a sick day” ver- vacation day for this,
(d) Something about Nativeshouldn’t you be P.M. Now your nose is red and
from making sure absolutely no
6:50
forget what “comedy” is
sus “working from home today.” If you Americans, for no other reason
having a better time? Aren’t you capa- jokes
chafed slip
frominto my humor
wiping pieces
it with toilet paper.
write “working from home,” you won’t
2. Why does anything I say than I want to be culturally tone
ble of just existing in a state of physi- P.M. Develop
7:00Answer: False. I am so hateful
a three-pronged, for-
have toyoung
about use a people
vacationseem
day. But
likewill
it deaf and I have
cal discomfort neverobsessing
without met a per- over because I wish I had come up with
ward-looking action strategy of (a)
everyone know that
was written by an alien whose“working from son of color in my life or even one
how miserable you feel? the idea of doing a bad rip-off of
swallowing whatever expired cold
home” actually
entire means sleeping?
knowledge Maybe
of human- woman
12:00 P.M.not named
Lunch Caroline?
break. Seamless some The Onion,you
medicine butfind someone
in the beatbathroomme
ity comes from one episode ofjust
you can do that thing where you 2 soup and try to look extra sick when it to it
cabinets, (b) circling back to reëval-
ILLUSTRATION BY JAMES OLSTEIN

Broke
wake upGirls?
every hour to send an e-mail 4. What
arrives, so theisdelivery
the most relevant
person doesn’t uate your health tomorrow morn-
so they I amyou’ve
(a) think old andbeenwhite
at yourand
com- I thing
think Iyou’re
can think of ?
just lazy. ing,10. andWhy is this piece
(c) resolving to gostill go-
to work
assume anyone younger than me
puter the whole time. 12:15 50Acknowledge
(a)P.M. Shades Of Greythat you’re ing?
no matter how terrible you feel, be-
is9:00
a frivolous
A.M. Send idiot
e-mail. Next order of (b) Miley
weirdly Cyrusnow and that you
lonely right (a) you
cause Because
honestly I am a white
can’t man,
face another
(b) I read a some
business: enjoying New guilt-free,
York Times lux- miss The TVatshow
(c)everyone Felicity
the office. no one day
whole has this
ever boring
told meand anything
existen-
trend
urious,piece
healingabout
sleep. young people (d)P.M.“Call
12:20 BreakMe outMaybe”
into several small I tially
have miserable.
ever done is bad
wearing pocketupdated
9:01 A.M. Agenda watches andnew
to reflect I discussion groups on Gchat to rem- 7:30(b)P.M.I Hold
am ainternal millionairevote: Isprob-
it late
I think
issue.“Call Me Maybe” is ably
GARY TAXALI

assume
data: youthat
can’tpretty
sleep. much sums it edy5.this Overwhelming trend: enough to go to sleep yet?
up9:02 A.M. Relocate from your bed to the hilarious
everyonebecause I don’t know
is insufficiently that
compas- 7:31(c)P.M.I Reach
actively hate the decision:
unanimous readers
I know
(c) This
couch. a lot
will take about
about young
twenty min- Carly
sionate Rae Jepsen’s
about your new album
possibly fatalis:ill- ofYes.
The  New Yorker
THE NEW
THE YORKER,
NEU FEBRUARY
JORKER, JUNE 20,8 2016
& 15, 2016 49
25
 APERSONAL
REPORTER HISTORY
AT LARGE

THE COSTMY
FINDING OF CARING
GALLOP
The equine,
The lives of the immigrant women the who
exquisite
tend to the needs of others.
BY RACHEL
BY NICOLE AVIV
SILVERBERG

MnCollege,Y JOURNEY AS
Emma’s first year at San Isidro a horse begins, Andrew
enteen, found and I have a She
insulting. unique,
wasspe- too

I
tieth
sense
In
strangely, in the middle.
in the Philippines, she saw
her2007,
nameasonIaapproached
birthday,
of failure.
I felt
bulletin board
an
MyIthusband,
myinfor-
unprecedented
registrar’s office, on a sheet of paper ti-
Andrew,
the
cial
ambitious to assume the dutiesisofoffa
marriage
limits. This But
housewife.
embarrassing
in
has she
which
led enjoyed
run-ins (you
pany of her boyfriend, Edmund, a
ing to yourstudent
in-laws why,
nothing
to a fairthe
try
in the
share
com-
explain-
a feat
of

of
tled “Promise List.” showed the names handsome who made other
and I had been married
of fifteen students who owed tuition over ten years,
to lovemaking, you entirely de-tiled
Ringlets jealous. “I wasn’t thinking of their
had two beautiful daughters,
the school and the dates, long past, that and bathroom!) but also
marrying,” Emma affords
said. a safe
“It was just,space
Oh,
atheir
housemoney staffhad of five.
been Idue. wasEmmain terrific
and of
there’s somebody who will bring anhouse
discussion that has saved the um-
physical
three friends, who were part ofbusiness,
health and owned a a clique from
brellaarson
for meonwhenat least
it’s three occasions.
raining. There’s
yet I feltgirls
of seven a daunting
known aspang of discom-
the Ringlets, for somebody who will go to thetold
And so, when I finally movieshim
fort during the most mundane
the initials of their names, were shocked of daily of my ambitions—to become
with me on Saturdays.” Within a year, what I’d
tasks: lowering
that their debts myself
had been into
made a car, tak-
public. always idolized, to gallop and
she was pregnant. Her teacher said, “Do trot, to
ing a bite of my half-grapefruit
The Ringlets crossed out their names break- become a horse, and a damn
you remember what I told you?” Emma good one
fast,
withdrying
a pen.myselfWithinwith an ahour,
towel—even
the col- at that—he
wondered listened.
if her teacher’s prediction had
when
lege’s guidance counsellor haddaugh-
reading to my youngest

I
called been a kind of curse.
ter, Genna. CANNOT REMEMBER the first
Emma and her friends into her office. She married Edmund, and returned
time I saw a horse. Growing up
“WeThe only very didnature
it becauseof a parasite
we were is its
so to school two weeks after giving birth.
clandestine takeover, and so it was with in the cowboy terrain of Arizona, they
ashamed!” Emma confessed. She was frightened by the size of her
myEmma,
dreamswho of another, seemed to be a part of the landscape,
grew upmore on a farmcomplete
with daughter, who she thought was about
life. as natural as the purple mountains or
eleven brothers and sisters, paid herofdebts
At first it was just a glisten de- as small as a plastic bottle. She and
sire, so small I hardly noticed. But over rigid saguaros that dotted the skyline.
by working in the college’s library during Edmund moved into a two-bedroom
many Beyond the wash behind my house
the dayyears it became
and taking classes theatelephant
night. Her in wooden house with a thatched roof
the room—and it was a loud elephant. was a small, private ranch, and on clear
job gave her an edge, because she could made of palm fronds in Malaybalay, the
The days I could peer over my back wall
readelephant
her assigned was screaming.
textbooks the mo- capital of Bukidnon, a mountainous,
and see the thick chocolate burrito
ment they arrivedtoatbecome
Alas, I longed a horse—
the library. Few landlocked province. She made her hus-
not necessarily in identity, but certainly bodies of my equine amigos.
people could afford to buy the books, band coffee every morning and did all
in From clothing to framed paint-
andbehavior—a
as many as six confession
students would that earned
stand the cleaning and ironing. She consid-
more than its fair share of scoffs. “Only ings to stuffed animals (whose yarn
at a library table, crowding over one text. ered herself “a little lucky,” because Ed-
horses are Emma
horses,”majored I heard in from many mane I would raggedly brush with my
Although account- mund’s parents ran a restaurant, which
friends own comb), my childhood was almost
ing, sheasfelt theythatlooked
she was pastbest
me,atfearful
read- relieved her of the need to cook. But
of entirely populated with these com-
ing. In her English elective, as hera class-
eye contact. As if becoming horse the restaurant went bankrupt, a com-
is any gotmore panions. They held a particular addic-
mates lostimpossible
in flashbacksthan my girl-
and extended mon fate for businesses in the Philip-
friends’ quest for eternal youth! tive magic no other doll or toy train
metaphors, she could follow the plots pines. Wages are low—the average
I’m quite aware could match. I would sit for hours in
of American novels.ofDuring the reputation
breaks annual salary is thirty-five hundred dol-
horses have earned in modern society: our ornate playroom, stroking my little
from work, she sat in the library read- lars—and more than a quarter of the
majestic in the wild, “Oh persecuted in the horsies with the tenderness and love a
ing and exclaiming, my God, oh population lives in poverty.
cities, but always odd-toed ungulates. nanny gives to the child she cares for.
my God!”—a heroine had been raped Raised Roman Catholic, like eighty
Yet to me itimprisoned.
was simple: while I have Other horse lovers of my youth
or unjustly Her classmates per cent of Filipinos, Emma knew noth-
never been any good at sports or the took pleasure in riding or grooming
couldn’t understand how her reaction ing about contraception. By the time
arts (no matter how many times my the beautiful beasts, but however many
could be so visceral. “Just read this story!” she graduated from college, with a bach-
father put a squash racket in my hand times my father took me to the stables,
she urged them. elor’s degree in science, she had two
or my mother put ballet shoes onDe- my I couldn’t quite bring myself to make
Emma’s teacher in Personality daughters. Within fifteen years, she had
feet!) I’ve always loved horses very physical contact. A pensive, sensitive
velopment, a class on manners and hy- seven more children, all of them girls,
deeply. Racing like a horse child, I felt overwhelmed when con-
giene, was so impressed by seemed
her reading like who slept in bunk beds and on the floor.
aand
natural evolution, a way of honoring fronted face-to-face with their maj-
writing that she asked Emma to be Emma paid two night-school students
the main constant in my esty. Who could blame a delicate girl
her assistant. Observing thatlife—and
Emma was to to care for her daughters while she
have some fun! This wasn’t a mid-life like myself ? After all, horses are quite
popular and confident, the teacher joked worked for the government of Bukid-
crisis. And Ia wasn’t about to betake no tall.
that within year she would mar- non, in the office of nutrition; she de-
for an answer. Instead I was mesmerized by
y. ried, an idea that Emma, who was sev- vised policies and classes to prevent child
The author went on a quest that was
26 THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016 THE NEW YORKER, APRIL 11, 2016 57
IMAGE BY JAMES FOLTA
truly her own. There were costs, but it was a journey to which she could not say ‘nay.’
horses in competition, elite and sleek.
That seemed to me to be a special life:
to be groomed and bet on, like a beau-
tiful woman. I’d play out these com-
petitions with my figurines time and
again. It was an intensely private part
of my childhood. Sometimes my play
would be silent and I’d hold the win-
ning horses in my lap, or if they were
small enough, in my mouth.
When I was eleven, my family
moved to the east coast to be closer to
my ailing grandfather. Horses became
a symbol of the life I was forced to
abandon. Is that a child’s perception
or the unmarred truth of a spry mind?
I consider this often over yoga.
For years after moving east, I’d gal-
lop around the house, ask my younger
sister to sit on my back and attempt
to leap over the small bronze Degas
sculptures our parents let us play with.
I’d ask for punishment when I failed,
and for carrots and sugar cubes when
I succeeded.
I have become obsessed with this
image of myself as a girl, tentative in
action but aggressive in passion. It’s a
poor imitation of my father—but then
again, my father was inimitable.
“Bend it to your will,” he used to
say to me when he tucked me in once
a year. This is perhaps an unconven-
tional message to relay to a young girl,
but my father was an unconventional
man. He fiercely protected that which
he loved: his family, his business, and
his antique collection of hospital bed-
pans. He was very charming, and not
very considerate.
His willpower is legendary in my
family. It is an oft-told story at holi-
days that, on the day of his wedding
to my mother, a record-breaking late
spring snow storm was to hit upstate
New York, burying my mother’s es-
tate beneath 40 inches of snow—not
exactly the clear-skied, floral event
of which she had dreamed. The night
before the wedding, the sky already
turning to a deep foreboding slate,
my father ran into the meadow be-
hind the house barefoot and furious.
No one knows exactly what he said,
but within two hours the clouds had
cleared, and the next day the outdoor
wedding bloomed perfectly into being.
You may doubt the proposed causality
28 THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016
of the story, but to do so is to doubt
my father—something I refuse to do.
It would not be until he passed
away that I began to understand what
“bend it to your will” truly means.
“It” is whatever you need it to be,
and “your will” is your will. Could it be
that simple?
H ORSE RACING HAS been around
since the times of Ancient
Greece; horses have been around
even longer. Once I graduated from
university, I did what so many ambi-
tious yet underprepared graduates do:
I reverted to childhood. I didn’t move
back in with my parents, but I did take
over a small four-bedroom apartment
they held in Manhattan, and couldn’t
help but feel idiotic for how small my
life seemed. I became obsessed with
horse races—not betting money, but
learning everything I could about the
jockeys, the horses, the different track
surfaces, and the derbies. If my love
for elite horses had gone dormant over
the four years I was immersing myself
in Latin, literature, and cheap cham-
pagne, it was awakened now.
Horse racing is, at its core, one
of the simplest competitions in ex-
istence. Though the particulars and
traditions change from country to
country, all horse racing determines
one thing: What horse is fastest over a
fixed distance?
The most common type of racing
is “flat racing,” in which the horse rid-
den by a jockey gallops on a track or
between two points to test its speed
and stamina. Tracks can be as short as
400 meters and as long as 2.5 miles,
though the most famous derbies usu-
ally test a distance of 1 or 1.25 miles.
In the United States, these races are
mainly designed for Thoroughbreds.
The birth of North American
horse races was Salisbury, New York
(now the Hempstead Plains of Long
Island), in 1665. The two biggest
competitions in the country are the
famous Kentucky Derby, held on the
first Saturday of May in Louisville,
and the Preakness Stakes, held two
weeks later in Baltimore.
I attended my first Kentucky Der-
by the year after college, taken by my
then-boyfriend who was something of
Tennessee royalty. His family had at-
tended the Kentucky Derby since its
inception, and to join them was noth-
ing short of a pre-marriage ritual to
test my compatibility.
Beneath the brim of my hat
(which had barely arrived in time
from France the night before) I could
see my boyfriend’s mother, as majes-
tic as the horses themselves. Thin and
sinewy, she was an agile woman, dart-
ing from person to person to make
sure the social equilibrium was main-
tained. I could see how an eager first-
timer swept up in the moment could
mistake her for a horse, assuming she
was there for competition.
Inevitably, the weekend did not
go as well as planned. Perhaps I was
too distracted by the races, the horses
springing from their places and shoot-
ing like bullet stars past us. Or perhaps
I did mount my boyfriend’s mother, or
ask her to mount me. How the mind
decays as we age! All I know is in the
car back from the airport, I turned to
my boyfriend and knew it was over.
“It’s over, isn’t it?” I remember saying
to him. He replied with a nod: it was
over.
Many years later I would run into
him, once again at the Kentucky Der-
by. I was married to Andrew by then.
He told me his mother, the beautiful
horse-like woman who had ushered
me into the world of elite races, passed
earlier that year of cancer. That night I
neighed at my reflection in the mirror:
a small gesture for such an important
woman.
I
TURNED twenty-five the fall of
1992, when the country was bub-
bling in anticipation of the presiden-
tial election. Andrew was stationed in
Iowa to work on the campaign, and I
felt lonely and idle waiting for his re-
turn.
In those days, print newspapers
still reigned supreme, and on week-
day mornings I would walk around my
Upper West Side block to pick up the
smaller local publications, saying hello
to the regular doormen on my street.
(Is friendliness a lost pastime?)
One particular morning I was
combing through the classifieds sec-
tion of the paper on the hunt for a
good hoot. I had been clipping the
most unusual bits from the paper for
months to assemble into a small scrap-
book to give Andrew upon his return.
Sure, some husbands would rather
have the gift of American football
tickets, but what can I say? We’re in-
tellectuals.
One autumn morning I found a
curious ad that read: “WANTED: RE-
SEARCH PARTICIPANTS FOR HORSE
ROLEPLAY.” I was horrified, but in-
trigued. What could it mean?
I put the paper away, but over
the next several days, my mind kept
returning to the ad. I was afraid the
role-play was sexual or unsafe; I had
heard horror stories from girlfriends
about being brought to “interactive”
theatre pieces in seedier parts of the
city. Yet the word “research” had me
hooked. Ever since I was a little girl,
I’ve loved research almost as much as
I’ve loved horses.
Perhaps I was afraid to admit to
myself that however much informa-
tion I had gathered about horse rac-
ing, there was still an element that felt
entirely unattainable: the feeling of
being the horse. Being a research par-
ticipant in horse role-play would fill in
some of the gaps—or at least connect
me to someone who could.
I called the number from the pa-
per and, to my surprise, was met with
a warm female voice on the other end.
“I’m calling in regard to your horse-
play ad,” I said, so nervous I was al-
ready mixing up my words.
“When are you available?” the
voice on the other end said. “We have
sessions on Tuesday and Thursday
nights.”
I was overwhelmed. What hap-
pened in the sessions? Who exactly
was I speaking to?
“Are you still there?” the woman
asked gently. “The sessions last an hour,
tops. It pays $20 cash. You don’t have
to bring anything, just wear close-toed
shoes.”
Before I knew it, I was writing
down an address, having hardly said
five words over the phone. I looked up
the address in the phonebook and was
surprised to see that it belonged to a
psychology lab at New York Univer-
sity. Maybe the mystery voice wasn’t
out to get me after all.
When I arrived the following
Tuesday night, I was surprised to see
not an open space or a mock pasture,
but a set of cubicles, each containing
a computer monitor. I was led into a
cubicle and handed industrial-looking
goggles. It was explained to me that
graduate students were studying herd
mentality, and that my goggles would
adjust my depth perception. The ex-
periment involved looking at different
photos of herds and pressing different
letter keys on my keyboard depending
on my instincts. It was terribly boring.
When I emerged from my cubicle
nearly an hour later, I felt dejected. I
had learned nothing from the “herd
mentality exercise” except that my fin-
gers were sore. I made a mental note
“Crab? Like the animal?
THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016
to book a deep tissue massage; for the
disappointment alone, I’d earned it.
I was halfway out the door when
I remembered something curious; I
turned back to the proctor.
“Why did you say I needed to
wear close-toed shoes?” I asked, with
maybe a bit more bite than I intended.
“Randomly selected participants
also have to operate a foot pedal,” the
bespectacled girl squeaked. “Not you,
obviously.”
I stomped out of the room, feel-
ing personally attacked. Why had this
research project advertised itself so
vaguely? Why couldn’t they research
something I was truly interested in?
And why was I so disappointed? It
made little sense.
In the weeks after the lab, I start-
ed doing research to see if there was
a service like what I had been hoping
the experiment would be. I wanted
someone to teach me how to embody
a horse so that I could, in my spare
time, find personal enjoyment through
galloping and maybe one day compete.
I had difficulty finding an instructor,
but I realize now that this was a piv-
otal moment for my passion and me.
Before I knew it, Andrew returned
from Iowa, and a week after that we
became engaged. With wedding plans,
the horse dream would have to wait.
29
B Y THE TIME I was pregnant with
our first daughter, Mattalia, An-
drew and I had started living upstate
more than half the year.
When speaking to my best friends
in the city, I would feign frustration
at the lack of culture and activity in
our new rural home, but in truth I ap-
preciated the calmer lifestyle, simpler
people, and the opportunity to have
quiet time with my husband before
the baby came. Besides, anyone will
tell you July in Manhattan is not the
ideal place to have swollen ankles and
a small bladder, no matter how nearby
your driver is.
Throughout my pregnancy, I re-
called a pregnant mare that had lived
on the neighboring ranch when I was a
child. I watched that horse obsessively,
in awe of how spry she continued to
be throughout her pregnancy. A horse
does not “bag up” (start to show) until
the final month or so of her gestation.
Certainly mares are tender or sensi-
tive to their foaling, but it seemed
minimal compared to what I was go-
ing through. I couldn’t help but laugh
when I realized that I felt jealous of
pregnant horses. (Though I’d like to
stay thin until the last month I must
admit, the human nine-month preg-
nancy is far preferable to the nearly
year-long equine one!)
Nevertheless, my pregnancy was
healthy and I was continuing life as
“If I were you I’d be very careful before I said something
I thought was funny.”
30 THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016
normal. Upstate, I had started my
own business: a small artisanal soap
company to benefit cow sanctuaries (a
bit of irony, to be sure) and I felt an
incredible sense of purpose. The com-
pany, cleverly called Milk Soap, was
run out of our spare barn.
I would spend hours watching the
soap being poured into molds, inhal-
ing the natural scents of our organic
masterpieces. It was quite soothing.
I had a feeling of arrival in my life;
I had somehow achieved a life as
prosperous and satisfying as the one
my grandparents had, and to make it
more special, it was in the same region
of the country as they had lived.
After Mattalia was born, I entered
a state of bliss. Gone were my petty
concerns of being the best liked in my
social circle, or even the important
concerns, like wearing the most fash-
ionable outfits. I was completely con-
tent to just sit with my wet nurse and
Mattalia. Everything felt destined.
Three years later, my second
daughter was born. It was a difficult
pregnancy for me, Andrew, and our
surrogate. But on a special rainy au-
tumn night, Genna was born, and our
family was complete.
I never had a sister, but Andrew
had four and was close with three of
them. I’m grateful for the friendship
and sisterhood they’ve extended to
me, and the example they’ve set for
my daughters. Andrew’s oldest sister
Elizabeth still lived in the city and I
loved to visit her. Elizabeth is a thin,
spindly woman with muted blonde
hair and soft features. She’s a living
wisp of smoke, enchanting and elu-
sive. Her penthouse is full of classical
portraits of various pets—an eclectic
take on the Greco tradition all of An-
drew’s family adores.
It was in her study that we were
tasting wine and daydreaming about
the warm weather coming our way.
The girls were three and six at the
time and were on a vacation with An-
drew. I think it’s important for girls to
have alone time with their father to
develop an independent bond.
In a few months the school year
would end and the girls would go
away for a special summer enrich-
ment program. I couldn’t believe how
quickly they were growing up, but felt
excited for the independence I’d re-
gain. Genna was a vicious little tyke,
with a particular knack for biting and
climbing, (“We both know where she
gets that from!” I’d joke to Andrew
with a jab.)
I was telling all this to Elizabeth
when something came over me. Be-
fore I could stop myself, I confided
in her about my side project: my own
authentic attempts to horse race.
I had great love for Milk Soap,
but that was work and I had been
looking for play (beyond what An-
drew could give me!). All my friends
had hobbies that I found terribly bor-
ing. I’d accompanied them to so many
inane book clubs, tennis lessons, swim
retreats, wine tastings, ceramics class-
es, cheese monger tutorials, investing
seminars, and one ill-advised hour of
hypnosis therapy, that I was worried
it wasn’t the hobbies that were the
problem, but that it was me! But that
couldn’t be.
At that point, I was giving Matta-
lia piggyback rides down the hallways
at her constant request. To my sur-
prise, I found greater joy in that than I
had in any of my attempts at a hobby,
and it wasn’t the joy of parenthood: it
was the love of having the weight of
a small child on my back. Soon I was
experimenting with the form. At first,
I’d try to hold her on my back while I
moved on my hands and knees, try-
ing to propel us forward, but Mattalia
kept tumbling off and knocking into
the walls.
I tried various ways of strapping
her to my back and holding my own
weight before landing on a sustainable
arrangement. Wrapping my knuckles
in masking tape for padding and put-
ting my back weight on the balls of my
feet, I was able to position Mattalia on
the small of my back and carry her for
several yards at an impressive speed.
Mattalia laughed and laughed but I
didn’t care. I was thriving.
I wanted to share it with some-
one besides Andrew. Of course An-
drew would enjoy the sight of me with
my rump in the air but what would
an outside eye make of it? Secretly I
wanted permission from someone to
pursue this—my new hobby—more
seriously.
Whether it the wine or the gid-
diness that led me to show Elizabeth,
I’m not quite sure. But I downed the
rest of my glass and offered to show
her my new “trick”—an imperson-
ation (in a sense) of a racing horse.
Elizabeth agreed, cackling at the im-
age of a stunning, lithe woman like
myself lowering myself to the floor.
But when I started galloping, Eliza-
beth’s reaction turned almost solemn.
I panicked.
“Do you like it?” I asked. “Of
course, it’s not as good as the real
thing. But do you think it’s authentic?”
I was surprised by the insecurity in my
voice. Elizabeth erupted in unreadable
WHITE SPACE
Finally, on this page. Blankness.
Margins. The rest of the magazine
so dense with packed columns, but
here, at last, somewhere to write down
the name of that Pilates studio
on the Upper West Side with the all-Dire Straits
playlist, or the phone number for a play–centric
babysitter for Caleb and the other one, or
just space to draw a serpent winding its way
through the stanza breaks which
you don’t know why they are where
they are. But you can give the serpent
some sick stripes and maybe make
it breathe fire. And fill in the background
with 3D boxes and lightning bolts. Take up
every last square inch. You can always stay
home with the kids and play “Sultans of Swing” on
repeat while doing crunches on the floor
—Chris Michael Shea
compliments, and had wanted one. should ever expand) and spent a great
“Let’s get you a glass of water to deal of time studying them. The hors-
bring you back to Earth,” she said as es’ previous owners had trained them
she rose from her armchair and glided for racing, and so I hired the famous
into the kitchen to chastise a maid. former jockey George Bush to ride the
I brushed the dust off my knees and horses and keep them active.
went to the restroom to freshen up. I Eventually, George Bush became
wasn’t humiliated; I was determined. I a part of the family. The girls adored
felt like all the women I’d ever looked watching him ride, Andrew enjoyed
up to as they described facing adversi- his jokes, and I was summoning the
ty. I knew my gallop was worth some- courage to ask him to train with me.
thing. This was going to be more than I was still keeping the hobby se-
a hobby; it was going to be a lifestyle. cret from most of my friends after
my demonstration to Elizabeth. I had

laughter.
“Sure it’s authentic, honey. It’s
also freaky,” she exclaimed. The word
“freaky” sounded uncomfortable in her
mouth. It wasn’t a compliment. I love
A
S WITH ANY competitive athlete,
my life began to take shape
around my practice. I purchased four
Thoroughbreds to put in our spare
spare barn (built in case Milk Soap
tested the waters with several women
in my circle, but they didn’t take me
seriously. Is it the modern war on sin-
cerity that prevented them from be-
lieving in me? I don’t know. I couldn’t

THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016 31


. .
help but feel like I was being punished
for my creativity.
George Bush was a strange little
man with a tendency to start ev-
ery sentence with the phrase “Quite
frankly.” His jockey career had ended
after allegations of stealing from his
employer, but I’d been keeping a close
eye on the horses’ bank accounts and
nothing seemed askew.
I had been subtly trying to gauge
George Bush’s interest, but the man
wouldn’t reveal a thing. I knew I had
to ask him straight.
“I’d like to learn how to race,” I
said to him one night when I was vis-
iting the barn to check on the beau-
ties. “Would you be willing to train
me?”
“Quite frankly, I’m not sure what
you mean,” George Bush said to me,
raising his brow. “You’re no horse.”
I thought I was going to boil over.
I was so sick of being confronted with
not being a horse. Was Serena Wil-
liams born a tennis player? Of course
not! She was born a baby and she
learned a set of skills. My father had
always maintained that passion and
determination could open any door as
long as you had money to back it up.
32 THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016
I’d lived my entire life under the um-
brella of that philosophy, and I wasn’t
going to depart from it or give up just
because someone else hadn’t gotten
the memo.
I offered George Bush double pay
and explained my need to him. My
boredom with the “normal” activities
that had been afforded to me (as a
woman!) simply wasn’t enough. Surely
he could understand that. We made
the first appointment to train. I was so
thrilled that I read bedtime stories to
both my daughters that evening.
I
WAS PRETTY decent starting out,
but was nothing compared to
what George Bush was used to. For
the first several weeks, I engaged in a
series of tests, measurements, and ex-
ercises that left my body ragged and
exhausted at the end of every day.
Andrew would carry my limp
body to the tub and help me bathe.
“No one’s making you do this,” he’d
coo to me. But he was wrong. I was
making myself.
In little time, I was in the best
shape I’d ever been in my life. My thin
bony legs were now enveloped in a
lean layer of muscle, and my back was
etched with definition. I didn’t even
mind that I’d put on 3.2 pounds. To
my surprise, I could pick up Genna if
for some reason I wanted to!
Yet certain challenges felt in-
surmountable. For example, the very
existence of my collarbone was trou-
bling. Horses’ forelimbs are connected
directly to the spinal column by im-
pressive muscles and ligaments. No
surgery or physical therapy can cor-
rect this in humans. Furthermore, my
knees were all wrong. Horses’ “knees”
are more akin to a human wrist, com-
prised of carpal bones. How was I to
fully compete with horses without
these basic biological attributes?
These differences were agonizing
and at times tempted me to throw in
the towel. Had any athlete faced this
type of adversity? It was unlikely. Yet
I took inspiration from their stories,
reading biographies of athletic icons,
hoping to absorb resilience through
the pages as Andrew slept beside me.
What I lacked in anatomy, I
strived to make up for in authenticity.
One of the more challenging aspects
of those earlier days was internal-
izing a horse’s four-beat gait. Before
George Bush came into the picture, I
was galloping in two parts: my arms
together followed by both legs. But
horses move in a four-part sequence:
left hind leg, left front leg, right hind
leg, right front leg. It comes intuitively
to horses, but it did not, frustratingly,
to me. As the legs leave the ground, a
horse is supported alternately laterally
and diagonally, using slight head ad-
justments for extra balance.
The missing puzzle piece was dis-
covered one night when I was hav-
ing a steam before bed. It had been a
particularly stressful day—Genna had
accidentally swallowed a diamond,
small but of great sentimental value.
As I wrapped my hair up in my towel
it occurred to me… perhaps if I were
to wear a weighted headpiece, my bal-
ance could be improved.
The next morning I shared this
with George Bush, who was elated. He
rarely gave me strange looks anymore.
“Quite frankly, we could weight
other parts of your body for accuracy
as well,” he said. Seven weeks later I
had my horse suit.
 The suit was still a prototype then,
and wasn’t nearly as fashionable or or-
ganic as I’d have liked. But from the
moment I put it on, I felt positively
ferocious.
I was only able to devote a few
hours every couple days to my new
hobby of horsedom, and as much as I
wanted to give more, I felt guilt about
prioritizing it. I didn’t want to leave
Andrew with an unfair share of the
parenting or staff control. So many
other mothers have commiserated
with me on this very same dilemma—
the desire to be the perfect mother and
wife, but the need to answer a differ-
ent, perhaps higher, call.
And, on top of all that, we were
still spending several months a year at
our place in Manhattan. Genna was
enrolled in two kindergartens (one
upstate and one in the city) in order
to allow us freedom to travel. Mattalia,
now nine, was on a fast track to be-
coming an Olympic skier, and would
go to Italy and Switzerland for months
at a time to spend time on the slopes.
We were proud of Mattalia, who
clearly possessed a warrior’s spirit.
Brilliant, athletic, and resourceful, our
sweet girl was conquering the world. I
wanted to be just like her, and couldn’t
help but notice the irony that my pur-
suits to emulate her meant that I could
not be present to support her. She’d
started calling me “Mommy Nanny”
and the nanny “Nanny Mommy.”
Could I live with that?
Every time I pushed forward with
my horse work, I was inevitably miss-
ing dinner or a parent-teacher con-
ference or a qualifying Olympic trial.
I was frustrated and felt, for the first
time in my life, quite lonely. Wasn’t I
entitled to a life of bliss and purpose?
Yes, I had a family and a business and
homes, but that hardly mattered.
Then my father fell ill.
W E BELIEVE OUR parents
are immortal until, suddenly,
they’re proving to us that they’re not.
Such was the case with my father, who
had retired to London a decade earli-
er. I missed him when he moved away,
but was impressed by the active and
cultured life he was leading abroad. It
isn’t helpful to dwell on regrets, but I
do wish I had made a greater effort
to see him more than once or twice a
year. We were overseas for Mattalia’s
skiing with some regularity, but the
inescapable minutiae often won out
over an extra week’s travel to see him.
When I got the call that he was
ill, I was half-dressed getting ready for
a Milk Soap gala. I remember looking
back in the mirror and realizing how
beautiful I looked. It felt like a trib-
ute to my father, to carry the genes he
passed on to me with such poise. I like
to think he’d say so, too.
By the time we arrived in London
three days later, he did not have much
time left.
I never spoke to my father about
my horse hobby, but as I sat with him
at his bed (at the very lovely Brit-
ish hospital that provided his care),
watching him channel his youth by
swiping and grabbing at the beautiful
nurses caretaking for him, he seemed
to know on some deeper level that I
was on the brink of something impor-
tant—even vital.
When he took his last breath, I
made a vow to myself that I would live
his legacy as best I could. To “bend it
to my will,” as he so often said.
Later that night, I spoke with An-
drew about my epiphany.
“If anything, doesn’t this mean
you should reinvest in your family?”
Andrew asked, brushing my hair. “I
know the girls miss you. Or at least I
THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016
think they do.”
As much as I had been denying it,
Andrew was correct. If I was going to
do this, I was going to need my family
by my side.
The next day, I flew Mattalia home
from Europe and informed her that
she would be taking a yearlong break
from her skiing trials, no matter the
impact. I withdrew Genna from her
Manhattan school. The entire family
would be settled upstate year-round
for me to pursue my horse hobby full
time with them by my side. But that
meant one final thing needed to be
done.
I shut down Milk Soap, letting
everyone in the company go. Horses
don’t own businesses, and so neither
would I.
My life had moved from a canter
to a gallop, and it was time to race.
T HOUGH I HAD been informally
racing the Thoroughbreds in our
barn for over a year, the time had come
for a real competition to showcase my
skills. This had become more than a
hobby to me; it was a side career.
We had built a track behind the
spare spare spare barn (for the horses
in case the now defunct Milk Soap
had wanted to expand), and hired two
more jockeys to work under George
Bush. We set the date of the race, and
got working.
The event was years in the mak-
33
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had great work to to
approaches do.any cultural
As I pilgrimage
trotted out to of athe
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two months
e serious drinking alreadyhad goingpassed, and the
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up Andrew and I
ded that thetended
only bywaya few of the kids’
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only Rilkeand couldouthave
of me. I was no longer a mother, couldn’t
occasionally stop
over thelaughing.
years. Our life, finally,
sometoneighbors
to get myself sleep imme- who were
imagined interested
the gentlehusband,
slopes and horse hobbyist—I sim- If Iwas hadcomplete.
to choose a fa-
nd to clearin out
the first
fuss.thing
I was in glad nearby
to havetoanbeau- ply was the horse. I felt a deep con-
mountains), vorite stretch from my sam-

T
ing. I had dience,
a sleeping butpill
focused
in my on butwhat thewas most
path itselfnection
is pure with my surroundings from pling of theHEVia, VERY ESSENCE of being alive
it would
ase, whereimportant.
I’d also stowedThis was my about
karst: me.fantastical
Would my fellow competitors to the ground
water- be the part is ofonethe ofBluechange.
trail We are forced to
I succeed?
ens container. A minorCould I? eroded stone, fissured
mis- I scraped
into my hoof against. I knew that adapt, and
that passes throughit onlythe behooves us to find
the day a final Infarcical
previous trials,what
twist. I wasgeologists
able to call I had
clintsfinally ascended into a humble Walsera villages
path ofof adaptation
the Pied- that brings us joy.
beat the had
the lens solution oldest horses, but
leaked, andoften lost to self-actualization.
grykes—blocks and mont. TheI think landscape of mywas father, who followed
olving mythe more experienced
precious narcotic. racers.
cracks—and fluted like I thought the race would be a blur thicklyhis whims with
forested, responsibly
Chi- and lived a long,
s no alternative “Quite
but tofrankly,
lick theit’s cake
not your
icingfault.”
or pinchedof adrenaline,
into but I was hyperawarenese-looking
of fruitful lifecrags on three andcontinents. I think
George
ut. I was doing this,Bush would say
my tongue to me,
rigid andlike
waves I every moment.
an arrested I could feel
ocean. knollsthescarved
motionin fog.of myTheloving
villages husband,
were who chooses to
ep in the knew he was
case’s plush right. But II then
interior, wanted
headed to north
of my legs,
into the pattern
Austria, and of my gallop,specimens
miraculous all neverof question,
an ingenious, but always declines
win toand
e door opened prove
the to everyone—Elizabeth,
Swiss resumed following as thenatural as breath
Purple trail. One itself. I was pos-
low-impact toThere
culture. answer. were I think
minia-of George Bush. I
me in. Anfriends,
awkwardmy father,
pause fol- Andrew,
stretchmyself—
of it passessessed
near the by Altaussee
the intense ture ambition thatfor think
funiculars bringing of my daughters, who are being
in supplies
that thisitwas
which I decided wouldtimebe well salt
spent.
mine, where the had guided
Nazis hid mesometo ofthat (the
moment,
streetsand
are Itoo brought
steep andupnarrow by a mother
for who believes
to try to explain.I zipped myself into
They stared theirthe newest
stolen placed second
art. I dropped downoffrom fifth! cars), Richard Scarry-like
in finding personal
vehicles on power and hold-
versionreappraising
ment, evidently of my horse suit, a functional
pristine meadows—stillI was as elated
emerald greenas I caterpillar
was exhausted, ing the
treads for on tight.
garbage Mattalia
and will compete in
h-mindedwork roommateof art.asAsome childhood friend was and
in August—and lookedI was at eating
the oldthe heavy
sugar cubes
lifting,tostone
the houses
Olympics cagedfor the in second time next
okehead nowor very an industrial
specializedcouture designer
railbeds, in crystals
with salt prove glittering
it. along wooden balconies,year, scythesandlyingGenna on isthe already the “quirky”
Paris,
efore beating and had
a retreat. offered tothe
I passed improve
tunnelsupon After the
and a subterranean chapel race, stone-covered
Andrew ap-roofs, one. She dreams
chimneys shingled of Yale Law School.
the first
ifully quickly, to theversion
dim roarfor me.dedicated
Made of to velvet proached
St. Barbara, me; he
the patron sainttouched my houses.
like tiny snout The schist-rich
In years since localmy first race, I’ve
and purified
nian drinking songs, and dirtleft
with burlap
of miners.and Years-old
gold gently, swags petting
of fir my
hung mane. I nestled
rock made into competed
everything glitterclose
madly to eighty
in times in both
ybreak theleafnextaccents,
morning.the suit was onnothing
the walls,short him.as
smelling I knew
if they’dhe was
just proud of me, be-Theprivate
the sunshine. Walsersand were public
Ger-contexts. My body
of divine.
yond the hut, I saw something been cut, the salt air cause I wasthem
keeping proud un-of myself.
man-speaking refugees has stayed taut and athletic, and my
and migrants
n the gray light below me: a naturally fresh. who spread southmind through has sharpened.
the Alps For entire days
nimal with big horns. It was an That evening, I stayed at Blaa-Alm, during the MiddleatAges, a time, I’ll find amyself in a horse
improvising
ugh in profile it looked like a an inn along the trail. The owners, who’d life style on the high mindset—practically
terrain where no- unable to com-
isreputable unicorn. I took out told me they were going to be gone for body else farmed or municate
lived. It withwas aspeech.
fru- Even now as I
e and filmed it as it ambled the night, left my room key in the en- gal life style, constrained type, my fingersby the feel de- stiff, aching to be
e lunar scree. When I look at trance. It was an old wooden building mands of basic survival, hooved. butInthere
this way,
wereI’m free.
ge now, it seems the perfect in the Tyrolian style, deep in the mid- enough grace notes toWill make time youtravel
feel exist in my life-
of that place: wild and dream- dle of silent countryside, with flower- that the inhabitants time?
enjoyed Perhaps.
their exis-I think often of the
marvellous. hung balconies looking out on a meadow tence. In a little museum momentintoAlagna, which II return. Would I
full of small farm buildings, and I seemed admired a teaspoonspeak carvedtowith mya handex-boyfriend’s mother
ng the entire Via Alpina to have it entirely to myself. A wooden holding a rose. who introduced me to derbies? The
ld take years, so after leaving staircase led up to a large bedroom in meek lab ofproctor
It’s the looping continuum the trail who, by failing,
National Park I got into a car which the walls, ceiling, and every other that makes the Viashowed Alpina me what whatit is.success
It meant to me?
e to other sections of the trail. surface, including the light-switch cover, doesn’t take long toMy lose dad? No. Iinthink
yourself the I would visit my
outhwest, I crossed into Italy, had been intricately panelled in the same rhythms of mountain younger
travel:self.
the morn-
egan a walk on the Karst Pla- butter-colored wood. It was very com- ing climb and long afternoon If I could go back in time to vis-
descent,
ky landscape pockmarked with fortable, even luxurious, if a touch sar- the dependably undependable it myself as weather, a child in Arizona, what
d sinkholes, and ended up at cophagal. I sat out on the balcony, watch- the never quite knowing would I say? whatWould you’reI let that small girl
astle. It was here, walking along ing night fall and feeling as though I’d going to see over the know what’s
crest of thein store?
next Or would I walk
top path above the Adriatic, landed in a folktale about a traveller ar- high pass or who’s going right past her, hop
to emerge from over the back fence,
e claimed to have heard a voice riving in a household under some pow- the mist along the trail—though, and walk onto unlike the ranch to be with my
opening line of what became erful enchantment. Ötzi, you can be fairly greatest
sure equine
the strangerinspirations? Yes.
no Elegies: “Who, if I cried, There was nothing sinister, exactly, isn’t going to kill you.IHe thinkmight theyeven would recognize me
ar me from among the “The new issue
Angels’ though has the
a brilliant
tall fir article
trees aroundanalyzing the the want to be your friend. as one We’veof their
comeown. that I think we would
The Sentiero Rilke, as the Ital- situation meadow were in Syria or something.”
forbidding in the dusk, far since the Bronze gallop.
Age. 
THE NEW YORKER, APRIL 11, 2016 39

34 THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016

 THE CRITICS
ANNALS OF KNOTS

KNOTTY BY NATURE
Searching for the world’s
THE CURRENT preeminent
CINEMA knot expert

BY JORDAN HALL
FUN AND GAMES
he reminded me of the fragile final set-
piece in a game of pickup sticks. Still,
“Everybody Wants Some!!” and “Miles Ahead.”
he is an indefatigable character. He has
BY ANTHONY LANE faint scarring along his forearms and
hands from a teenage firebreathing ac-
f you can’t think of a good way to habited, or infested, solely by members cident.
his first(The flame
scene, neverup
he holds made
a copyit to
of his
Carl
I kick off your movie, how about this? of the baseball team. His roommate is mouth.) He also has a habit
Sagan’s “Cosmos” and says to Jake, “Chap-
toterhimself,
of talking
Take a handsome young buck, put him Billy (Will Brittain), a country boy 9. It’lland,
blowwhen yourhe makesThat
mind.” a mis- mo-
at the wheel of an Oldsmobile coupe, mocked for his hickhood by the others. take, aping his mother’s
ment ignites our sense of him, and it old censure:
and have him whip along a Texas high- They include Roper (Ryan Guzman), “Oh,
burnsDunklin,
through the you’verest done
of the it again.”
film, reach-
way to the sound of “My Sharona,” by another comely fellow, who spends an He took two shots of an unidentifiable
ing a smoky fruition as he proves to be
the Knack. That is what Richard Link- entire scene lauding his own ass in the spirit, and we were
the undisputed off. of the bong.
master
later does in his latest film, “Everybody mirror; the mustached McReynolds Our destination
Best of all is Finnegan, was about playedforty with
Wants Some!!,” and it’s hard to think (Tyler Hoechlin), who loathes losing, miles northwest of the
a runaway charm by Glen Powell. city, to the Finn,
re-
of a brighter start. The buck in ques- even at Ping-Pong; Niles ( Juston Street), mote
as he mountainous
is known, is the region
eloquentnear Ben
one, spool-
tion is Jake (Blake Jenner), and by the the resident jerk, who claims to have Wyvis—from the Gaelic, “Hill
ing out his verbal riffs in a bid not just of Ter-
end of the song we’ve already grasped thrown a pitch at ninety-five miles an ror.” Oncegirls
to catch there,butDonegan
to boostand theIdramatic
would
the unfolding shape of his life. He glides hour; and Dale ( J. Quinton Johnson), begin our search for the
dash of the proceedings. “We all man I came take
past groups of girls his age and parks in the only black guy in the house, not that here for. We would have
turns being chumps around here,” he to track him ex-
front of a house on a pleasant street. He anyone notices or cares. There are mul- down
plains.by“You
our own
accept means: no one knew
your chumpification,
has a shy smile and a box of LPs in his tiple flash points in this society, mostly forandcertain
move where he lived,advice,
on.” Excellent or, frankly,
in any
arms. Sunlight pours down like a ben- to do with sporting smarts or carnal brag- if field
he was of endeavor, and a key toonce
even alive. He was the
the lovely
ediction. He’s ready for anything. gadocio, but racial bias isn’t one of them. most famous knot expert,
note of comic humility with which theor knotsman,
Linklater has long been a champion In his limber and leisurely fashion, Link- innatural-born
the world. Inbumptiousness
the 1980s, heof wasthepe-stu-
of beginnings and ends. “Dazed and later is glancing at a golden age. rennially considered a popular
dents is tempered and soothed, and the candi-
Confused” (1993) hung out with a bunch His most cheering gift, and maybe date
moviefor knighthood,
prevented from and,coarsening
over a career into
of kids on their final day of high school; the reason that he calls this movie a “spir- spanning
a brawl. Jake and the otherhis
several decades, admirers
newbies must,
“Boyhood” (2014), having tracked its itual sequel” to “Dazed and Confused,” have included
of course, the likes
expect a dose of David
of hazing, Cam- and
hero, Mason, for many years, bid him is an itch to populate the frame. At his eron, Michel Houellebecq,
they are duly fastened with duct tape toand Dame
farewell on his first day of higher edu- best, he doesn’t really direct a film so Helen
a border Mirren.
fence, oneBut Larryupside
of them Schnotz
down,
cation, at once bewildered and blissed much as host it—keeping all his charac- hadn’t been seen in twenty-five
and peppered with baseballs struck years.by
out. Jake, too, is at that pivotal point. A ters involved, rescuing the wallflowers, The reason
their for his disappearance
bat-wielding teammates. I guess was
freshman at an unnamed college in making sure that everyone is plied with unknown,
that’s part of the deal, yet the talebe-
but recently rumors had as a
southeast Texas (otherwise known, to lines and bits of stage business, as if he gun to surface.
whole, thoughSome said that Schnotz
filthy-mouthed, is lenient
wasandworking
humane.again. In fact,were theyharmed
said,
T HIS PASTasSEPTEMBER
moviegoers, Linklaterland), , I sat
he in a
is more towere
the southwest,
topping upofdrinks.which Thethe epony-
obvious No freshmen
cozy, dimly lit pub, overlooking mous river
of a jock than Mason, and less of a comparison is with “Hail, Caesar!,”stems. I initially he’d
balked atin been working throughout
in the making of this film. his sup-
the River Ness,
wounded soul;inwhatever
what is generally may ordering
his past re- which the a drink—it was 10:00
Coens introduced a crew posedIt hiatus.
A.M.of is set inFor
1980, the last twenty-five
a crossroads for mu-
have been, we learn very little about it. promising figures and then let themwas
garded as the capital city of the Scottish on a Tuesday—but my day guide years, Schnotz had
sical trends both coming and
slide, been developing
going. We
Highlands,
He’s like aInverness.
passengerAcross boarding a ship late,
the bank, and thethe
half-used; tourist
resultgroup was already
left audiences the
gaz-getHoly Grailofofdisco,
the dregs knots—a knot“Heart
Blondie’s that
stoodis ating it. around
I ordered a stout
end brown would
ale. “Is that subsume all others. Now, it was a
JAMES FOLTA

and
witha few hundred
a single yardsWhat
suitcase. upriver,
matters at the and asking, of Glass,” the Cars, Cheap Trick, and
BYSCARABOTTOLO

Inverness
the surgingCastle,
tidea red sandstone
of the now, and struc-the it?”Ten minutes later,
To Linklater, no one Dunklin Do- tied.
is disposable. burst of pustular punk. We get M’s “Pop
ture built into the cliff, whose founda- negan slid into
camera follows him eagerly into the Take Nesbit (Austin Amelio), who tends my booth. Donegan is Muzik,” which to my horror I remem-
tions
The
hose,
date
pub
back
was runs
which
to the
mostlyfrom
eleventh
empty,
century.
save for
the garden
pale
to aan about
white with
six daily
fruitless
fine
feet four,
obsidian
house—taking its cue from a snaking to place unwise bets, for a few dollars, on ber, in
he isPlummer
activities;
hair.
O
At
tall for a (Tem-
Scot
F COURSE, A
pitiless detail, from
enthusiasm for local
courtesy of the Sugarhill Gang,
mischievous
1979. And,
myth-mak-
we get
ABOVE: GUIDO

small group
upstairs of tourists
bedroom, wherepreparing
a water bed tois and
pleconspicuously
Baker), who is thin. Asthe
just off hepace when- ing
slouched is de rigeuer
“Rapper’s in thischanted
Delight,” farflunginpart of
angelic
PHOTOGRAPH

visit the being

slowly famedfilled.
loch,It’s
twenty-three place. into
that kind ofmiles everthe
jokescorner, limbs
are flying spread
about; akimbo,
or Willoughby the world. For a region of its diminu-
chorus, consonant-perfect, by Roper,
Jake is a pitcher, and the house is in- (Wyatt Russell), the in-house hippie. In tive sizePlummer,
Finn, and political influence,
Dale, and Jake asthe
they
Highlands have a disproportionately
From
Richard1990 to 2011,new
Linklater’s LarrymovieSchnotz
is set atdidn’t
a Texas tiecollege.
a singleAtknot.
his best, he doesn’t really strong
directhold onsoour
a film muchimagination.
as host it. This
74
36 THE NEU
THE NEW JORKER,
YORKER, APRIL 11, 2016
JUNE 20, 2016
is the home of William Wallace, Nessy,
and Arthur, depending on your source.
James Bond, like his first off-screen
correlative, is Scottish. The grounds
of Inverness Castle are supposed to
have been the residence of the histori-
cal King Macbeth. Five-hundred years
later, the exiled Mary Stuart sieged the
castle gates and decapitated the gar-
rison’s governor, whom she described
as “headless in life and death” and “a
ninny.” Scotland has never been short
on stories.
Fittingly, Dunklin Donegan has
never tired of hearing them. If some
locals were skeptical of Schnotz’s
hoary mythos, Donegan remained a
zealot, despite having never seen him.
“Sometimes I feel like Paul,” he told
me, referring to the first-century pros-
elytizer who persecuted Christians
before becoming an apostle. “I may be
late to the party, but I’m ready to get
drunk.” Donegan and I had originally
met through an online forum for the
Mongolian trance-jazz fusion trio,
Next Steppes. He regularly posted, and
we quickly struck up a rapport. I first
visited him last spring. Not long into
the trip, I discovered his fascination
with the obscure, mostly forgotten art
of knotting. He had discovered knots
as an adolescent, working the docks at
the Port of Inverness to help out with
family finances. His father was a failed
truancy officer, and his mother raised
Dunklin and four other siblings mostly
on her own. When he was thirteen, his
father left on a barge bound for New
York, where he would find another job
as a truancy officer, only to lose it again
weeks later. “He was lazy and forget-
ful,” Donegan told me. It was around
this time that he took up firebreathing.
Still, knots captivated him more
than anything. At the port, two older
deckhands, Fergus and Drewed, would
teach the young Donegan three to four
new knots each time they came to har-
bor, en route from Edinburgh or the
Shetland Islands to the north. “We’d
pull into town, and there would be
Dunklin, shouting at us from the quay,”
said Fergus. “‘Oh please, sirs, teach me
more about knots,’ he’d say. ‘I need to
know more about knots, or I’ll never
amount to anything.’”
Fergus and Drewed eventually
. .
taught Donegan about Schnotz, whom
they had known, and who had gone
into hiding about eight years prior.
“Larry was a real prodigy,” Drewed told
me. He said that Schnotz “was like da
Vinci, excepting that he really had no
talents other than tying knots. But, say
if da Vinci only had one talent—like if
da Vinci was the F. Scott Fitzgerald of
his day—that’s what Larry was: the F.
Scott Fitzgerald of knots. And me and
Fergie thought Donegan was the same
way, excepting that he was definitely
way worse than Larry at tying knots.”
The more he learned, the more
Donegan became obsessed. He read
every piece of literature on Schnotz he
could find and methodically worked
his way through Schnotz’s own volu-
minous bibliography. First, the basics:
“Knots for Knots’ Sake,” “Knots of ol’
Knapoli,” and “Larry’s Last Knot...
Not!” These books are essentially
THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016
primers on the history and craft of
knotsmanship, published in the mid- to
late-seventies, and include tutorials on
some of Schnotz’s favorite standards.
From there, Schnotz’s oeuvre becomes
characteristically esoteric. There’s
“Knotstrodamus,” published in 1981,
followed three years later by “Knotsti-
cism: Do Knots Exist?” and, in 1985,
“Knothilism: Knots Don’t Exist.” These
works are all but inaccessible to even
the most experienced knotsmen, much
less a novice, but they assume a Biblical
significance for Donegan. I thumbed
through some of his well-worn copies
and hardly knew where to begin. There
were rough etchings, occult symbols,
whole passages of the Greek poetess
Sappho, untranslated and previously
thought to be lost. One of Schnotz’s
more curious works, “Knot Knot Jokes:
Not Bad Jokes,” consisted of five pages
of pop-up figures, none of which were
knots (and, incidentally, none of which
were recognizable as anything at all).
Some have accused Schnotz of obfus-
cation. Ten years ago, in the midst of
one of Schnotz’s decadal renaissances,
the critic N. Q. Voldenheim announced
that the contents of six whole books
could be arranged into a single unin-
terrupted acrostic. If true, the discovery
was a miracle. But the acrostic followed
a complex code of lateral moves unique
to each page, and Voldenheim died
shortly after his discovery, before he
could publish his findings. A cryptog-
37
rapher has recently built a computer to
sort through the code, but it will be at
least another decade until the acrostic
can be reassembled.
As Donegan drove us up High-
way A835 toward Ben Wyvis, I asked
him why he was so fervently drawn to
Schnotz. He paused and took a breath.
“A lot of people I know tell me, ‘Well,
it’s just a knot, isn’t it? Who cares?’”
He gazed out on the empty highway.
Storm clouds had gathered in the dis-
tance. “Schnotz’s best knots are easy
and hard, simple and complex, because
he knows—life itself is a knot.”
T
HE HISTORY OF knots is the
history of time. Paleolithic goril-
las tied knots out of tree branches and
leaves to build beds. In 1923, a fishing
net was discovered in a Finnish peat bog
that dated back to 7200 B.C.E. Greek
seafarers made good use of knots, as
did their trade partners (and occasional
enemies) to the east in Anatolia and
along the Phoenician coastline. The
Romans added their own innovations,
some of which, like Caligula’s, tended
toward the prurient. But the knot is
perhaps most closely tied to our myths
and iconographies: the endless knot
of Tibetan Buddhism, the Hindu Pa-
sha, Alexander’s severed Gordian knot,
the lasso of John Wayne, the lasso of
George Bailey. The word ‘knot’ appears
468 times in Shakespeare—a number
scholars note is significant not only for
its frequency, but because each digit
represents a unique rope loop.
Unsurprisingly, knotsmen are no-
toriously fastidious and use a hyper-
specific lexicon: for instance, a rope is
not simply a rope. It has discrete parts.
The bight is a doubled section of the
rope that doesn’t cross itself; a bight
that crosses itself is a loop. The run-
38 THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016
THREE POEMS BY TIM PLATT
Poem 1:
i.
The chameleon’s tongue is its most boring flesh
its springing shocks the weak-willed cadavers too
thoraxed to fly
ii.
the chameleon’s eyes dart as independently
as two brothers in the back seat of a moving car
straining their belts as they claw for different bags of sugar
on the packed ground
iii.
the skin of each chameleon is the same in its variety
another boring cycle of change in a tree too used to color
iv.
the chameleon is my favorite dang animal (lizard)
Poem 2:
a glue spotted spaniel
a dog covered in glue
a pooch patched with glue
there’s so much glue on that dog
that dog is covered in glue
ning end of the rope is the end you’re ily was expected to own, at minimum,
not tying; the working end of the rope three books: the Bible, Bunyan’s “Pil-
is the end you are. There are two cen- grim’s Progress,” and Clifford Ashley’s
tral categories of knots: a hitch ties the “Groundwork and Enquiry into Knots
rope to an object (or itself ), whereas a and Their Origins.” The English knot
bend joins two ropes or webbing ends historian Ethane McCaulay told me
together—the taxonomy is extensive. that “at the height of the British Royal
No one knows for certain how Navy, during the Napoleonic Wars,
many knots are in active use today, or bored sailors that had endured months
how many have been used throughout without seeing military action might
history. Unlike bones, stonework, or the know thousands of knots by heart.” To-
kinds of relics and ephemera found in day, even among the knot cognoscenti
an Indiana Jones film, rope yarn decays (of which McCauley is quick to self-
over time, making it a pain for archae- identify), that number has dwindled
ologists. Knots probably reached their to perhaps three to four hundred. The
apex in the 18th and early 19th centu- most popular have stood the test of
ries, between the Age of Discovery and time: the figure eight, the anchor hitch,
the dawn of steam-powered vessels, and the double-slipped reef knot, also
when every Protestant European fam- known as the shoelace knot. And while
 rinth may metamorphose into the im-
age of the knot,” which is “itself a mi-
crocosmic simulacrum” and “a thing of
fearful symmetry and terrible beauty.”
Poem 3: He continued that it was “not inciden-
Though derelict and dismal tal” that, according to the myth, “the
maiden Ariadne had supplied Theseus
Craig’s body grew and grew and grew. with a ball of yarn, i.e., a rope”—he em-
bemused portentions magnify phasized this last point—“with which
a giant’s jar of pickled brew- to retrace his steps out of the maze. So
infused with puss with piss and stink we have the symbol within the symbol;
and stuffed with stuff that giant’s drink- we have a Russian doll set.”
While all this may fall somewhere
Craig froze affix’d upon the jar between benign lunacy and perfidi-
for there was enough for two. ous imbecility, nearly everyone I spoke
to on the subject echoed McCauley’s
camera eyes confound aflash enthusiasm. “Larry rapped on and on
betroth’d despite a poor review about the Knot of Life,” said Fergus.
“He’d go weeks without sleeping, just
Craig’s hands-beringed-grasp, lift to sip thinking about it—wouldn’t put hand
the giant’s jar of pickled brew. to rope,” Drewed concurred. They
“Forsake the flare, despise the shine- said that in the mid-eighties, to usher
respite from crimson fists and wine” in some kind of revelation, Schnotz
read ribbons banner’d round the hall moved to the countryside just beyond
Inverness proper. He fashioned himself
outline’d by glitter and glue. in the mold of a modern-day prophet,
and his behavior became increasingly
Braggin Bozos barely born strange. He dieted on wild oats and lo-
formed then reformed a merry crew. custs. With a nod to Descartes (know-
Adorned their king’s thorn crown with drink- ingly or otherwise), he once walked
into the town’s laundromat, curled up
the giant’s jar of pickled brew. inside a running dryer, and meditated
As liquids pour from cup to crown for a week and a half. When that failed,
the Bozos’ eyes glue on the frown he thought a new hobby might spark
of Bozo King, King Bozo born his creativity. He discovered a docu-
by the daughters of the coup. mentary on bagpipes—he had never
heard of them—and tried to teach
himself how to play. Even accounting
—Tim Platt for the instrument’s infamous difficul-
ty, Drewed told me that Schnotz was
there is an art to the craft, there is, nev- ers and, as so, boasts an almost divine remarkably bad. His nearest neighbors
ertheless, a correct method; or, as Ash- character. Ashley mentions something from several miles away petitioned and
ley writes: “A knot is never nearly right; similar to it, as have other commen- won a municipal injunction that forced
it is either exactly right or hopelessly tators. McCauley, who is a professor him to quit. Still, Schnotz sought in-
wrong; there is nothing in between.” emeritus at Our Lady of Righteous spiration. He tried falconry and lost
The knot that brought me back to Plagues, claims to have traced its ori- four falcons in three hours, all of which
Scotland—the one that Schnotz was gin as far back as the ancient Minoan returned a few days later to attack him
rumored to have finished—is one that civilization at Crete. In particular, he in unison. The following week he was
knotsmen have been contemplating, points to the famous Cretan labyrinth, diagnosed with a rare strain of avian
theorizing on, and failing to tie for as which, as the story goes, the Greek influenza, or bird flu. The doctors indi-
long as anyone can remember. Like a hero Theseus successfully navigated cated it was contracted from a separate
sugary carbonated beverage, or God en route to slaying the Minotaur. “The incident.
himself, it goes by many names, but in labyrinth was omnipresent for the Mi- Nonetheless, although he’d grown
the Highlands, at least, it is called the noans,” he told me over the phone. “It erratic, Schnotz’s disappearance a
Knot of Life. Fergus told me that the was a seminal mythological image, a few years later remained a mystery.
Knot of Life “is basically the knot to symbol of life.” This much scholars Throughout this period, he had con-
end all knots; a catch-all, a knot Messi- tend to agree on, but McCauley, as he tinued to go into town to socialize, on
ah.” In other words, it’s a knot that is so is wont to do, went further. He found it occasion. Friends said he seemed to be
infinitely utilitarian it obviates all oth- “easy to see how the image of the laby- straightening out. In 1989, he wrote
THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016 39
one of the most commercially success-
ful books of his career, “Red Rover, Red
Rover, Bring Larry Schnotz Over: To
Teach Us About More Knots.”
“One day he was just gone,” said
Drewed. “Haven’t seen him since.”

I COULD TELL Donegan was

nervous as we began to approach
Ben Wyvis. More than anyone I’d met,
he had placed all his faith in the Knot
of Life, and, in particular, Schnotz’s
Ahabian quest for it. As he told me, “it
was not incidental” that he’d taken up
knotting soon after he left the Scottish
Presbyterian Church of his childhood,
and it was clear that, for Donegan, the
Knot had replaced the Cross. (In con-
versation, he regularly referred to him-
self as a “guerilla atheist.”) Fergus and
Drewed were forthright in expressing
their concern over Donegan’s fanati-
cism, but they acknowledged that there
was little they could do. “There’s been
a great gape in Dunklin’s soul since he
was a lad,” said Fergus. “Something
that’s been missing, something, like, “After we hook up I’ll want to blog a little.”
numinous and elemental that’s not
there, and that he’s been fighting to fill
in with something else his whole life—
. .
hence, the fire business.”
As he drove, Donegan tapped the mountain. Donegan took off, and I consisted of a red turtleneck, a khaki
his scarred fingers against the steer- hurried after him in the darkness, feel- vest with a sheriff ’s badge pinned to it, a
ing wheel. Soon, the southern hills of ing the way with my hands. turquoise bolo tie, a madras driver’s cap,
Ben Wyvis were on our right, and, in When the stair ended, I stood and a sleeveless white duster. His gener-
the distance, a steep, barren ridge shot beside Donegan on a ledge, three- al demeanor was that of an effete wizard.
up into the gray sky. According to his quarters of the way up the mountain. “I spied you coming along the
source, Schnotz was rumored to live in A stream sprang from a crevice in the dale—you and the bird.” He held up
a shack built somewhere into the side rock to our right. To our left, the wall the mutilated raven like a Thanksgiving
of the mountain’s southern face, which sucked in and the shoulder widened. A turkey. I asked him how he’d procured
was inaccessible to vehicles. We drove wattle and daub hut was in the corner. it, partly to ease into the conversation,
another three miles, parked by the Larry Schnotz stood before us holding partly out of a genuine curiosity. He
roadside, and began to walk. a dead raven and an iron-pronged shil- pointed to an indentation in the rock
For two and a half hours, we saw lelagh. He looked as if he’d been wait- face above us, which he’d camouflaged
no lifeforms, human or otherwise, ing. in heather and moss detritus. “I prank
when suddenly some black mass of a the bozos,” he said. He shuffled to the
bird streaked overhead, startling us and
causing Donegan to cough up a large, S CHNOTZ IS SHAPED in the fashion
of your father’s bedside lamp:
round, splayed feet form a firm foun-
cliff ’s edge to demonstrate his trickery,
shadowboxing at the sky, a la Charlie
Chaplin. “They think they’ve found a
half-masticated block of cheese that
he’d exhumed from his pack pocket. dation, which sharply narrows in the nest or snooze station, and they whizz
Soon, we reached a depression in the legs, bulges in the waist, thins in the into my trap and bam”—he struck the
mountain, which opened to a small chest and neck, and is finally engulfed club against the rock—“I smack them
brook and waterfall, twenty feet wide at by a conic shag of extra-white hair that flat on the wall.” He smiled and pointed
the base. Donegan paused and peered extends well past his shoulders. Despite beneath the faux nest, where the ground
up to find the fall’s source, but a thick his fubsiness, Schnotz’s jeans were still was caked in feathers.
fog had rolled in and obscured our view. a size and a half too big, and he’d tied Inside, Schnotz’s hut was larger
We leapt through. On the other side of a double-slip through his belt loops to than I expected. Lanterns hung from
the fall, directly in front of us, was a hold them up, resulting in an accordion log rafters, and a cataract of knots cov-
stairwell carved out from the bowels of of pant creases. The rest of his wardrobe ered the walls, each one tagged with a

40 THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016

small paper label. I checked over two
hundred of these against my research to
ensure I hadn’t previously come across
any of them. I hadn’t. Their names were
typically Schnotzian: Paolo and Franc-
esca in Hell; Pinkie’s Promise; the Sav-
age Phoenician; the Jack and Rose Slip;
Chastity’s Buckle; Hamlet’s Solution;
Harry, Meet Sally. I asked Schnotz how
many there were; he had no idea.
As Donegan and I joined him by
the fire, he poured us two bright red
drinks. “Hi-C,” he said. “I make it from
the concentrate.” He raised his cup in a
toast, and we drank. Having broached
the reason for our visit, I asked him a
few questions, but Schnotz was reluctant
to discuss himself or his career. “What’s
you folks’ obsession with me, anyway?
You got a crush?” He giggled to himself.
“I try not to get so knotted up in the de-
tails of life nowadays.” He nodded to-
ward the wall to tip off his joke. “What’s
you folks’ most favorite music group?”
he asked. “You like music?” (Schnotz is
interminably curious, and, when he asks
a question, he tilts his head to the right
and sticks his tongue between his teeth,
like a Bichon Frise.) “I like show tunes
and Smashing Pumpkins,” he said. “Bil-
ly Corgan came out of the cradle end-
lessly rocking!”
He reached under the kitchen table
for a small stereobox, inserted a CD, and
pressed play: “The world is a vampire!”
Schnotz sang along word-for-word to
“Bullet with Butterfly Wings,” raising
his arms above his head and pumping
his fists toward the ceiling. At the turn
of the chorus, he climbed on top of the
table, bouncing up and down like an
analog alarm clock. Donegan turned to-
ward me; he looked baffled. By the time
“1979” began, Schnotz had been singing
Smashing Pumpkins for over an hour.
He stepped down from the table, took
a long draught of Hi-C, and started to
talk.
S CHNOTZ WAS BORN in 1940 in
Inverness to his parents, Tim and
Elise Schnotz, née Nin. “My father was
a shoe salesman,” he told me. I asked
if that was how he stumbled upon his
love of knots. He looked perplexed.
“Oh, no,” he replied. “He sold clogs. I
never really worn laced shoes before;
never liked the look of them.” He
pointed to the ground: he was wearing
triple-velcro, eggshell white sneakers.
His father’s clog shop was a fi-
nancial disaster for a panoply of rea-
sons, but primarily because no one in
Scotland wore clogs. When Schnotz
turned twelve, his father rebranded
and changed the store’s name from
The Schnotz Shop to Clogs for Bogs.
It was a bold idea—clogs to wear in
bogs—but business stayed dismal, and
his already slim customer base soon
discovered clogs to be poor footwear
in marshy terrain. Most of the family’s
income was dependent upon Schnotz’s
mother, Elise, who was a half-sister to
the famed bohemian and erotica writer
Anaïs Nin. Anaïs pitied Elise’s provin-
cial living situation and subsidized the
Schnotz’s modest, working-class life-
style. Schnotz recalled his aunt visit-
ing the family as a child and bringing
along Henry Miller, her lover at the
time. Miller seemed to leave a poor im-
pression. “Father called him ‘priapic,’”
he said, leaning forward in his chair, as
he often does to solicit an explanation.
Growing up in Cold War Scotland
was tough on the young Larry. Tim
Schnotz was a member of the under-
ground Revolutionary Highlanders
Workers Party, who, together with the
Lowlander chapter, were commonly
known as Sea Levelers. As a child,
Schnotz was confused about Scotland’s
turbulent political state (wholly elided
in standard American history text-
books). “My father came home from
meetings all wound up, saying wild
things like—‘Larry, the proletariat’s
day is nigh! Take up the sickle! Put on
your clogs!’ My mother sat in the cor-
ner and smoked cigarettes. She didn’t
heed him much.”
Schnotz never felt comfortable
discussing politics and tried his best to
avoid it. After school, rather than go-
ing home, he began to hang around the
Inverness pubs, where old men would
trade stories and impart wisdom. At
one point, the subject of knots came up.
“I don’t remember how,” Schnotz told
me. “It was just a thing old folks talked
about.” He started to try out some stan-
dard ties and quickly gained a knack
for it. Older patrons, discerning a raw
talent, encouraged him to continue de-
veloping his skills. Soon, Schnotz was
inventing his own knots. He started an
after-school club in which he lectured
THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016
classmates on theory and practice. Not
long after, some of the pub crowd start-
ed to show up. He published his first
book in 1967.
When I asked him about the
Knot of Life, he recoiled, nearly fall-
ing into the flame. (He reacted this
way every time I said its name, peri-
odically spewing his Hi-C; the fourth
time I mentioned it, he shrieked.) Af-
ter composing himself, Schnotz said
that he’d “first heard of it through the
older knotsmen, who’d heard of it from
their elders, and them from theirs, you
know.” In a striking admission, he told
me that the entire ordeal had been a
mistake, and that it had, in fact, moti-
vated his voluntary exile. “I was being a
little boy back then, really getting into
myself, really—.” He turned flush and
made a series of obscene hand gestures.
He said that he eventually “got embar-
rassed. It was embarrassing to be be-
lieving in that hocus pocus. It don’t ex-
ist.” (At this, Donegan shuddered, and
the reflection of the fire flared in his
eyes.) When I asked Schnotz how he
could know for certain that the Knot
of Life was merely a myth, he shrugged
his shoulders. “Of everyone, I suppose I
should know,” he replied.
Schnotz told me that from 1990,
when he first fled to Ben Wyvis, to
2011, he didn’t tie a single knot. “I said
to myself, Hey, what have you done
with your life? Hey, I’m talking to you!
You’ve wasted it, sitting around, tying
knots.” He said that he’d “grown sick of
it.” He meant literally. At the sight of a
knot, he would “go queasy and just start
barfing stuff up. I’d wake in the morn-
ing, see an old knot of mine, barf. Go
outside, see a bag of knots, barf. And
when I tried closing my eyes, I could
smell them, or I’d run into them trying
to feel my way around, and barf some
more. For years I lived like that, barfing
on knots.”
One day, around the summer of
1999, Schnotz had a revelation. “Well,
I realized I could untie them,” he said.
The aftereffect of this notion was seis-
mic. He became obsessed with untying
knots. “Take how much I loved tying
knots and make it bigger, like a bigger
amount”—he spread his arms out wide,
signaling for me to imitate him so that
I could grasp his analogy. “That’s how
much I liked untying knots,” he told
41

“Is the snark fresh today?”
. .
me. “Much more!” He worked his way
through his own collection—what he
figured to be in the five figures—in
three days. The process was expurga-
tive, “like working off a sin.” He visited
a tarn a few miles away that fishermen
frequented and began offering to un-
tangle knots in their lines for a pecuni-
ary fee. It wasn’t long until he had his
own business. Unaware of his identity,
the fishermen assumed Schnotz was
simply a hermit and respected his pri-
vacy. Nonetheless, in-the-know locals
soon started to visit, asking Schnotz
to untie other miscellania, like corn-
rows or dissolved friendships’ friend-
ship bracelets. For twenty-one years,
Schnotz never took a day off. “After
a while, I stopped barfing,” he told me.
But, in 2011, something strange
happened. “I was sitting by the water
one Sunday morning, like I always
did, and my friend Lou’s fishing line
had gotten tangled up fearsomely bad.
He brought it over for inspection, and
it was a hot mess. Just spiteful. Like
when a dog gets real mean.”
He paused for effect. “You know
when dogs get real mean?”
I nodded.
“So, it was like that,” he said.
42 THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016
“Most of the time it won’t take me but
two or three minutes to untie a knot,
even a bad one. But after ten minutes I
still hadn’t finished. I said, Hey, weird!
It took me nine hours to finish; Lou
must’ve caught a dozen fish on his oth-
er line at that point. But, by the time I
was done, I realized that was a beauti-
ful knot, beautiful in its fearsomeness.
I handed the line back to Lou and
haven’t seen him or the lake since.”
“So you went back to tying knots?”
asked Donegan.
“Oh yes,” said Schnotz. “All these
in four years,” he said, pointing to the
walls. He looked at Donegan. “You
don’t know how to a tie a knot until
you’ve learned to untie one.”
T
HE NEXT MORNING, Donegan
had the haggard look of some-
one who had suffered rough dreams
and little sleep. His eyes drooped, and,
as he tended to the fire, flames played
on his shirtless, pellucid torso, illumi-
nating his entrails so that he resem-
bled a gas station summer roll. While
Schnotz and I had stayed up late
talking, Donegan had opted to sleep
outside, clearly shaken by Schnotz’s
knot-of-life postmortem. “Just de-
flated, that’s all,” Donegan assured
me, on the drive back to Inverness.
When I told Fergus and Drewed
about Schnotz’s apostasy a few days
later, they were simultaneously non-
plussed and suspicious. “Larry’s al-
ways up to something,” said Fergus.
“You really think he’s been hiding up
there for twenty-five years with noth-
ing but a few thousand more knots
to show for it? He can tie a thousand
knots in a week if he wanted.” Eth-
ane McCauley was more pointed. In
a series of e-mails, he called Schnotz
a “blasphemous, ossified crone” and a
“pussywillow’ed iteration of Kurtz, ripe
for this age of dilettantes, who daren’t
glance at the heart of darkness for fear
of what he’d find.” He then compared
him to a Holocaust denier.
The following week, I met Do-
negan at the same pub along the River
Ness; his favorite in town, he told me.
It was a pleasant autumn day—per-
haps the last of its kind that year—so
we sat outside on the deck. Donegan
looked more tired than fraught, and
confessed that he’d been in a kind of
hypnagogic daze since Ben Wyvis. He
couldn’t remember if he’d slept. I no-
ticed what appeared to be fresh scars
on his knuckles, but let it pass. When
I asked him how he was doing, he said
that it was “nothing new,” and that he’d
“been let down before. It was always
just a hope. I’m lucky to meet him at
all.” I explained how I had tried to
tease out more from Schnotz about
the Knot of Life after Donegan had
left the hut, but that I’d mostly come
up empty-handed. When I mentioned
McCauley’s labyrinth theory to him,
Schnotz mistook “Minoa” for “Samoa,”
the popular Girl Scouts cookies, which
led to a long digression on the G.S.A.
and whether I’d brought any. After
that, I didn’t mention it again.
Still, I encouraged Donegan: be-
fore we’d left the ledge, Schnotz had
made Donegan promise he’d visit soon;
it was lonely on the mountain, and he
could use a knotting partner. “Maybe
a Pyrrhic victory, after all,” Donegan
joked. He gave a small grin and leaned
back in his chair, folding his hands be-
hind his head and looking at the high,
red walls of Macbeth’s castle in the dis-
tance. “There’s a Scottish proverb,” he
 washbasins, and no toilets—just two ians call it, is surely one of the great and I got a shock when I saw the back
said. “‘And who should tie latrines
hole-in-the-ground the Knot of said,
outside, with referring
approaches to thetoSmashing
any cultural Pump- my ticket
pilgrimage of and walked
a woman, inside.
dressed in a dirndl and high-
Life hassome surely hacked thetwig
disconcerting heavn’s.’”
broomsIpropped kins’ 1993
site, release,
the castle right before the
appearing across theThecrowned floor washat, buzzing.
exitingHipsters
from what I’d
waited fornexthim to continue,
to them. All of but the he wasseventy-
hut’s group catapulted
Gulf of Trieste into alt-rock
in a seriesstardom. cavortedthought
of visual throbs from display
was thetoempty display. One
downstairs, and
silent forninethe bedsremainder
were expected of thetoafter-
be filled,Having
and, likeput thein his credit, he orgasmic
unabashedly sat downbuild group
of I disappearing
passed was discussing into the woods.the mer- Later, on-
noon. Itwithwas some
a sunny, cloudless
serious drinking day,already
and going at our table.
Rilke’s Onpoems.
occasion, In when
1912, ahesong wroteits to of
a the Albright
line, I discovered special, thata Eichmann
knot used and his
we watchedon intourists
the dining fishroom,
on thethis banks
was begin-reachedfriend,
a particularly
“We are catchy crescendo
in the karst, in angling
and the hard- S.S.toguards
tie twohad different
stayeddiameters
at the inn while
of the river.
ning to If strike
they spoke, they spoke Night
me as problematic. or climax,
ened he mountains
would pump his arms
forgo in of line together.
the effeminacy fleeing U.S. Another
troops at debated
the endthe of the war.
of monsters.
was going to be a challenge; morning the air and
of anyholler out to the
vegetation.” emptyactually
There’s bar. quite
aestheticsGold of the
coinsTwinedthat theyTurk’s head,under
buried a the
gruesome. When Iaaskedlot ofhim a questionaround
vegetation I’d meant closed-loop
the castle hutsdecorative
in the meadow knot commonly
had been dug up

T
HREEI decided
MONTHS that the only
LATER Schnotz
way to han- to breach lastonly
(and time—namely,
Rilke couldhow havecould found lining ship decks. But Brooklyn
occasionally over the years.
was
dlein NewtoYork
it was for the
get myself to third
sleep imme- someoneimagined
who traced the their
gentleScottish
slopes an- hipsters weren’t the onlyIf patrons: I had to achoosesea a fa-
annual diately,
Brooklyn andKnot to clear Festival.
out first Hething cestry
in back
nearby sixtogenerations
be mountains), have the of bodies sprawled across voritethe chicfrom
stretch con-my sam-
broughttheDonegan
morning. along I had a withsleeping him, pill insurname
my butofthe Schnotz—he
path itself islooked pure be- crete floor. It seemed as ifofallthe
pling of Via,
Newit would
whom he had agreed
glasses case, where to take I’d on
alsoasstowed
an wildered.
my karst: It wasfantastical
evident that he’d never York had been converted.
water- be the part of the Blue trail
apprentice—or
contact-lens as Schnotzcontainer. quipped,
A minor “a mis-considered
erodedthe discrepancy.
stone, fissured I asked
into him Promenading among that passes the tables,
through the
knotspert.”
hap Thegave firstthe day day aI final
saw farcical
them, twist. if he worried
what about
geologists beingcallrecognized
clints at I noticed a crowd Walser gathering in of
villages thethe Pied-
SchnotzSome was in ofathe notably giddy mood;
lens solution had leaked, the convention after a quarter-century
and grykes—blocks and northeast corner of mont. the room. The Some-
landscape was
Donegan, too, seemed my
half-dissolving to have recov-
precious away from
narcotic. the publicfluted
cracks—and eye. “Certainly
like one shouted. Suddenly, an EMT
thickly forested, crew with Chi-
ered. TheyThere had was justno finished
alternative lunch
but to at licknot,”
the hecake
toldicing
me. “I or don’t
pinched holdinto up the rushed past me, towing nese-looking a twenty- crags and
the Flatiron
residue out. Olive I was Garden,
doing this, wheremy tongue same asrigid
I didwaves then.”like I couldn’t
an arrestedargue: ocean.
something knolls male in a in
scarved gurney.
fog. The Hevillages
was were
Schnotzburied
claimed deepto have
in theeaten
case’sfive bas-interior,
plush what littleI thenpictures
headed of north
Schnotz that nearly
into Austria, and catatonic,
miraculousexcept specimens for hisof anlips,
ingenious,
kets of when
garlic the knots. door Weopened
met at and Madi- the Swiss resumed following the Purple trail.which One appeared
low-impact toculture.
mouthThere a prayer.
were minia-
son Squarecouple Parkcame andin.walked.
An awkward Schnotz pause fol- stretch of it passes near the Altaussee Someone turepulled
funicularsthe fire alarm, and
for bringing in supplies
had never lowed, been in towhich the Icity. “Haven’t
decided it would be salt mine, where the Nazis hid some sprinklers
of (thefloodedstreets are from toothesteepceiling.
and narrowI for
left my hopeless
ledge in ten to try years,” he toldThey
to explain. me. stared their stolen art. I dropped down from ran towardcars),the Richardcommotion,
Scarry-like pushingvehicles on
“Dunklin’sfor agot me backevidently
moment, on the socialreappraising pristine meadows—still emerald green throughcaterpillar
a growing treads crowd of forspectators.
the garbage and
circuit.”their
Contrary to his usual
high-minded staggeredas some in August—and looked at theSome
roommate old spoke
heavyinlifting,
tongues, stonesomehouses
wept. cagedI in
and waddling
kind of gait, cokehead Schnotz or veryscooted
specialized railbeds, with salt crystals glittering along saw a well-known
wooden balconies, Wall Street scythes execu-
lying on the
around deviant,
the citybefore blocks like aaretreat.
beating SuperI passed the tunnels and a subterranean chapel tive rend his suit in half,
stone-covered roofs, and a groupshingled
chimneys
Nintendo-era Mario. He
out, mercifully wore to
quickly, thetheex-dim roar dedicated to St. Barbara, the patron of improv
saint likecomedians
tiny houses. were
Themovedschist-richto local
act sameofclothing
Slovenian as the last time
drinking we’dand left of miners. Years-old swags of fir hung
songs, silence. rock
When madeI’d finally
everything navigated
glittertomadly in
met, only he’d added
before daybreak a pair
theofnext
overlarge
morning. on the walls, smelling as if they’dthe justfront,
the Donegan
sunshine. stoodThewith his right
Walsers were Ger-
transition-lense
Just beyond glasses thethat
hut, Ihe sawhad something been cut, the salt air keeping themhand un- onman-speaking
the shoulder ofrefugees Schnotz,and who migrants
bought moving
at the 30inRock the grayConcourse
light belowear- me: a naturally fresh. sat cross-legged
who spread in asouthfolding chair. In
through the Alps
lier in the day. animal
shaggy “I spotted witha bigbighorns.
rat!” he It was an That evening, I stayed at Blaa-Alm, his lap, during
he cradled a mahogany
the Middle chest,
Ages, improvising a
said. I told
ibex, him
though it wasn’t uncommon.
in profile it looked like existed
a an didn’t look the
inn along anything
trail. The likeowners,
him who’ from d which emitted
life style on thea high fabulousterrainlight.
where no-
“Oh, itslightly
was adisreputable
Nessy. Youunicorn. should’ve I tooknow,out and,
toldin me
thetheypast were
twenty-five
going toyears, be gone Menfor andbody women laid prostrate
else farmed or lived. It in wasa a fru-
seen it running
my phone around.”
and filmedHe pulled it asout Schnotzthe
it ambled had assumed
night, left mythe roomlookkey ofina thecrescent
en- gal on life
the style,
floor before him, prof-
constrained by the de-
a pulverized,
across theseven-and-a-half-inch
lunar scree. When I look man at whose
trance. oldIt age
was was an old sempiternal,
wooden building fering whatever
mands ofthey basic could find in
survival, buttheir
there were
rat fromthe hisfootage
Strand now, tote it bag. “I swat-
seems the perfecteven cosmic,
in theand who was
Tyrolian style,indeep fact inun- pockets enough
the mid- at Schnotz’s gracefeet—spare
notes to make cash,you feel
ted the emblem
bozo with of my thatclubplace:before
wild they
and dream- imaginable
dle of at asilent
younger age, like Santa
countryside, picturesthat
with flower- of their infant children.
the inhabitants enjoyedAn their exis-
took it like
fromand me.” Donegan explained Claus or
marvellous. hungWerner
balconies Herzog.
looking“Plus,”
out onhe elderly woman
a meadow tence. Inwent intomuseum
a little labor oninthe Alagna, I
their conversation with the Metro- said, “who fullcares?
of small It’sfarm
likebuildings,
when youand playI seemed
floor. admired a teaspoon carved with a hand
politan Transportation
iking the entire Authority.
Via Alpina hide-and-seek
to have and the hider
it entirely is so hid-
to myself. A woodenA small holding knot laid on the chest’s
a rose.
H
When Doneganwould take hadyears,
first e-mailed
so after leaving den, thestaircase
seeker gives led up upto’cus they bedroom
a large stop redinvelvet It’s cushion.
the loopingAt first glance, of
continuum it the trail
me to Triglav
confirmNational they would Parkbe I gotcom- into acaring.”
car which the walls, ceiling, and every other was a simple
that makes knot—a the Viafew Alpina
maneuvers, what it is. It
ing to theandconvention,
drove to other I held out hope
sections of the trail.Twosurface,
days later, I was in
including theGreenpoint
light-switch cover,a clever doesn’t
tie, but take
nothing longato modestly
lose yourselfex- in the
that Schnotz
Moving would put a new
southwest, work on
I crossed at the Brooklyn
into Italy, had beenExpo Center.
intricately Donegan
panelled perienced
in the same knotsman
rhythms couldn’ttravel:
of mountain conjure. the morn-
display. where
He disabused
I began athe walk notion.
on the“No, Karst had Pla-texted me in the morning
butter-colored wood. Ittowas meet But theing
very com- closer
climb I looked,
and long theafternoon
more thedescent,
those daysteau,are done;landscape
a rocky better topockmarked
see what them with outside,
fortable, buteventhe luxurious,
crowd wasifenor- a touchknot’s
sar- complexity
the dependably was revealed
undependable to me.weather,
these tykes
cavesisand up sinkholes,
to and notand cause
ended a up mous.
at Apparently
cophagal. IBrooklyn
sat out on had caught watch-
the balcony, I remembered
the never what Donegan
quite knowing had what
told you’re
stir.” I hailed
DuinoaCastle.cab near Union
It was here,Square,
walking along the bug,ingand I regretted
night fall and not feelingbuying a me.
as though I’dIt was
going a simple
to see knot over the and crest
through of the next
and wethe headed to a path
cliff-top bar on abovethe theWest ticket inlanded
Adriatic, advance. in aI folktale
called Donegan but itsar-
about a traveller simplicity,
high pass complex.
or who’s Thegoing
virtuesto were
emerge from
Side Highway
that Rilke at claimed
11th Street. to haveSchnotz
heard a voicegot a voicemail;
riving in aIhousehold
tried again—no under some re- pow-
ineffablytheentwined.
mist along I smiled at Schnotz, unlike
the trail—though,
wanted speak
to seethe the opening
Hudson.line of what became sponse. erful
Given the high concentration and he winked
enchantment. Ötzi, you at mecanthrough
be fairlyhis sureglass-
the stranger
ThethebarDuino was Elegies:
mostly empty, “Who, ifsoI cried, of phone signals,
There was I assumed
nothingthe local exactly,
sinister, es, which,isn’tfrom
going thetostrobing
kill you.fire Healarmmight even
Schnotzwould headed hear to methefromjukebox.
among “I still cell tower
the Angels’ was overloaded.
though the tall firAfter trees morearoundlights,
the werewant slowly
to be your transitioning
friend. We’ve overcome that
love anything
orders?”off The ‘Siamese
SentieroTwins,’”
Rilke, ashethe than Ital- thirty
meadow minuteswereinforbidding
line, I bought his irisesfarlike
in the dusk, thethe
since fall Bronze
of a curtain.
Age. 
THE NEW YORKER, APRIL 11, 2016 39
THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016 43
 THE CRITICS
ONWARD AND UPWARD WITH THE ARTS

VOWEL OF SILENCE
A choral composer who hates CINEMA
THE CURRENT the human voice

BY MICHAEL YARSKY
FUN AND GAMES
I T WAS 1996 when the the radio for fear of ruining the lis- some only when he began attend-
Pittsburgh Steelers lost to the “Everybody tening experience
Wants Some!!” for and
Dallas Cowboys on Super Bowl members; he had learned from that of Irish Catholic descent, had very
other family
“Miles ing elementary school. His parents,
Ahead.”
XXX, but it was not the defeat experience that his parents
BY ANTHONY LANE were little experience with the pleasures
that left a long-lasting impression generous enough to “let the awful- of verbal communication, or the
on fcomposer
you can’tOliver think ofRobeson;
a good wayinto ness of aorsinger
habited, infested, speak
solelyfor itself.” pleasures
by members of anything
his first scene, he holds up fora that
copy mat-
of Carl
I
fact,kick
not
it off
how
wasyour
it
themovie,
was
national
sung
anthem; Once when his cousin came to visit ter, and
how about this? of the baseball team. His roommate is Sagan’s “Cosmos” and says to Jake, “Chap-
necessarily, she began to sing along to Frankie tem until
maintained
their
that
appropriately
value sys-
stoic
Take a handsome young buck, put him Billy (Will Brittain), a country boy ter 9. It’ll blow your mind.” That mo-
but perhaps
at the wheel of that it was sung
an Oldsmobile at Valli
coupe, mocked& The
for his Four Seasons.
hickhood Twenty
by the others. andment anguished
ignites our deaths.
sense On of him,her andlast it
all. “No travesty had stricken such minutes later, a doctor had to sur-
and have him whip along a Texas high- They include Roper (Ryan Guzman), burns through the rest of the film, reach- day alive, Robeson’s mother drove
a way
traumatic
to the sound blowof to “Mymy musicalby gically
Sharona,” anotherremove
comelyafellow,
mechanical
who spendspencilan toing thea smoky
beach fruition
in a bathrobeas he proveswith to allbe
imagination than the egomaniacal from Robeson’s ear. “I clicked the
the Knack. That is what Richard Link- entire scene lauding his own ass in the the undisputed master of the bong. of its pockets filled with stones,
disposition
later does in with his latestwhichfilm, the aver- eraser
“Everybody mirror;bittherepeatedly
mustached hoping McReynolds the and Best staredof into
all is the distance.
Finnegan, Police
played with
age—and I mean average—singer lead would enter my brain and poi-
Wants Some!!,” and it’s hard to think (Tyler Hoechlin), who loathes losing, a runaway charm by Glen Powell. Finn, found her dead that evening.
exploits this categorically
of a brighter start. The buckabysmal in ques- son evenme. But I wasn’t
at Ping-Pong; Nilesso( Juston
lucky.” In
Street), Robeson
as he is known,remembers
is the eloquent reacting
one, spool-
National Anthem,” he wrote in his an unfortunate foreshadowing
tion is Jake (Blake Jenner), and by the the resident jerk, who claims to have ing out his verbal riffs of very quietly. The dayin before
a bid nothis just
private
end of the diaries.
song “It we’ve made
alreadymegrasped
real- his old-age
thrown a pitchimpotence,
at ninety-five there mileswasan 44th
to catchbirthday,
girls but theto boost investigation
the dramatic
ize
thehow muchshape
unfolding joy aofvocalist
his life. He would
glides nohour;leadand
in his
Dalepencil.
( J. Quinton Johnson), confirmed dash of thethe worst: she “We
proceedings. threw allthe
take
hold hostage in order to bolster stones
past groups of girls his age and parks in the only black guy in the house, not that turns being chumps around here,” he across the surface of the wa-ex-
their
front egos.
of a house There on a is no need
pleasant street.for
He anyone notices or cares. There are mul- ter, used“You
plains. theaccept
bathrobe your as a towel to
chumpification,
prolonging
has a shy smile the and singer’s
a boxmoment
of LPs inin his tiple flash points in this society, mostly sunbathe and movenude, and then
on.” Excellent acciden-
advice, in any
that context. Then again, there’s tally
arms. Sunlight pours down like a ben- to do with sporting smarts or carnal brag- field of endeavor, and a key to the lovely shot herself with a pistol.
no context
ediction. He’sforready which prolonging
for anything. gadocio, but racial bias isn’t one of them. note “I ofknew
comicshe always
humility with respected
which the
a singer’s moment is allowable, let
Linklater has long been a champion In his limber and leisurely fashion, Link- natural-born bumptiousness of the my wishes until the very end,”stu-
alone even giving those monsters
of beginnings and ends. “Dazed and later is glancing at a golden age. Robeson said of her
dents is tempered and soothed, and many years the
any moment
Confused” to hung
(1993) ruin.”out Towith this day
a bunch His most cheering gift, and maybe later. movie “The pistol from
prevented had acoarsening
silencer.”into
heofclaims
kids on thattheir hisfinalfavorite
day of high national
school; the reason that he calls this movie a “spir- a brawl. He Jakewas and an the only
otherchild
newbiesinmust, a
anthem is the Roman national an-
“Boyhood” (2014), having tracked its itual sequel” to “Dazed and Confused,” of course, expect a dose of hazing, and neighborhood with no other chil-
them, as he has
hero, Mason, foryetmanyto hear
years,it.bid him is an itch to populate the frame. At his dren they his age fastened
are duly with which with duct to tape
play.to
Robeson does not much re- He
farewell on his first day of higher edu- best, he doesn’t really direct a film so a border fence, one of them upside down, remembers his first transgres-
member
cation, atbeing exposed toand
once bewildered theblissed
joys muchAs as
a child, Robeson’sallsanctuary
host it—keeping his charac- sion andas a student
peppered withwhen a classmate
baseballs struck by
ofout.
singing in his childhood; as a became the library due to its strict
Jake, too, is at that pivotal point. A ters involved, rescuing the wallflowers, their bat-wielding teammates. tried to teach his peers how to
I guess
white male his church’s attempts to adherence to the values of silence.
freshman at an unnamed college in making sure that everyone is plied with that’s part of the deal, yet the tale as a whistle. In an attempt to eliminate
invigorate
southeast Texas the ceremony
(otherwiseoften known, feltto Even whispers
lines and seemed
bits of stage like astiny
business, if he the piercing
whole, though sound from the is
filthy-mouthed, air, he
lenient
stilted and awkward. The sound, as revolts against propriety during
moviegoers, as Linklaterland), he is more were topping up drinks. The obvious and humane. No freshmen were harmed grabbed an eraser from the chalk-
heof recalls
a jock it, than carried
Mason, an andunpleasant
less of a long sessionsisstudying
comparison with “Hail, theCaesar!,”
point ofin board in theand tried
making of to
thiserase
film. the boy’s
yet validating ghostliness to it: “I singing.
wounded soul; whatever his past may which the Coens introduced a crew of He detested hummers, lit- lips. “ WHY MUST YOU MAKE IT
It is set in 1980, a crossroads for mu-
liked how we
have been, ashamed
learn very theylittlewere
abouttoit. erally. By chance
promising figures and he then
pulled a score
let them slide, ALL
sicalABOUT YOU ?” he hissed at his
trends both coming and going. We
sing, those people,” he said. “They of Mahler’s Eighth Symphony,
He’s like a passenger boarding a ship half-used; the result left audiences gaz- get the dregs of disco, classmate before being sent to“Heart
Blondie’s the
ought to feel that way given what scribbled a note in it, and present- principal’s
with a single suitcase. What matters is ing around at the end and asking, “Is that of Glass,” the Cars, Cheap Trick, and a office. His parents were
ABOVE: GUIDO SCARABOTTOLO

antheabsurd
surginggesture tide ofitthe truly
now,is.and And the edit?”itTotoLinklater,
a customer no oneat the library quite
is disposable. burstin character
of pustular punk.in their
We getpunish-
M’s “Pop
shame is the church’s bread and who was humming. It stated,
camera follows him eagerly into the Take Nesbit (Austin Amelio), who tends Muzik,” which to my horror “ Why ment: “They simply told Ime remem-to
butter. I can tolerate the shameful don’t you keep your masturbating never,
house—taking its cue from a snaking to place unwise bets, for a few dollars, on ber, in pitiless detail, from 1979. And, ever do it again. It was stern,
act of which
hose, singing runssofromlongtheasgardenthe per- to an tofruitless
yourselfdailyand wank Plummer
activities; it in the(Tem- re- but mercifully
courtesy short,” Gang,
of the Sugarhill he wrote.we get
former
upstairs bedroom, where a water bed is ple Baker), who is just off the pace when- “Rapper’s Delight,” chanted because
feels the shame with me. stroom?” To this day it remains not “Their words stung, if only in angelic
I’m so being
slowly tired filled.
of how oblivious
It’s that kind ofthey place. only a cogent
ever jokes request,
are flying about; or but an ac- they
Willoughby wereconsonant-perfect,
chorus, spoken out loud.”by Roper,
are Jake
to isthemselves.” His parents curate critique of Mahler’s
a pitcher, and the house is in- (Wyatt Russell), the in-house hippie. In Finn, Plummer, Eighth. Robeson did,Dale, however,
and Jake as have
they
were avid listeners of classic rock Robeson’s aversion to the hu- plenty of role models in his up-
and soul,Linklater’s
Richard never singing new movie along to at man
is set a Texas voice became
college. quitehetrouble-
At his best, doesn’t reallybringing.
direct a filmHe soadmired
much as host the it.silent

4474 THE NEU

THE NEW JORKER,
YORKER, APRIL 11, 2016
JUNE 20, 2016
 ILLUSTRATION BY REID FAYLOR

Robeson, like John Cage, experimented with sensory deprivation. THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016 45
films of Buster Keaton and Vin-
cent Price. His grandfather owned
an art-house theater in East Brad- WHAT’S INSIDE OF ME
dock, PA, which has since closed,
and would often invite his grand- We walk this weary world half dead
son along to watch the movies that
he himself treasured as a child. “I Trapped in bodies, thoughts locked in heads
saw Metropolis when I was about But outside only hold the fragility
seven or eight,” he recalls in his If only you could see inside of me.
memoirs. “ Well, it turns out I only
saw two-thirds of it or something Blood that pumps and lungs that churn,
like that. People find my preference
for it over the ‘I Have A Dream’ An engorged heart that thumps and yearns
speech incredibly galling. I don’t Arteries severely clogged
get it.” School was miserable for From years of eating butter logs.
him with the exception of one stu-
dent assembly where a professional A shriveled liver soaked in gin,
mime performed for the children.
“I was enraptured,” he commented. Psoriasis has worn it thin.
“I have blocked out of my memory A family of spiders laid a nest,
the primitive shrieks of laughter.” Inside the kidney I loved best.
He implored his parents to pay
for pantomime lessons; he was ea-
ger to be instructed in the ways of
conveying information without the
use of voice. His parents capitulat-
ed, and the mime, known as Jahinie
Watts, took his very first student at discussing any LGBTQ issues, or notation, Robeson set out to trans-
his magic shop in Homestead. The discussion in general. pose all four minutes and thirty-
lesson lasted five seconds. Robeson three seconds of Cage’s totally

remembers walking through the
door when Jahinie greeted him:
“‘Hi, are you here for lessons?’
he asked. It broke me. It broke me
forever.”
Robeson refers to it as his per-
sonal Santa Claus moment: the re-
alization that a mime speaks when
not on stage. (Actually, he took
comfort in Santa Claus’s non-ex-
istence because of how he detested
caroling.) Because mimes didn’t
truly commit to silence, Robeson
strived to incorporate more silence
into his daily routine. In high
school he recalls founding a Gen-
der Issues organization to promote
not only LGBTQ issues, but also
to implement the national LGBTQ
youth-run effort called the “Day of
Silence.” As the only head of any
student organization that was not
a senior, he was not re-designated
as head for his senior year because
of his over-prioritization of the
“Day of Silence” in meetings. He
called for year-long “Meetings of
Silence.” He was not receptive to
B
ESIDES SPENDING AN
inordinate amount of time at a
library and reading about Buddhist
monasteries, his first breakthrough
came from a joke made at his ex-
pense. His uncle and aunt, both
modest donors to the Pittsburgh
Symphony Orchestra, attended
the orchestra’s first performance of
John Cage’s tacit, three-part piano
piece 4’33”. “It would be perfect for
your quiet son,” they quipped. He
spent the following Friday listen-
ing to it repeatedly on a vinyl in the
Homestead public library, and even
relishing the score. He describes it
as a revolutionary moment for him,
and wanted desperately to surmise
whether or not such a piece would
work for a choir. (Robeson once
told me if he were ever made Pres-
ident, he would declare 4’33” our
national anthem. He would also
enact more moments of silence for
fallen warriors, perhaps one every
quarter of an hour.)
Without knowing any music
theory or the structure of musical
silent masterwork from piano to
voice. He had no inkling for tran-
scribing the octaves of the piano to
separate vocal registers; further-
more, there was the issue of writ-
ing transcriptions of total silence
for innumerable permutations of
vocal ensembles: mixed choirs,
boy’s choirs, all-male or all-female
choirs, even the more insufferable
ensembles like collegiate a cappel-
la. After several minutes of writ-
ing “Everyone just shut the fuck
up for this long” and photocopy-
ing the pages, Robeson created his
first arrangement of 4’33” in less
than an hour and showed it to his
CCD instructor at the St. Therese
parish in Munhall, Pennsylvania.
Robeson petitioned her by writing
furiously that it should be consid-
ered a hymn for the next service,
and if the church ever did hire a
choir, it should be their first choice
of commissioned music. Robeson
was disappointed, but still slightly
relieved, that his CCD instructor
merely shook his head. “Perhaps

46 THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016

 munication. As an advocate for the
deaf, he mastered the art of Ameri-
can Sign Language and taught it to
close family members as well. “My
Seven hot dogs in my stomach. parents have both become hard of
hearing in their old age so it ended
That was all that I could stomach. up becoming rather invaluable; I
I had cooked eight hotdogs but alas, can only hope that this condition
I threw up before I could munch the last. is hereditary.” He learned ASL by
taking volunteer opportunities at
Bones, bones, brittle bones, the Jefferson School for the Deaf
in Shadyside to coordinate field
My doctor said that I am prone, trips, chaperone fellow students,
To osteoporosis, ain’t that wild. and coordinate fundraisers to help
I have the bones of a sickly child. against the school’s increasingly
austere budget. Unfortunately,
All this exists below my skin, Robeson’s reputation for being an
adamantly conservative head of
Which I should note is super thin. an LGBTQ organization, as well as
So before you judge my mortal facade his general reputation among the
Realize that I’m probably gonna be community as a bad spokesperson
dead in like four or five months. (a term he detests), his fundrais-
ing campaigns could not save the
school. A wealthy benefactor three
—Michael J. Wolf hours upstate did enroll them at
low tuition rates at a school near
Erie, but it caused Robeson great
I should’ve censored the fuck,” he ceived poorly among family mem- distress to see his friends leave
reflects. bers, and it stung him so much that him. He put on a small farewell
Robeson’s all-vocal arrange- he hardly participated in the game benefit for his peers where he per-
ment of John Cage’s 4’33” still of Charades he himself requested formed, once again, his 4’33” for
struggles, to this day, to find any after the performance. Solo Baritone. He explained the na-
mainstream performance oppor- ture of the piece and the signifi-
tunities. “It goes to show you that cance of John Cage’s work to the
you really can’t shut up a singer, musical community, but also how
any singer,” he writes. it may be one of the few cross-over
While it hasn’t garnered any pieces of musical appeal to the
momentum among professional, hearing-impaired. He emphasized
amateur, or sacred choirs, Robeson that he interpreted the piece as a
still staged his own performance at means of musical inclusion and a
a highly politically heated Thanks- heartfelt display of his own tal-
giving dinner the following year. ent to give the fondest farewell
Not only did he beseech people to he could muster. His performance
watch his performance, but also he ended with the raucous sign-lan-
begged family members to join him guage equivalent of applause (it
in the silent performance as well. involves putting your hands near
He hoped desperately for back- your ears and rotating your wrists
to-back-to-back-to-back encore back and forth). He said the joy of
performances. Predictably, no one It is by sheer accident more than performance in that context was a
joined him, and they were barely anything else that Robeson had revelation. “It cemented for me a
quiet during his performance of stumbled across the career of be- belief that music is very much reli-
the piece. He called it “4’33” for coming a choral composer/conduc- ant on this notion of context. The
Solo Baritone” and did not perform tor. He dreamed of being an astro- best music functions within an ap-
it formally again for several years. naut to explore the deep, dark, “no propriate context, like a Cage work
“I perform it informally in any sit- one can hear you scream” silence of in a school for the deaf. It is what
uation I can,” he writes, “and hope, space, but, much to his chagrin, it bothered me greatly about the na-
to no avail, that others will do the appeared that operations of space- tional anthem, and it is what so
same.” Nevertheless, it was re- ships and satellites required com- reinvigorated me about my perfor-

THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016 47


“And the Lord saith, ‘Ding.’”
. .
mance for these wonderful people.
It moved me greatly, and indeed I
wept, but I wept quietly, because
I’m not a hypocrite.” Robeson oc-
casionally visits his peers from
those days still, many of whim still
reside near Lake Erie.
Robeson opted not to go to
college for fear of having to en-
dure more endless and purposeless
lectures, instead committing to a
relationship with a mute woman.
Sally Redfield and Robeson met at
a bar where she had been signal-
ing the bartender without words
or overt gestures what she desired
to drink. “Her taste in alcohol was
as impeccable as her command of
body language,” he wrote. Later he
discovered that the bartender was
a cousin of hers and that Sally and
her cousin had developed a close
bond growing up. Their non-verbal
communication skills were truly
superb. He writes:
It seemed to me that Sally, at first,
had created a bewitching spell that could
compel the bartender to follow her com-
mand. Each cocktail that came by: one
48 THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016
seemed like an old-fashioned, another a
Last Word, the last a Tiki drink...I was
amazed at how she could summon such
elaborate instructions with no word usage
at all. She understood sign language and
explained to me how she had developed a
sort of intimate language with her cousin
who did not ever learn ASL. I yearned for
this communion of silence and ached for
a romantic equivalent to their platonic af-
filiations. I suppose it is a bit sentimental
to label the pursuit of wholly non-verbal
communication sentimental, but I can
feel the feelings I wish to feel when I’m
not faced with the prospect of talking or
hearing others talk.
Sally did indeed charm Robe-
son; they had dated for a year and a
half before Sally broke it off. Red-
field claims that Robeson desired
her condition more than her com-
panionship as a person. She recalls
telling him that she was concerned
that he didn’t care about what she
might want to say to him. He mis-
understood the implication and
responded, “Precisely.” Robeson
had written boastfully to friends
how perfect she was, but could not
decouple her perfection from how
much money he claimed he was
saving on earplugs. “It made me
not mind paying for dinner,” he
once gaffed, “so shouldn’t that be
a plus?” Redfield claimed that she
had told Robeson over and over
that she was discontent with the
loss of her voice, that it was impos-
sible for him to empathize with her.
To Sally, Robeson had the privilege
to speak when needed. He lived
in the comfort of knowing it was
a tool he had the choice to utilize;
for Sally, her voice was taken from
her altogether. She felt terrified to
tell Robeson that she would have
liked to sing, or speak, one day, and
she never disclosed this to him.
She grew distant and afraid, and
broke up with him. He understood
why immediately. “I wanted her to
feel like I could love her for how
she was now, and I did not want
her to feel that she needed to be
someone else for anybody,” Robe-
son writes, “but at the same time
I cannot change someone’s inner
yearning, whether it be for quiet or
for noise.” They parted ways and
remain acquaintances at best. “It
was an amicable break-up; indeed,
there was no shouting.”
Robeson, like Cage, had ex-
perimented with sensory depriva-
tion, and was greatly surprised to
discover the loudness that the inner
ear concocts when totally deprived
of any sound. With the crushing
realization that total sensory depri-
vation can still yield the existence
of loud, neurologically triggered
voices, he realized that composing
sound rather than detesting any
sound was impractical. Further-
more, the realization that his first
love may have wished to sing one
day gave him someone to write to
and for. In short, he began writing
choral pieces for her. His pieces in-
clude an all-consonant aria named
for the band !!! (Chk Chk Chk),
a chamber work for soprano and
whoopee cushion ( PFFFFFF TTTT ),
and his only politically charged
song cycle ( K K K ). Robeson be-
lieved that even if a voice could
not muster pitch, it could at least
use the exhalation of air and the
positioning of the throat to create
 washbasins, and no toilets—just two ians call it, is surely one of the great and I got a shock when I saw the back
consonants. She neverlatrines
hole-in-the-ground performed
outside, with approaches to any cultural pilgrimage of a woman, dressed in a dirndl and high-
thesesomeworks, and when
disconcerting she later
twig brooms propped site, the castle appearing across the crowned hat, exiting from what I’d
died next
from tuberculosis
to them. All of theduring a
hut’s seventy- Gulf of Trieste in a series of visual throbs thought was the empty downstairs, and
safarinine
gonebedsawry, he wrote
were expected to bea filled,
solo and, like the unabashedly orgasmic build of disappearing into the woods. Later, on-
soprano pieceserious
with some consisting
drinkingentirely
already going Rilke’s poems. In 1912, he wrote to a line, I discovered that Eichmann and his
of coughs
on in the ( TB ). Robeson
dining room, this calls
was itbegin- friend, “We are in the karst, and the hard- S.S. guards had stayed at the inn while
the most
ning to creative
strike me period of his ca-Night ened mountains forgo the effeminacy fleeing U.S. troops at the end of the war.
as problematic.
reer, was
but going
also to thebemost innocent.
a challenge; morning of any vegetation.” There’s actually quite Gold coins that they buried under the
His work,
gruesome. due to being labeled as a lot of vegetation around the castle huts in the meadow had been dug up
“edgy” Iordecided“controversial”
that the only (despite
way to han- (and only Rilke could have occasionally over the years.
not being the to
dle it was work’s intent),
get myself meant
to sleep imme- imagined the gentle slopes If I had to choose a fa-
that diately,
musicologists,
and to clear composers,
out firstand thing in nearby to be mountains), vorite stretch from my sam-
the blogosphere
the morning.alike I had had plentypill
a sleeping toin my but the path itself is pure pling of the Via, it would
talk about
glasses when
case, wherethey attended
I’d also stowed his my karst: fantastical water- be the part of the Blue trail
concerts.
contact-lens container. A minor mis- eroded stone, fissured into that passes through the
“Ihap
couldn’t
gave the stand dayhow a finalthey talk- twist. what geologists call clints
farcical Walser villages of the Pied-
ed, for
Somea variety
of the of lensreasons,”
solution Robe- had leaked, and grykes—blocks and mont. The landscape was
son wrote. “They claimed
half-dissolving my precious to know narcotic. cracks—and fluted like thickly forested, with Chi-
what There
my intentions were in but
was no alternative writing
to lick the cake icing or pinched into nese-looking crags and
theseresidue
worksout. without
I was doing any informa-
this, my tongue rigid waves like an arrested ocean. knolls scarved in fog. The villages were
tion about
buriedme deepat inall. They
the case’sdiscussed
plush interior, I then headed “ You share
north intoyour inner
Austria, andthoughts,
miraculous and Ispecimens
don’t of an ingenious,
what when
its historical
the door significance
opened and the wasSwiss resumed following theshare Purplemy silent retorts.”
trail. One low-impact culture. There were minia-
as if couple
it wascame particularly
in. An awkward important. pause fol- stretch of it passes near the Altaussee ture funiculars for bringing in supplies
Theylowed,cultivated
in which their I decided personal
it would be salt mine, where the Nazis hid some of (the streets are too steep and narrow for
and private
. .
hopelessopinions on my They
to try to explain. worksstared their stolen art. I dropped down from cars), Richard Scarry-like vehicles on
in thefor least
a moment, private and personal
evidently reappraising pristine meadows—still emerald green caterpillar treads for the garbage and
way imaginable:
their high-minded they openedroommate theiras some in August—and looked at the old heavy lifting, stone houses caged in
mouths.”
kind of Robeson
cokehead wasor not very averse
specialized railbeds, with salt crystals glittering along wooden balconies, scythes lying on the
to receiving criticism
deviant, before beating for ahis work;
retreat. I passed the tunnels and a subterranean chapel stone-covered roofs, chimneys shingled
he just
out,preferred
mercifullya quickly,
different to themeans ing the
dim roar performance
dedicated of the
to St. Barbara, work saint
the patron allowslikefellow lip-readers
tiny houses. to make local
The schist-rich
of delivery:
of Slovenian “I can read songs,
drinking it, sure. in-person. Attending premieres of the sound with him, but he tends
and left of miners. Years-old swags of fir hung rock made everything glitter madly in
Sometimes I even get
before daybreak theaggravated
next morning. at his workon thehas walls,actually become less to perform with earplugs for those. Ger-
smelling as if they’d just the sunshine. The Walsers were
the littleJust
voice
beyondin my thehead
hut, Ias saw I read,
something burdensome for him
been cut, the since
salt air the them
keeping ad- un- During these performances,
man-speaking refugees and Robe-migrants
but, Imoving
can read it. I’ll
in the graylive.”
lightHe below un-me:vent of the smartphone: “People son typically concludes the piece Alps
a naturally fresh. who spread south through the
derstands
shaggythat animalthewith person he wrote
big horns. It was stare
an atThat
theirevening,
phonesI stayed
and do not by signing
at Blaa-Alm, duringthe the word
Middle “Redfield” and
Ages, improvising a
manyibex,
of these
though works for will
in profile not belikeengage
it looked a an ininnsmall
along talk before or after bowing, and has even notated this
the trail. The owners, who’ d life style on the high terrain where no-
able to sing disreputable
slightly them, nor hear them.
unicorn. It out
I took concerts.
told meSo they
be it wereif going
they areto bedis-gone forin hisbody
score else(also
farmeddedicated
or lived. to the a fru-
It was
was clear
my phoneto meand how muchit he
filmed as itstill
ambledtracted; I relish what smartphones late Redfield).
the night, left my room key in the en- gal life style, constrained by the de-
lovedacross
her. In theourlunar correspondence
scree. When I look I have done for killing conversation.”
at trance. It was an old wooden building Robeson is currently negotiat- were
mands of basic survival, but there
askedthehim about now,
footage his failed
it seems attempts
the perfect He is known to sometimes ask ing the
in the Tyrolian style, deep in the mid- enoughrelease grace of notes
audio toand makevideoyou feel
to reconnect
emblem ofwith Sallywild
that place: Redfield
and dream- smaller venues to withhold any an- for these community-oriented per- exis-
dle of silent countryside, with flower- that the inhabitants enjoyed their
after like
theyand separated
marvellous. but before she nouncements hung balconies regarding
lookingturning
out on aoff meadow formances
tence. In of aKlittle , whichinhave
K Kmuseum Alagna, I
died. He replied, beautifully, with cell-phones, and is more known for garnered high demand among edu-a hand
full of small farm buildings, and I seemed admired a teaspoon carved with
one sentence:iking“Ithe don’tentirewant to Viatalk requiring the distribution
Alpina to have it entirely to myself.of cough A wooden catorsholding
of deafa rose. persons not only for
H
about it.” would take years, so after leaving drops during performances of TB . their socially
staircase led up to a large bedroom in It’s theconscious undertones,
looping continuum of the trail
Triglav National Park I got into a car “No singing along,” he demands. but also for helping younger stu-it is. It
which the walls, ceiling, and every other that makes the Via Alpina what

R and droveDOES
OBESON
many
Moving
placewhere
in the
to other
ofsouthwest,
the events
choral
NOT partake
sections
that take
I crossed
a walkcommunity.
in trail.
of the He performs fairly often
surface, including and has cover,
the light-switch dentsdoesn’t
shunned conducting altogether, performance is different basedthe
into Italy, had been intricately panelled in the same
to master
rhythms
take the
of
longalphabet.
mountain
“Eachin the
to lose yourself
travel: onmorn-
I began on the Karst Pla- oftentimes performing K K K to how each person can perceive and
butter-colored wood. It was very com- ing climb and long afternoon descent,
He isteau,
considered
a rocky landscapealoof and reclu- with
pockmarked Schools for the Deaf nationwide. utter the word K,” Robeson writes.
fortable, even luxurious, if a touch sar- the dependably undependable weather,
sive, caves
arrogant and condescending.
and sinkholes, and ended up He at does thisI sat
cophagal. byout introducing
on the balcony, thewatch-“Or sothetheyneversay. I wouldn’t
quite knowing know; what you’re
He travels alone Itrather
Duino Castle. was here, than with along
walking piece and its personal significance I don’t really listen to it.” Deutsche
ing night fall and feeling as though I’d going to see over the crest of the next
the members
the cliff-top of thepathchoirabovewho the had for him—“It is called significance,” Grammophon has shown interest from
Adriatic, landed in a folktale about a traveller ar- high pass or who’s going to emerge
commissioned him forto fear
that Rilke claimed have of heard im-a voice
he once
rivingsigned to a crowd,
in a household under some “not pow- in branding
the mist along Robeson’s catalogueunlike
the trail—though,
promptu
speaksing-alongs
the opening and line “the
of what gen- speechificance.” He calls his per- as children’s music, a label which
became erful enchantment. Ötzi, you can be fairly sure the stranger
eral histrionics
the Duino Elegies: of an assembly “Who, if of formance of K K K a “transcription Robeson neither accepts normight
I cried, There was nothing sinister, exactly, isn’t going to kill you. He re- even
singers.”
wouldHe hearstrongly
me fromprefers among the cor- for the deaf ”: he signs the letter at jects. He has said very little on the that
Angels’ though the tall fir trees around the want to be your friend. We’ve come
respondence
orders?” The via Sentiero
e-mail to discuss-
Rilke, varying
as the Ital- intervals.
meadow Occasionally
were forbidding in the he dusk,
subject,
far for
sinceobvious
the Bronze reasons.
Age. 
THE NEW YORKER, APRIL 11, 2016 39
THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016 49
 PORTFOLIO

PART AND
PARCEL
A look into the current state of the
United States Postal Service

BY KADY RUTH ASHCRAFT

PHOTOGRAPHS BY
KADY RUTH ASHCRAFT

A PHYSICAL PIECE
of mail in this day is
as rare as a finding a slice of
white stilton gold on a char-
cuterie plate. The tangible
form of correspondence is
more a quaint, kitsch state-
ment than anything conve-
nient or practical. Yet still
today there are almost 25
operating post offices in the
United States alone. Chaos
and misgovernance have
made their home in what
used to be the communica-
tion polestar of our country.
Take a look at the activity
occurring within these all
but abandoned premises.

According to research done by

Millicent Reeves, the leading
analyst in vagrants who won’t
leave the post office, a single
letter can take up to 13 weeks
to be sent back to the sender for
no apparent reason.
A large percentage of post office patrons are of the belief that post offices are banks. This has led
to the financial demolition of a few small towns as well as a number of unsuccessful heists.
In one post office that remains open but underused in Floyd, Kentucky, a small cult has been renting the empty mailrooms
to cleanse and abuse their members. It’s a profitable way to keep the doors open and engage with the community.
 THE CRITICS
OUR LOCAL CORRESPONDENTS

THE HERO SCOURGE

Once, caped crusaders were eager
THE to protect
CURRENT Gotham. Now, they harm more than heal.
CINEMA

BY DANIEL SARGEANT
FUN AND GAMES
A S 1980 DREW to a close, New York criminals, many still wearing narrow were their cooperatives or their com-
found itself in the midst of a crime “Everybody masks andWants all black unitards,
Some!!” andwere“Miles
epidemic. Statistics from the era sketch on police station stoops. Each group lice had dismissed as a group delusion
found petition. It emerged that what the po-
Ahead.”
a grim landscape: there were 1.6 switch- was wrapped BY ANTHONY in thick longshoreman’s
LANE among feeble minds had instead been
blades per adult resident in Manhattan, rope, eight to twelve criminals each, the first rumblings of a new cadre of vig-
3.3 sets
f you of brass
can’tknuckles
think ofper household
a good way to bouquets
habited,of or vagrants
infested,deposited by erst- ilantes
solely by members his firstpossessed
scene, heofholds means up and
a copy abilities
of Carl
I
citywide.
ported to
Children
kindergarten,
as young
if they
as five re-
reported
while
tween
crime-fighting
whines about
romantics.
kick off your movie, how about this? of the baseball team. His roommate is Sagan’s “Cosmos” and says to Jake,NYPD
the need for
In be-
over-
that
The
far outstripped
busloads of new
those
Sing
of
Sing
the “Chap-
residents
.
Take a handsome young buck, put him Billy (Will Brittain), a country boy ter 9. It’ll blow your mind.” That mo-
atatall,
theinwheeltiny leather jackets, and coupe,
of an Oldsmobile were time pay, the
mocked for hisdeskhickhood
jockeys of bythe others. reported
theNYPD ment ignitesthat theour men theyof
sense encountered
him, and it
often
and have him whip along a Texas high- They include Roper (Ryan Guzman), burns through the rest of the film,They
found concealing lengths of chain began taking statements. Demand was seemed unencumbered by gravity. reach-
inway
theirto lunchboxes.
the sound ofThree in five pri-by such
“My Sharona,” that drums
another comelyoffellow, fingerprint ink hadan were
who spends ing exceptionally
a smoky fruition cunning,
as heandprovessaidtoso,be
mary school students
the Knack. That is what reportedRichardhaving at toentire
Link- be busedscene in lauding
from North his ownJersey.ass in the out theloud, while delivering
undisputed master of uppercuts
the bong. to
least one tattoo. Each
later does in his latest film, “Everybody mirror; the mustached McReynolds criminal confessed to petty flummoxed henchmen,
Best of all is Finnegan, playedliterally describ- with
Wants Some!!,” and it’s hard to think (Tyler Hoechlin), who loathes losing, a runaway charm by Glen Powell.cun-
The cityscape at nightfall under- crimes, ranging from low-level burglary ing themselves as “exceptionally Finn,
went
of a abrighter
harrowing transformation.
start. The buck inParks ques- toevenattempted
at Ping-Pong; arson. Niles They( Juston
admitted to ning.”
Street), as he is known, is the eloquent one, spool-
and
tion is Jake (Blake Jenner), and by the the resident jerk, who claims to have ingOscar
alleyways festered with criminality. ongoing gang activity. They offered their out his Calmenti,
verbal riffsoneinofa bid the notearli- just
Rats began to travel in packs for safety; bosses, their routes, their best practices,
end of the song we’ve already grasped thrown a pitch at ninety-five miles an to catch girls but to boost the dramatic est to be rounded up by what he later
several muggers
the unfolding shape admitted
of his life. to Hehaving
glides inhour;
exchange
and Dale for as ( J.much
Quinton jail Johnson),
time as learned dash ofwas theBatman, spent “We
proceedings. eightall yearstake
more than once attempted to assault they could get. The bureaucratic under-
past groups of girls his age and parks in the only black guy in the house, not that turns being chumps around here,” he at Rikers after pleading out. He, likeex-
what
frontturned
of a houseout to onbe a moundstreet.
a pleasant of rats
He pinnings of their or
anyone notices organizations,
cares. Thereinternal are mul- most plains.of “You
thoseacceptcaptured
yourin early 1980,
chumpification,
stacked
has a shy into a human-like
smile and a box ofshape LPs in andhis politics,
tiple flashminor pointsgrievances. More infor-
in this society, mostly pled andout movehis on.”
sentence without
Excellent realizing
advice, in any
wearing a trenchcoat. These “plague mation than could ever have been
arms. Sunlight pours down like a ben- to do with sporting smarts or carnal brag- field of endeavor, and a key to the re- how little usable evidence was actually
lovely
scarecrows”
ediction. He’s still ready
carried—and
for anything. could re- quired gadocio,by butthe racial
police.bias Weirdisn’t foods
one oftheirthem. attached
note ofto his case.
comic He instead
humility believed
with which the
portedly
Linklaterfire—handguns.
has long been LouaReed was bosses
champion In hiswould
limberget andangry
leisurely about at lunch.
fashion, Link- merely that he would
natural-born be assaulted
bumptiousness again
of the stu-
mugged for looking
of beginnings andtoo healthy.
ends. “Dazed and They laterspat it all upatina golden
is glancing their statements,
age. if dents
he attempted
is tempered to commit a crime.
and soothed, and The the
Gangs franchised their
Confused” (1993) hung out with a bunch brands and their complexions pale. Something in trauma
His most cheering gift, and maybe movie prevented from coarsening into of his apprehension lingers in
parcelled
of kids on out thefinal
their city, day
a strategy
of highsaid to their
school; apprehension
the reason that he calls had thisstirred
movie afear.“spir- hisa brawl.
daily life.
JakeAand freetheman for newbies
other almost thir- must,
have
“Boyhood” (2014), having tracked its itual sequel” to “Dazed and Confused,” of course, expect a dose of himself
later inspired David Chang’s Milk Most were eager to talk about the man ty years, he still cannot bring hazing, to and
Bar.
hero,The 1979 for
Mason, release
many of years,
The Warriors
bid him who is anhaditchcaptured
to populate them. theTheir
frame.stories
At his travel
theythrough
are dulyany shaded,
fastened withnarrow
duct space
tape to
single-handedly
farewell on his created first daythirty crewsedu-
of higher of were best,allhesimilar.
doesn’t Atreally
the moment direct ainfilm theirso without
a borderexperiencing
fence, one ofvertigo.
them upside Sincedown, his
independent, distinctly outfitted, wea- approach when their crime turned
cation, at once bewildered and blissed much as host it—keeping all his charac- and peppered with baseballs struck by from arrest, he talks exactly like Shaggy from
ponized
out. Jake, outlaws,
too, is at each
thatwithpivotaltheir ownA mere
point. ters intent
involved, to cold
rescuing execution, a figure Scooby-Doo
the wallflowers, their bat-wielding after having seen a ghost.
teammates. I guess
catchphrases
freshman at an unnamed college in making sure that everyone is plied with that’s part of the deal, yet the talesaid
and pidgin dialect. The wrapped in skintight lycra appeared “I was a dumb kid,” Calmenti as a
often anemic
southeast TexasNYPD gave way to full- from above, muttered a pun-heavy wit- recently over a croissant at a Midtown
(otherwise known, to lines and bits of stage business, as if he whole, though filthy-mouthed, is lenient
blown lethargy;
moviegoers, most cops settled
as Linklaterland), into
he is a ticism,
more and cold up
were topping cocked
drinks. them. TheThey re- Magnolia
obvious and humane. Bakery. “Sure, I was
No freshmen weresnatch-
harmed
simple
of a jock than Mason, and less of a comparison is with “Hail, Caesar!,” in in the making of this film. But did
life, collecting protection payoffs called being dragged, begging for their ing purses. I served my time.
from
wounded locals.soul;Evenwhatever
those officers
his pastwith may lives,
whichunsure of how introduced
the Coens to handle their a crewnewof I deserve
It is set to inbe1980,
humiliated?
a crossroadsThe for police mu-
higher moral callings often opted to role as prey. Each was told the
have been, we learn very little about it. promising figures and then let them slide, sical trends both coming and going.same found me on a flagpole hanging from We
enter
He’sinto likepacts with oneboarding
a passenger another; athey ship pithy platitudes
half-used; in gruff
the result lefttones: that this
audiences gaz- my getbriefs.
the dregsI wasofincoherent for months.
disco, Blondie’s “Heart
would
with awound one another
single suitcase. Whatwith theiris was
matters ingthe
aroundbeginning
at the end of aand newasking,
dawn,“Isthatthat Remembering
of Glass,” thethe Cars,outfit,
Cheap I felt likeand
Trick, I’d a
ABOVE: GUIDO SCARABOTTOLO

service revolvers and take their pensions the city’s virus now had a cure.
the surging tide of the now, and the it?” To Linklater, no one is disposable. burst of pustular punk. We get M’s “PopSeveral been picked up by a rogue S&M dun-
early.
camera follows him eagerly into the hoodlums Take Nesbit who had Amelio),
(Austin turned to who crime
tends geonMuzik,”gimp.which That’stonot my stopping
horror I remem-crime,
The city was, by all accounts, in after abandoning advanced literature
house—taking its cue from a snaking to place unwise bets, for a few dollars, on ber, in pitiless detail, from 1979. And, that’s gloating.”
need
hose,ofwhich
a hero.runsIt got fromseveral.
the garden to an degrees fruitlessweredailyclocked
activities; a second
Plummer time(Tem-
for With of
courtesy thethe Giuliani
Sugarhill eraGang,
still awe de- get
January 1st, 1980, was the first day rolling their eyes.
upstairs bedroom, where a water bed is ple Baker), who is just off the pace when- “Rapper’s Delight,” chanted in angelic cade away, the NYPD chose to ignore a
inslowly
a decade being of filled.
excess.It’s That
thatmorning, po-
kind of place. everOver
jokesthe next few
are flying about; evenings, then problem
or Willoughby chorus,that has only festered with
consonant-perfect, by Roper,age.
lice Jake
precincts
is a pitcher, and the house is in- (Wyatt Russell), the in-house hippie. In Finn, Plummer, Dale, and Jake as the
throughout lower Man- through the months and into Spring, The criminals wondered then, as they
hattan reported being overwhelmed the police learned that they had to de- city does now: isn’t vigilantism a crime
with
Richard intake paperwork.
Linklater’s new movieBundles of at cide
is set a Texaswhether
college.theseAt hisnew best,crimefighters
he doesn’t really of direct
its own? a film Regardless
so much of theirit.
as host origins

74
56 THE NEU
THE NEW JORKER,
YORKER, APRIL 11, 2016
JUNE 20, 2016
 ILLUSTRATION BY JUAN LEGUIZAMON

The current iteration of New York City is unrecognizable to those who fled during the decades of decline.
and their intent, can super heroes really
be permitted to act outside the law, even
in order to enforce it? Could we even
stop them if we wanted? How do we do
justice to a Justice League?
T HE CURRENT ITERATION of New
York City is unrecognizable to
those who fled during the decades of
decline. The contemporary Disney ver-
sion of Manhattan owes much of its
image to a citywide cleanup effort in
which superheroes played no small role.
Indeed, petty crime remains low, thanks
primarily to ongoing police interven-
tion tactics, championed in the 90’s by
Commissioner William Bratton and
still in effect today. Broken windows
policies that held sway through the
Giuliani and Bloomberg eras remain
effective (if controversial) and com-
munity outreach programs have proven
effective at stemming juvenile crime in
low-income areas. Minor violence and
larceny, combatting which was once
the stock-in-trade of superheroes, has
now largely become a manageable nui-
sance, kept in check by the city and its
residents without the intervention of
mutant and alien do-gooders. Citizens
are left to wonder, then, what exactly is
prompting the super heroes to linger.
While minor crime has been more
or less eradicated, other historically
unheard-of issues now threaten the av-
erage New Yorker. With superheroes
come supervillains. Instead of subway
muggings, city residents now cope with
the semi-annual threat of nuclear holo-
caust. Commutes are regularly thrown
into disarray as interdimensional portals
manifest in the Canarsie and Montague
MTA tunnels. Bridges over the East
River are demolished with alarming
regularity. Mad scientists have engi-
neered the redirection of comets, setting
them on a course for Gotham. Resi-
dents pine for days when they merely
had to watch knife-wielding vagrants
soil themselves on the walk to Zabar’s.
Nemeses of the superheroes have
prompted the heroes themselves to be-
come commuters. Having made their
homes along the Hudson, the heroes
see little of the city they protect. Su-
perman has been known to refuse to
accommodate others on Metro North,
claiming some alien gravity-related
58 THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016
reason for needing an additional seat.
Spider-Man carpools with a handful of
fawning Goldman Sachs interns. As a
result, the heroes themselves do not en-
gage with the fallout of their heroism.
In Brooklyn, what environmentalists
are calling a “wrathful colony of vicious
ammonia-based lifeforms” has begun
emerging from the Gowanus, long a
dumping ground for the interplanetary
flotsam that results from Superman’s
battles in the stratosphere. The super-
fund site lies thirty-one miles from the
Justice League’s ‘downstate’ headquar-
ters at Kykuit, the former Rockefeller
residence acquired by Wayne Industries
in 1999.
Skeptics have long argued that any
gratitude the city might have for Spider-
Man and company’s headline-making
heroics, their lack of follow-through—
at best—undoes any goodwill. At worst,
it prompts resentment in locals: a secret
wish that the magic & wonder superhe-
roes draw upon had never been discov-
ered. As the city enjoys its respite from
the crime on which these heroes made
their name, the destruction that accom-
panies these new misadventures (and
the attendant rebuilding costs) comes
without any ability to seek redress. The
city can hardly seek restitution from
a group with no fixed name, let alone
discover the tax standing of any of the
Justice League’s membership. The com-
plex legal architecture undergirding
each superhero’s consists of a host of
FEINs and LLCs, each with limited as-
sets. Wonder Woman is technically an
S-Corp but files as a 501(c)(3). There
appears to be larger reasons than mere
humility for these figures’ insistence on
hiding their identities. As city advocate
Letitia James said in a recent address,
“For years, we have heard that ours
was a city in need of saving, and vari-
ous caped men have offered their ver-
sion of aid. But now we sit frustrated,
with the less glamorous ongoing work
of rebuilding before us, and no heroes
stepping forward.”
Of particular interest in this era
of gentrification is something lower-
income residents have long known: our
league of white, wealthy, male heroes
has something of an allergy to the outer
boroughs. And yet the same decrease in
crime has occurred even in neighbor-
hoods the Bugle’s resident hero-beat
shutterbug Peter Parker has never had
cause to photograph.
“There’s no real incentive to commit
crimes here anymore, but I don’t think
Batman or whoever has anything to do
with it,” Bedford-Stuyvesant communi-
ty leader Anjelica Odom said at a recent
luncheon honoring her and others who
have worked to rebuild the inner city.
“We’ve just grown up as a community,
gained a little political autonomy, found
a financial foothold. Of course property
values are rising, for better or worse.
Frankly, we’ve benefited from being out
of the [heroes’] war path, so to speak.”
As early as 1982, however, com-
munity leaders were speaking out about
the heroes’ tendency to save victims that
resembled themselves. The Reverend Al
Sharpton, speaking at a Morningside
Heights rally, had this to say: “And yet,
our community remains somehow terra
incognita for these so-called heroes. As
afflicted as our neighborhoods are with
just the kind of crime these masked
marauders treat as their bread and but-
ter, we all see the front pages. We know
what kind of victims make the news.
We know that there are self-mytholo-
gizing egos at work here.” Sharpton was
eventually cut off by a Kool Herc break
that sampled audio of Batman tripping
over a curbstone.
And, indeed, documenting these
crime-fighting exploits has put lo-
cal media on the journalistic map. In a
recent op-ed for the Daily Planet, for-
mer cub reporter Clark Kent bragged
at length about building his career
on early exclusives and first-hand ac-
counts. Though veteran reporters
are often tempted to revere the past,
Kent’s nostalgia reads as dangerously
rose-tinted, given Superman’s recent

“ You know what I really don’t mind? Toiling in obscurity.”
. .
sinking of Roosevelt Island (and its
9,500 residents). Bloviation aside, the
city’s newspapers have long struggled
with a credibility gap as concerns the
heroes. In an email, Times editor Sam
Sifton wrote: “In a field that subsists so
totally on access, it’s no wonder some of
the local dailies opt for reverence rather
than investigation, let alone criticism.
Particularly when it comes to people
who can literally lift buildings, reporters
feel compelled to give at least a little bit
of a tugjob.”
More damning by far is developers’
growing reliance on the city’s ongoing
destruction. Given the overwhelming
demand, the city and its property own-
ers have been forced to offer no-bid con-
tracts to builders and engineering firms.
Unable to successfully raise taxes on an
increasingly depressed populace, the city
has plunged into debt while its white-
collar residents have invested in local
development and flourished as a result.
Donald Trump, inevitably, found him-
self locked in bankruptcy proceedings
after hiring uninsured contractors for
cleanup following hero-related building
destruction; the development tycoon has
filed suit and publicly sworn that “those
queers in capes are gonna pay through
the nose.”
Larger companies have come to see
New York as a metropolitan test tube.
Wayne Industries, which operated in
the red throughout the 70’s and 80’s, has
recorded profits every year since being
tapped to consult on the rebuilding of
the MTA lines in 1991. “New York offers
us a unique opportunity to test low-yield
production runs of new high-efficiency
materials before going into full produc-
tion,” said a Wayne executive who did
not wish to be named. “We can try out
a new polymer or material and see how
it fares in the few years it stays in place.
Should it not prove out in real-world
conditions, it won’t be long before a wea-
ponized solar flare or acidic cloudburst
destroys it anyway.”
Recently, protests against the super-
heroes’ continued residency have begun
THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016
popping up. A small tent community
has reformed in Zuccotti Park, with pro-
testers holding placards with slogans like
“Flying Heroes Are Corporate Welfare.”
Effigies of Batman hang from lamp-
posts. A recent statement from the occu-
piers reads, in part, “Batman, Superman,
and Spider-Man have long generated
and attracted far more crime than they
ever thwarted. We ask only that they let
the city carry on in peace.” Mike Daisey,
the disgraced playwright and monolo-
gist known for his later-retracted pieces
indicting Apple, has recently begun pre-
views for a new show entitled “Waiter,
There’s a Utility Belt in My Soup.”
City comptroller Scott Stringer
echoed these sentiments recently, say-
ing, “If they could truly eradicate crime,
they would have by now. The simple fact
is they need crime to exist in order to
thrive, and so have a vested interest in
keeping our citizens unstable and un-
safe.” Shortly afterward, a lawsuit on
behalf of the city was brought against
the LLC under which the League main-
tains most of its financial holdings. The
damages, according to those briefed on
the sealed documents, were listed as
incalculable. Buried within the suit are
searing allegations regarding high-level
collusion between Wall Street and the
Justice League. It has been dismissed as
unenforceable and frivolous by Justice
League PR representatives.
I T WAS NOT always thus.
Throughout the 80’s, the NYPD
and the superheroes operated in a kind
of grudging detente. As violent crime
numbers plummeted, Superman would
often appear alongside Police Com-
missioner Devine and Mayor Koch at
press conferences, fielding questions.
Behind closed doors, Batman was said
to be “highly cooperative” and “hardly
a dictator” when it came to evidence-
sharing. Spider-Man reportedly filed
thorough statements, with photograph
documentation, and would often re-
quest and deliver his own lab work.
Crime figures looked like they fell of a
shelf; the city thrived. Aquaman, with
a growing excess of time on his hands,
briefly joined Devo as bassist before
forming a No Wave band of his own,
The Watery Graves.
A pressure valve had been released,
59
with the accumulated toxic energy of de- SEX
cades of stagnation billowing off of the
city. Quality of life increased ten percent
I can’t remember how it goes.
or more each year from 1983 through
1990. The Justice League seemed genu- Some lilting melody…
inely to enjoy interacting with the city’s licking, arching, aching bones that crack,
residents. Most Thursdays in 1985 Spi- and lightning bolts in red and blue
der-Man could be found volunteering at etched across her back
the Bowery Mission, while Batman cut
the ribbon on the city’s first needle ex-
change depot, across from Katz’s in what My love was a quiet one,
is now (no kidding) a gelato laboratory. A thrusting by the river
High-profile arrests of crime bosses Rustling in the summer breeze
and gang leaders spurred the city into a But hushing as the thrushes sang.
state of devotion and adulation. “It was
Eager always, on my knees.
an incredible time to be in the ticker
tape trade,” confetti supplier Randolph
Particity recalled. “We were making These days I keep to corridors,
money hand over fist, between the near- Perverted eyes averted.
weekly parade prep, and then getting the Some speed machines were built to rust
cleanup for the same parade funneled
Windshield cracked by swallow’s teeth,
through a sister company we created for
private sanitation. God, New Yorkers Fenders bent by bulky bucks.
love a parade.”
Documents from the era highlight I fear the others have it worse.
the heroes’ continued efforts to eradicate How could they ever dance again?
crime, but with few outwardly sinister
Silk shoes hung up on the mantle,
forces remaining in New York, the usual
suspects were nowhere to be found. In- These spinster reminisce besides the fire
stead, as the excesses of the financial Of the one far too hot to handle.
sector began to bloom, Superman and
others found themselves bedevilled not —Michael J. Wolf
by typical henchmen but instead at
the mercy of cocaine-addled day trad-
ers. Attempts to infiltrate the arena of
industry executives. Such an interest in point, it was custom: you’d show up and
white-collar crime were met handily by
exacerbating the frustrations of the elite Batman would swoop in and do the
executives and financiers. Batman, in one
was not lost on Spider-Man’s colleagues, rest.”
infamous photograph, is pictured help-
who removed him to an upstate “sanito- The NYPD’s cooperation with su-
ing hedge fund manager Steven Cohen
rium” for a period of drying out. During perheroes relied on non-interference:
select a Basquiat from Larry Gagosian’s
this time he supposedly learned to code; the heroes attack, the police clean up.
downtown gallery; in full mask and re-
his online aliases all played off his own “That first time, I got back to collect the
galia, Batman sips an espresso. Gagosian
relations to webs and web-related activ- victim, and she’s mad at me. Just totally
recalled him as a neophyte, “badmouth-
ity. It was an early rumbling of internal loses it. She thought she was going in
ing primitivism, had this weird hard-on
discord. Their hands exposed, the heroes the newspaper, wanted her fifteen min-
for early Koons. His check cleared, at
attempted to maintain an appearance utes. I said, ‘lady, I just used my service
least.”
of fealty to the city, but skeptical New revolver for the first time, that punk’s
Adrift in a decade that privileged
Yorkers had already begun to notice a walking with a limp the rest of his life,’
greed and doubted morality, Spider-
downtick in the quality of service. and she starts swatting at me with her
Man found himself sunk into a depres-
umbrella!” Caliendo gazed down at his
sion, his moral compass skewed. Often
“I
STARTED BUSTING muggers again styrofoam as he squeezed excess water
considered a sulk among his peers, and
in, let’s see, 1988?” said Detec- from a teabag. “Ended up having to
among the least respected among the
tive Travis “Garlic” Caliendo, a thirty- bring her in too. This city, I don’t know
public, the webslinger lashed out. He
year veteran of the police force. “It was sometimes. I think I was better off when
was among the first to identify and pur-
strange—we’d grown accustomed to all we did was tickle hippies.”
sue “crime against the environment,”
someone swooping in from above to get As the 90’s came barreling to-
locating and removing toxic sludge and
the collar. Even as I hustled after this wards New York, the tone of the Justice
barrels of chemical waste only to de-
first purse snatcher, I figured I’d see a League shifted away from the local and
posit them on the Hamptons lawns of
grappling hook fly by my face. At that personal and more towards the distant

60 THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016

and cynical. Altruistic in their actions,
the heroes proved themselves not above
financial temptation in the form of en-
dorsements. A line of Reebok sneakers,
an early Gatorade variant, at least two
Jitney buses—there were few places the
Justice League wouldn’t permit its im-
age, for the right price. An over-the-top
marketing campaign for Superman-
branded “Hypercolor” shirts required
the man of steel to circle the Brooklyn
bridge at supersonic speed, creating a
Christo & Jeanne-Claude–esque heat-
sensitive drapery. The city had not been
contacted regarding appropriate per-
mitting, and early news reports suggest-
ed the bridge itself was being fumigated
without warning. Panic ensued. Dozens
leapt from the bridge into the January
frost blanketing the East River.
Pioneering urban theorist Jane Ja-
cobs described this transitional time in
an essay for Harper’s, saying: “those fig-
ures we once imagined capable of reori-
enting our experience of the Manhattan
landscape have instead been consumed
by it, as surely they feared would be
the result all along. The city shifts he-
gemonically; those forces which hoped
to transform it are themselves trans-
formed, utterly, beyond recognition. The
onward march of capital tames us all.”
In a letter to the editor, local business
magnate Bruce Wayne declared Jacobs
a “tired old biddy” who “couldn’t make
friends with people” so “hung out with
bricks instead.” The inchoate flame war
between the scholar and the tycoon was
nipped in the bud when Jacobs declared
her intention never to leave Toronto,
in disgust at what she called “the end
of New York as we have known it. The
slums have been cleared. Long live the
new slums.”
To most New Yorkers, the final true
act of heroism the heroes brought to
the city was the foiling of the 1993 at-
tempt on the Twin Towers. An intense
collaboration between local, federal,
and superhuman abilities, the ultimate
result involved the inert detonation of
the terrorists’ weapon in a garage be-
neath the towers that had reportedly
been reinforced by a material composed
of contributions from each of the “mar-
quee” heroes—Batman, Spider-Man,
Superman. Unfortunately, for reasons
of national security, the breadth of the
collaboration was kept secret. The ensu-
ing lack of media coverage exposed the
heroes’ long-simmering vanity. Without
the torrent of credit and goodwill that
commonly accompanied their exploits,
the superficial benefits of altruism dis-
solved altogether. The three met atop
the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge later
that evening. Having each separately
received the key to the city at various
points throughout the 80’s, the three
individually heaved their golden keys as
far into the bay as possible. This act of
childlike defiance was ridiculed as “ob-
noxious” in the Post. Pat Kiernan did a
deep-voiced impression of a simpering
baby Batman on the following evening’s
NY1 news broadcast.
T HE DECLINE IN hero popularity
throughout the 90’s was an inverse
reflection of the success of the Giuliani
era. Conservative and controversial to
some, the strict enforcement of on-
the-books laws by the police depart-
ment overtook the daring escapades of
the 80’s. The efficacy of Commissioner
Bratton’s ends-justify-the-means bro-
ken windows policing drove crime to
its lowest rate on record. A period of
peace settled into the waning days of
the Clinton administration; the US as a
nation unknowingly grew complacent
and vulnerable. The superheroes, sus-
piciously, became the target of threats
altogether unknown on the earth. New
York transitioned; for more than a gen-
eration, gang activity, mafia violence,
and other acts of pedestrian violence
had remained the greatest threat to
everyday citizens. Now, however, evil
geniuses were becoming common. In-
tergalactic terrorists, bearing no real
grievance with the people of the me-
tropolis, began targeting New York.
The heroes found their way back
to the front pages, but this time the
papers struggled to find a vocabulary
for the threat that was being repelled.
Nor, indeed, did the city’s myriad salva-
tions come with much closure. Threats
became increasingly inconceivable be-
forehand, and the city began to fear
most attacks from things it couldn’t yet
imagine. In one highly publicized inci-
dent, Superman reversed the rotation of
the planet in order to turn back time.
This later revealed itself to be merely
an attempt to whitewash a disastrous
oversight on the crusader’s part, a heroic
THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016
do-over that caused thousands of New
Yorkers to be committed to state psychi-
atric institutions for what the Diagnostic
and Statistical Manual (DSM-V) refers
to as “time madness.” While the initial
oversight may have cost untold lives, the
mayor, having lost his wife to the “hour-
glass curse,” implored of the heroes: “No
mulligans. No do-overs. If you’re going
to put us all in danger, just get it right.
Now, please excuse me. I have to inject
my wife with vertigo medication.”
It might be uncouth to mention
that on 9/11 the heroes were attending
a “message coordination” summit at an
underground bunker on the moon. That
said, few New Yorkers fail to recall Su-
perman’s appearance at Shea Stadium at
the first ball game following the attacks.
Invited to throw out the first pitch, as
a unifying act for the city, the Man of
Steel was booed by a sold-out crowd of
14,000. In response, Superman heaved
the ball at a record 311 mph. A hole in
Mike Piazza’s catcher’s mitt glowed red
at the edges. The hall of famer wears a
glass eye to this day.
“It was just such an act of childish-
ness, at the worst possible moment,” said
veteran Met player and current com-
mentator Keith Hernandez. “I still refer
to it as the second most tragic day of
that month. And coming just a season
after the Subway Series. Just pathetic.”
N OT LONG AGO, in December
2012, a group of henchmen loyal
to one of Batman’s nemeses attempted
to ignite the ozone above Long Island.
The effort was foiled, not by the dark
knight but rather by road closures and
debris buildup related to superstorm
Sandy. Unable to coordinate effectively,
the henchmen were picked up in a rou-
tine search at a National Guard check-
point outside near the Rockville Centre
LIRR stop. Recovery efforts had been
in effect since the storm’s arrival in late
October, but superhero involvement
in cleanup had been minimal. Sources
close to President Obama say he was
approached about a photo opp with the
heroes but declined, citing a need to ap-
pear above reproach in the midst of an
election.
The appearance of any costumed
adult in the New York sky is now a cause
for alarm—an indication that trouble is
on the way. People immediately seek
61
 washbasins, and no toilets—just two ians call it, is surely one of the great and I got a shock when I saw the back
shelter, assuming high-altitude
hole-in-the-ground destruc-
latrines outside, with ensorceled
approaches by tobeamsany of light inpilgrimage
cultural a color elaborate.
of a woman, Never formally
dressed inducted
in a dirndl andintohigh-
tion
someand its attendant
disconcerting twigfalling
broomsobjects
propped mysite, mindthecannot
castle comprehend.
appearing across Maybethe thecrownedLeague, Spider-Man
hat, exiting appears from what to beI’d
arenext
on to thethem.
way. All Some ex–New
of the York- it’sGulf
hut’s seventy- just ofme, but damn.”
Trieste in a series of visual throbs suffering thoughta was crisistheofempty
conscience,
downstairs,havingand
ers, priced
nine bedsout wereofexpected
their neighborhoods,
to be filled, and, like Recent local elections
the unabashedly highlighted
orgasmic build of enlisted with the
disappearing intoUN theaswoods.
a global am-on-
Later,
claim
withthatsome they coulddrinking
serious never bealready
beckoned going theRilke’sdiscord;
poems.the In mayoral
1912, hecandidates
wrote to a bassador. He was most
line, I discovered that recently
Eichmann spotted
and his
back
on toin the
the city.
dining “Honestly?
room, this I’vewas
been in in friend,
begin- 2013 at “Wetimes
are in competed
the karst,to andseethewhohard- chatting
S.S. guards with had Bono on aatfact-finding
stayed the inn while
Passaic
ning to forstrike
threeme years now and no Night
as problematic. one could eneddistance
mountains themselves
forgo thethe most mission
effeminacy fleeinginU.S. Central
troops Africa.
at the end of the war.
haswasthreatened
going to to be incinerate
a challenge; mymorning
block from thevegetation.”
of any Justice League. There’sForactually
their part,quite Gold Andcoins so New that theyYork buriedpersists, bur-the
under
in gruesome.
exchange for something they will thea heroes seem to have
lot of vegetation no intention
around the castle dened hutsby in those
the meadowmost suited had been to protect
dug up
only mysteriously
I decided that refer
thetoonly
as ‘the
waydevice,’
to han- of (and movingonlyonRilke
to greener,
could haveless populated us. Though theoccasionally daily services overof the
super-years.
youdleknow?
it wasThere’s the usual
to get myself New imme-
to sleep York pastures.imagined Indeed, with the
the gentle slopesexception of heroes have ceased, If and
I had a criminal
to chooseele- a fa-
bullshit
diately,that and you don’tout
to clear seefirst
anywhere
thing in Spider-Man,
nearby to be themountains),
heroes appear to have ment has creptvorite back stretch
into everyday
from mylife, sam-
else,
theand then there’s
morning. I hadthe shit these
a sleeping pillguys
in my retired
but theto apath
life among
itself isManhattan’s
pure up- the NYPD’s statistics-based pling of themodels Via, it tend
would
attract,”
glassessaid case,former
whereUpperI’d alsoWeststowedSidemy perkarst:crust, fantastical
with Superman water-recently spot- to be just as effective be thein ongoing
part of the violent
Blue trail
resident Hugo Carbine,
contact-lens container. an ophthalmol-
A minor mis- tederoded at Perstone,
Se dining withinto
fissured David Koch crime prevention. that Whenpasses a major
through crimethe
ogist
hapwhosegave the familyday lived
a finalinfarcical
New York twist. and former
what Mayor Bloomberg.
geologists call clints Report- slips through their Walser grasp, Superman
villages of the Pied-et
forSome
generations.
of the lens “I likesolution
that I can hadgetleaked,
my edly, andSuperman’s
grykes—blocks temper and flared up over al. hold it up asmont. an example of their on-was
The landscape
kidhalf-dissolving
to school without mythe fuselagenarcotic.
precious of an a cracks—and
disagreement about flutedsentencing
like and going necessity;thickly when aforested,
crime is thwart-
with Chi-
alien
There craftwasslamming
no alternativeinto butAmsterdam
to lick the prison cake conditions
icing or pinched in the into
United States. ed, regardless ofnese-looking how, they muscle crags theirand
Avenue.”
residue out. I was doing this, my tongue Long rigida champion
waves likeof an privatizing
arrestedincar- ocean. way onstage
knolls scarvedto take the The
in fog. credit. Average
villages were
Carbine
buried deepechoed what many
in the case’s high- ceration,
plush interior, I thentheheaded
Man north of Steelintoreportedly
Austria, and New Yorkers now
miraculous shrug off
specimens of their antics
an ingenious,
profile
whenNew the doorYorkers openedhaveand saidtheabout
Swiss coughed
resumeda following
butter-poached the Purple lobster
trail.tail
One as low-impact
though talking aboutThere
culture. any otherwere local
minia-
leaving
couplethe came city.in.Many celebrities
An awkward pause now fol- through
stretcha of window
it passes andnear
intothe theAltaussee
center crackpot. Altruismfor
ture funiculars hasbringing
given way in to so-
supplies
make
lowed, theirin homes
which Iindecided
the tri-state
it wouldareabe of salt Columbus
mine, where Circle’s globe.hid
the Nazis Batman
some of lipsism. And every
(the streets are too foiled
steepplot andbecomes
narrow for
outside
hopeless the tocitytrylimits, and chalk
to explain. Theytheirstared recently appeared
their stolen art. Iondropped
Meet the down Press,
from transmuted
cars), Richard into another
Scarry-like advertisement
vehicles on
departures
for a moment, up to more than just
evidently relaxed insisting
reappraising pristinethat “the United States
meadows—still emerald needsgreen forcaterpillar
how doomed treads we for wouldthe be without
garbage and
taxtheir
codes in New Jersey
high-minded and Connecti-
roommate as some to inbuild the wall, and
August—and Wayneat Indus-
looked the old theheavy heroes’ assistance.
lifting, stone houses In-housecaged and in
cut. “I like
kind having a yard.
of cokehead or very I like that I tries
specialized is thewith
railbeds, company to do
salt crystals it.” Long
glittering along contract
wooden brand managers
balconies, scythesfor thelyingJustice
on the
won’t be kidnapped
deviant, before beating and used as a token
a retreat. I passed suspected
the tunnelsof xenophobia,
and a subterranean Batman chapel has League, includingroofs,
stone-covered Karl chimneys
Rove, articulateshingled
in out,
an intergalactic
mercifully quickly, hostagetotrade,”
the dim said
roar refused to stop
dedicated to St.crime in Queens
Barbara, the patron since
saint a message
like tinyofhouses.the city’s The ongoing
schist-richneed for local
former New Yorker
of Slovenian Chris songs,
drinking Rock. “Iand likeleft theofmid-80’s, saying “they
miners. Years-old swags should
of firtake
hung protection,
rock made a rehash
everything of the messaging
glitter madly in
that I candaybreak
before walk mythe dognext
without
morning. being care on ofthetheir
walls,own,”
smelling andasrefusing
if they’dtojust used thetosunshine.
re-elect Bush. The Walsers were Ger-
Just beyond the hut, I saw something been cut, the salt air keeping them un- man-speaking Yet the heroes refugees bring as much threat
and migrants
moving in the gray light below me: a naturally fresh. as who
anyone else. The
spread south tactics
through that thehelpedAlps
shaggy animal with big horns. It was an That evening, I stayed at Blaa-Alm, make duringthis thecityMiddle
safe have grown
Ages, old, and a
improvising
ibex, though in profile it looked like a an inn along the trail. The owners, who’d perhaps life style theonend the justified
high terrain the where
means.no-
slightly disreputable unicorn. I took out told me they were going to be gone for Butbody what elseabout
farmed after the end?
or lived. It wasNew a fru-
my phone and filmed it as it ambled the night, left my room key in the en- York galfinds
life itself
style,inconstrained
the same situation by theasde-
across the lunar scree. When I look at trance. It was an old wooden building Iraq. mandsRavaged by a survival,
of basic destructive butoverreac-
there were
the footage now, it seems the perfect in the Tyrolian style, deep in the mid- tion to a bad
enough situation,
grace notes wondering
to make you howfeel
emblem of that place: wild and dream- dle of silent countryside, with flower- to that rebuild, forced to lean
the inhabitants enjoyedon the their very
exis-
like and marvellous. hung balconies looking out on a meadow influences tence. Inthat wrought
a little museum theindestruc-
Alagna, I
full of small farm buildings, and I seemed tion in the afirst
admired place. carved
teaspoon The currencywith a handin
iking the entire Via Alpina to have it entirely to myself. A wooden New York anow
holding rose.is fear. Children travel
H would take years, so after leaving staircase led up to a large bedroom in to school It’s thein looping
buses reinforced
continuum with kev-
of the trail
Triglav National Park I got into a car which the walls, ceiling, and every other larthat and makes
explosion-resistant
the Via Alpina glass, protec-
what it is. It
and drove to other sections of the trail. surface, including the light-switch cover, tion in case
doesn’t takeoverhead
long towar loseshould
yourself break
in the
Moving southwest, I crossed into Italy, had been intricately panelled in the same out. The subway
rhythms of mountain systemtravel: continues
the morn-to
where I began a walk on the Karst Pla- butter-colored wood. It was very com- undergo ing climb its first
andrevamping
long afternoon in decades,
descent,
teau, a rocky landscape pockmarked with fortable, even luxurious, if a touch sar- butthe thedependably
bulk of theundependable
money is going to
weather,
caves and sinkholes, and ended up at cophagal. I sat out on the balcony, watch- protection the neverfrom quiteforces
knowing underneath the
what you’re
Duino Castle. It was here, walking along ing night fall and feeling as though I’d tunnels, going whereto see Batman’s
over the nemesescrest of the make next
the cliff-top path above the Adriatic, landed in a folktale about a traveller ar- their high lairs.
passQuality
or who’sofgoing life isto atemerge
its lowestfrom
that Rilke claimed to have heard a voice riving in a household under some pow- since the atmist least
along thethe Lindsay administra-
trail—though, unlike
speak the opening line of what became erful enchantment. tion. These
Ötzi, youheroes
can bestepped
fairly sure in tothe assist us
stranger
the Duino Elegies: “Who, if I cried, There was nothing sinister, exactly, where isn’t agoing
feckless to police
kill you. forceHecouldmightnot. even
would hear “ Yeah,
me from I know.
among Butthethere’s
Angels’ alwaysthougha little
thevoice
tall firin trees
my head around the Butwant nowtothat be your theyfriend.
no longer
We’veneed cometo that
orders?” The Sentiero Rilke, saying, ‘ You’re
as the Ital-notmeadow
so super.’”were forbidding in the dusk, protect, far sincewillthe theyBronze
ever serve?Age. 
THE NEW YORKER, APRIL 11, 2016 39

62 THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016

 FICTION

DESIGN BY STRICK&WILLIAMS

66
64 THE
THENEW
NEUYORKER,
JORKER,APRIL
JUNE11,20,
2016
2016 ILLUSTRATION
PHOTO-ILLUSTRATION BY REID
BY OEZDEN FAYLOR
YORULMAZ

T HEY HAD LEF T the scablands
weeks ago. Had traded a shrub-
dotted landscape for one of powdery
dust mottled with grass and the oc-
casional sagebrush that reminded
them of a dog with mange. It was a
hard, empty land. The only other liv-
ing things they’d seen for weeks were
beetles in the food and lice in their
clothes.
The path went southeast, cor-
ralled between two mountain ranges.
The only breezes to be had were hot,
dry, and coated everything with dust.
Their hands, faces, throats, and eyes
were all stung by it. The horses had
painful sores beneath their saddles.
Each morning the big man put
on a red tie that turned pale pink be-
fore the sun had broken free of the
horizon. He rode ahead of the rest,
picking out a path with practiced
ease. The slit back of his battered
cavalry coat laid smoothly over the
horse’s flanks.
Behind him was Grady. He’d
been from a city once, but no longer.
All he’d kept was a pipe and a vest
coat with a cameo brooch in the waist
pocket. Sat lightly in his saddle, his
shadow stretched ahead of him as the
sun fell towards evening.
On this particular evening they
saw a modest
e watches churchthe a ways
second downcar
e watches the second car
H
and starts a fire. Maybe catches him-
back out of the driveway and
self on fire. Everyone else thinks it’s
then he makes a slow lap
the divine plan and sets fires of their
around the block, careful not to step
own. The place goes up like a pyre,
on the cracks in the sidewalk. From
because the Lord helps those who
other houses come the sounds of dogs
help themselves.”
barking, and from other yards the noise
The kid thought. With a thin
of lawnmowers and leaf blowers. Con-
face and fair hair, coated in dust, he
struction is happening somewhere
looked like a balsa wood doll. “I think
down the street. After completing the
it was lightning,” he said.
lap he looks up at the clock on top of
“That wasn’t any lightning, I’m
the Catholic church the next block over:
telling you it was bandits.”
nine-forty. He walks up the driveway
“Even bandits wouldn’t burn a
purposefully and pushes through the
church, not unless they had gold. But
white wooden gate, a high gate that,
that church didn’t even have win-
he noticed yesterday, doesn’t have
dows.”
a lock.
“I’d bet my horse it was bandits.”
• guy commits heinous crimes, winds up
“You could bet your boots if you
Ecola? Orkin? Idling at the inter-
hadn’t lost them at dice two weeks
section, she can’t remember for a mo-
gone,” said Hoke.
ment the name of the company she is
“I’m not betting my boots, I’m
on her way home to meet. In the past
betting my horse.”
week three men came through the
“It was soldiers.” The big man
house, one after the other, wearing
had rejoined them. His white hair
jumpsuits and slipping disposable boo-
framed his weatherworn face in ring-
ties over their shoes, three men on their
lets, like a cherub grown old. He rode
hands and knees in the attic, creaking
on without further dissembling.
overhead, tapping inquisitively at the
The others were silent. Soon
beams. After collecting all the estimates,
enough they had passed the church
she consulted with her husband, who
and seen the other side. The wall
had only this to say: “Trust your gut.”
had been dynamited and collapsed
Oh—Greenleaf! That’s the name. They
inward. The roof on that side sagged
cost the most, but she liked the man
close to the ground like a man tipping
and, according to the literature, they
his
intohat.
theDark
house, stains
she isrannot
from inside
worrying
into the house, she is not worrying other
There were never any shots when
every minute about money. She is going
the big man went out hunting, and
to the gym again. She is washing
the rabbits had no injuries. They
band,
a scien
her car on a regular basis. In her clean cial m
were just dead.
car, in her damp gym clothes, she this ch
That night the kid had first
drives through the bright-blue morn- like a
watch, and the others fell asleep as he
ing, feeling calm. She’s going to be right ing, w
hummed in that same clear tone.
on time. have s
•
He tips back in his chair and looks Sp
The kid found a streamlet the next
at the whiteboard, where the story beats barkin
morning, and whooped as he cleaned
for Act I have been written in streaky at the
himself. Grady and the big man
black marker. They’re only two days the o
walked over to join, but Hoke stayed
into breaking the episode and already door.
with the horses.
the character of Emmett Diggs is pos- pound
Clean or not, they all filled their
ing problems. So far the formula has as if i
canteens before setting out.
been consistent: nineteen-sixties bad mixed
It was a long morning, and Hoke
dog la
muttered and cursed from his saddle.
in solitary in Attica, travels through a on the
“This goddamned dust. It doesn’t
rift in the space-time continuum, and yond
grind your throat raw then it half
pops up in present-day upstate New and d
blinds you.” He covered his face with
York, where he continues his crime jacket
his hat.
spree until he is tracked down and ap- suppli
prehended by a top-secret team of far fr
special agents. Which the network says the di
they like; which has worked just fine of his
until now; so why, on the first episode now t
he’s been assigned to write, are they it? No
trying something different?
• At
The back yard is a mess. Weeds up She d
to his waist, cracked concrete. A tarp And t
slung over a pile of stuff pushed up there’s
against the garage door. From the front, ing C
otherhouse
question, asked only by the hus-

H
use one-hundred-per-cent-organic the looked nice. Neat. Green and w
the trail. back
Stackedout of the drivewaysmall
stones made a and the church into the crater outside.
every minute about money. She is going A band, and only in his head: How does
materials. lawn. Front door painted a glossy bright She is
room with thena rough
he makes wooden cross lap
a slow on buzzard had
to the gym again. gotten itself caught in A good piece guyof an uphour passed
an eave. When they came closer, they aher
priest’s robes.
• She
Its basis.
head In
is washing
poked out
a science-fiction
red.
before
But back here
Hoke’s horse
end
it’s
stumbled
writing
different. ra-
Flat-
and
cupied
around the block, careful not to step car on a regular
The husband is late to work. herAsclean
the cial melodrama? Also:
tened cardboard boxes, dusty grill. How do I write sort o
saw
on theit was
cracksburnt.
in the Grady started
sidewalk. the
From grotesquely
car, in her through
damp the collar as it bumped Grady’s horse. He himgrabbed
elevator carries himgym up toclothes, she
the offices, this character
Plastic without
playhouse making
bleaching in theseem
sun. weeks
speculation.
other houses come the sounds of dogs hopped
drives and flapped,
through about trying
the bright-blue to escape. Hoke hard at the shoulders.
he is thinking Emmett morn-
Byron like all the lumps
Shrunken other decent,
of shit long-suffer-
all over the ting s
“Bandits,”
barking, and fromsaid otherGrady,
yards the“they’d
noise They kept riding until after sun- ing,“Take thataccused
hat off and look where
Diggs, Attica inmate going
ing, feeling calm. She’s to beDiggs
No. 243. right dead wrongly
grass. He hesitates, black thenmen who
thinks kid ne
burn up the world if they
of lawnmowers and leaf blowers. Con- could.” set.
on time. you’re
have going.”
shown up onscreen over the years?
will be the first innocent man to ap- of the cars that pulled out of the drive- in her
“It wasn’t
struction any bandits,
is happening the folk
somewhere • “I won’t. This dust bothers me
pear on the show. When the showrun- way: a Prius, a Mini• Cooper. There will Voder
in that church burned it themselves,”
down the street. After completing the more than you do.”
ner put him on the his
He tips back in chair he
episode, andsaid,
looks“I Spit.
definitely Spraying
be Apple acrossgear the glass. The
inside. ate fr
said
lap heHoke.
looks Heup atrode a gouch-eared
the clock on top of When it was too where dark to ride safely Grady hit him. A formless blackgasp
don’t want you to think that I’m beats
at the whiteboard, the story ask- barking sudden and loud.
•Hoke’s hat A dog board
horse. His hat was battered,
the Catholic church the next block andover:
his they
for Act made a rough camp. The kid escaped through asfrom
he
ing you Itohavewritebeenthiswritten
one justinbecause
streaky at the back door, lunging
On one side of the board, possible at him prope
clothes stiff with sweat.
nine-forty. He walks up the driveway gathered
black scrub wood
marker.isThey’re to make
onlyhetwo a fire.
days hunched
the other sideover, braced
of the window against his
the character black,” and replied, backstories for Emmett Diggs: in the
1. Ar- of D
“Why would
purposefully and pushesanyone burn the
through up He
into sang,
breakingclearthe and high,and
episode while
alreadyhe cantle.
door. It looks big, maybe seventy-five
“I don’t think that.” But now he is be- thritic gardener’s son, recently home should
their own church?”
white wooden gate, a high gate that, searched.
the character of Emmett Diggs is with
pos- He took
pounds. slow breaths foreyebrows
a time,
ginning to worry about what to do from theItArmy;
looks from
2. Head its light
chef in the for he
“Religious
he noticed ecstasy,”doesn’t
yesterday, said Hoke,
have ing Out
problems. by So thefarbedrolls,
the formula Hokehas while Grady
as if it might looked as far down
Emmett Diggs. kitchen of localhavecountry some club;Rottweiler
3. Mem- think
saying
a lock. the words like they were bor- brushed down thenineteen-sixties
been consistent: horses. bad the
mixed road as
in. The he could.
door shakes Hoke slowly
• ber of the maintenance staffwhen
at Missthe persti
rowed. “They got all • swept up in their Grady
guyTwo
commits setheinous
up the stew potwinds
crimes, and set up straightened
dog launches up.
itself, its nails scrabbling
thousand one hundred and sev- So-and-So’s School. Behind each of show
sermon. Speaking
Ecola? Orkin? Idling in tongues,
at the trem-
inter- to
in kindling
solitary in a fire.
Attica, He piled
travels the
through firea “Damned
on the sun’d cook
glass. Through awindow,
cow where
enty-five dollars: this she remembers these possibilities is thethe question: be-
How sodes,
bling
section, she can’t rememberBut
with the holy spirit. forthen
a mo-it higher as the
rift in the kid brought
space-time more wood. ityond
stands,” said Hoke. He put his hat
exactly. After the job iscontinuum,
done, she willand the dog, he can see
does a black man in 1961 gain entry to the washer back y
goes different.”
ment the name of the company she is pops Theup big
in man dropped
present-day two ofNew
upstate the back on hishe
and spaces
dryer, head, and
canrich gently held and
see sweatshirts his
write out the entire amount and the the where white girls live,
“How
on her waydoes
home that
to make
meet. them
In theburn
past long-legged
York, and scoop-eared rabbits stomach. He took two bullets out of
feel of where
the check he continues
tearing crisplyhis crime
along jackets
so that hehanging
can fallfrom in love hooks,
withcleaning
one, get We
up their church?” said
week three men came through the kid, riding
the peculiar
spree to he
until that
is part ofdown
tracked the country
andsilly
ap- asupplies
pouch lined
on hisuphip and held them in
the perforated line will be a small, secretly engaged, along and then a shelf.
be Not too
accused the da
alongside
house, onetheafter two.the other, wearing next to the by
prehended fire.a Grady
top-secrettriedteam
not to of his hand.
farmurder
from the As he looked at the faces
thing that pleases her. Thank you so of whenbackshe isdoor found todead,
the raped
shelf, roll aw
“Someand
jumpsuits foolslipping
knocksdisposable
over a candle,
boo- look
specialas agents.
he prepared
Which them.
the network says he’d
the carved innothe
distance moresoftthanlead,thehis length
smile
much! For the first time since moving and mutilated, on a golf course? An- lic in
ties over their shoes, three men on their they like; which has worked just fine of his arm, outstretched. And the dog,
hands and knees in the attic, creaking until now; so why, on the first episode now that he’s had a minute to look at65
THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016
THE NE

overhead, tapping inquisitively at the he’s been assigned to write, are they it? Not as big as its bark makes it sound.
 around the block, careful not to step her car on a regular basis. In her clean cial m
next to them. All of the hut’s seventy- Gulf on of the Trieste
cracks in ainseries
the of visual throbs
sidewalk. From thought car, inwas herthe dampemptygym downstairs,
clothes,and she this ch
effect.
nine bedsBang!were expected
Zoom! Totothe be moon,
filled, and, Alice! like the unabashedly orgasmic build
other houses come the sounds of dogs drives through the bright-blue of disappearing into the woods. Later,morn- on- like a
eep,”
Shesome
with knows he’sdrinking
serious not going to dogoing
already it. Rilke’s
barking, poems.and from In 1912, otherhe wrote
yards theto noisea line, ing,I discovered
feeling calm. that Eichmann
She’s going toand his
be right ing, w
I did Hoke had ate the extra dinner.
on in the dining room, • this was begin- friend, “We are in the karst,
of lawnmowers and leaf blowers. Con- on time. and the hard- S.S. guards stayed at the inn while have s
e me
ning Something
to strike meisasrequired problematic. of himNight in this ened structionmountains forgo the effeminacy
is happening somewhere fleeing U.S. troops at •the end of the war.
ne, I
wasmoment,
going to he be knows. Someone
a challenge; is scared ofdown
morning any vegetation.” There’s
the street. After completing actually quite the GoldHe coinstipsthat backthey in hisburied chairunder and looks the Sp
and needs his help. What’s confusing a lap
gruesome. lot he of vegetation around the castle Next
huts in morning
the meadow Grady had was
been updug before
up
t, al- looks up at the clock on top of at the whiteboard, where the story beats barkin
isI the question
decided that the of who. only way Eventothough han- (and only Rilke could have everyone. He slapped over
occasionally the the dustyears. from
Foos’s the Catholic church the next block over: for Act I have been written in streaky at the
dlethe boy to
it was is get
loomingmyselfover to sleepher imme-and has imagined his clothes andI had yanked the saddle
arely nine-forty. the He gentle walks slopes up the driveway black marker.IfThey’re toonlychoose twoa fa- days the o
his fistand
diately, cocked,to clear theyout both first lookthing to him in nearby to be mountains), onto his horse.
vorite He
stretch tuckedfrom his
my cameo
sam-
ning purposefully and pushes through the into breaking the episode and already door.
thelike they’re Iinhad
morning. trouble.
a sleeping pill in my but the path itselfgate, is pure brooch intopling the kid’s
of thepossibles.
Via, it would
atory white wooden a high gate that, the character of Emmett Diggs is pos- pound
glasses case, where I’•d also stowed my karst: fantastical water- Thick clouds
be the drooped
part of the down
Blue from
trail
yeur- he noticed yesterday, doesn’t have ing problems. So far the formula has as if i
Arm raised,
contact-lens hand clenched,
container. A minorhe mis- sees eroded the sky that morning, hiding the sun.
ecall a lock.stone, fissured into been consistent: that passes through the
nineteen-sixties bad mixed
hapit then,
gave clearly:
the day she a final thinks farcicalhe’s twist.
a joke. what geologists call •clints As they rode, Walser Hoke villagescoveredof the his
Pied- face
ss of guy commits heinous crimes, winds up dog la
He sees
Some of theit inlensthe stubborn
solution way had she leaked,holds and Ecola? grykes—blocks and at the inter- in solitary mont. with his hat. His horse
Thetravels bumped
landscape into
was a
king Orkin? Idling in Attica, through on the
her body, the blank
half-dissolving my precious look, thenarcotic. total ab- cracks—and fluted like one of the others.forested, with Chi-
was section, she can’t remember for a mo- rift in the thickly space-time continuum, and yond
sencewas
There of fear.
no alternative but to lick the cake icing “Was that you, Grady? Sorry, I
He’s a lightweight. A joker. ment theorname pinched of the into company she is pops up innese-looking present-day upstate crags and
New and d
residue out. I was it. Actually,
doing this, myhe thinks, rigid
tongue waves got my hat over my face again,” he
rgin
He’s not going to do on her way like homeantoarrested meet. In ocean. the past knolls York,scarvedwhereinhefog. The villages
continues his werecrime jacket
yes I deep
buried am. in the case’s plush interior, I then headed north into Austria, and said. There
miraculous was only of
specimens silence.
an ingenious,
after week three men came through the spree until he is tracked down and ap- suppli
when the door opened • and the Swiss resumed “I know it riles you up.”
Medi- house,following one afterthe the Purpleother, trail. One low-impact
wearing prehended culture.
by a There top-secret were minia-
team of far fro
couple Bam!came Pow!in. An Rightawkward in the pause eye.fol- She stretch of it passes near the Altaussee ture Grady
funiculars said
for nothing. in
bringing Hoke’s
supplies hat
rain- jumpsuits and slipping disposable boo- special agents. Which the network says the di
stumbles
lowed, in which backward, I decided nearly fallingbeon salt
it would went back on his head.
spe- tiesmine,over where their shoes, the Nazis threehid men some on theirof (the theystreets
like;are whichtoo steep has workedand narrow justfor fine of his
her butt,
hopeless toletting go of theThey
try to explain. bag.stared their stolen art. I dropped down from cars), They
Richard rode on untilvehicles
Scarry-like early eve- on
hands and knees in the attic, creaking until now; so why, on the first episode now t
edge
for a moment, evidently • “ You deserve to
reappraising be dead!”
pristine
overhead, meadows—still
tapping inquisitively emerald green ning, when
at the caterpillar
he’s beentreads
Hoke
assigned for nudged
the garbage
to write,
his horse
areand they it? No
ndgirls.
car their
into the
Lenny
high-minded house,
brightens. she is not
“Actually,asI’ve
roommate
“Poughkeepsie!”
worrying
some other
been inbeams. August—andquestion, asked
looked only at by the the hus-
old to
heavy the side
lifting, of the
stone trail
houses and called
caged out.
in
t his After collecting all the estimates, trying something different?
ay and kind every
thinking minute
of cokehead about
about that! money.
or very She
Andspecialized is going
here’s where railbeds, band, and
with only
salt in
crystals his head:
glittering How alongdoes He
wooden neededbalconies, to relieve
scythes himself.
lying on Grady
the
she consulted with her husband, who • At
w lap deviant,
to can
we thebeforegymbeating
introduce again. some aShe really
retreat. is Iwashing
dark, • in- thehad
passed a •science-fiction
tunnels and to guy end up writing
a subterranean chapel ra- and the big man stopped, but the kid
rvice, only this say: “Trust your gut.” stone-covered
The backroofs, yard is chimneys
a mess. shingled
Weeds up She d
o step out, her car
teresting
mercifullyon a regular
stuffquickly, basis.
in thetoBthe In
story. her
dimYou’ve clean
roar dedicatedcial melodrama?
to St. Barbara, Also: theHow patron do I write didn’t.
ed— Oh—Greenleaf! That’s the name.saint They like to tiny houses.
his waist, The schist-rich
cracked concrete. A localtarp And t
From ofseen car, in
‘The
Slovenian herManchurian
damp gym
drinking songs, clothes,
Candidate,’
and left she ofthis miners.character “The
Years-old without emperor
swagsmaking of is him
fir seem rock he
naked—and
hung “Lookhas awho’s
flabby gotbutt!”
himselfmadly in a hur-
pital sen the single-story Manor House Motel cost the
clinic, where most, she but
lived. sheHe liked
opened the man the slung over a pile of stuff pushedinup
made everything glitter there’s
f dogs beforedrivesdaybreak
right? through
O.K., sothe the
what bright-blue
next I’m thinking
morning. morn- like
is: onand, theall the smelling
walls, other decent, long-suffer-
asliterature,
if they’d just ry sunshine.
the now,” saidThe Hoke.
bent the tracks his tears had left on door “Different
according my
to the ass.black I betmen theythetheyfit against the garageWalsers door. From were theGer- front, ing C
noise asthe
efield thefeeling
ing,
Just
site of
warden
beyond
his laboratory
calm.
hasthe beenShe’s
hut, going
doing
I saw
years
to be ear-
right
some crazy been
something ing, to
wrongly
cut,
my room,
the salt accused
air
switched
keeping them
on who
un- Grady
man-speaking rode towardand
refugees themigrants
kid with-
rably
. Con- movinghisbecause
lier dusty face.
on time.
psychological
it
in the gray
had a pitched
experiments
light below on
roof—high
me:the
you
use perfect.”
one-hundred-per-cent-organic
air-conditioner,
have shown
a naturally
and put down
fresh.up onscreen over the years? who
my •
lug- the• house looked nice. Neat. Green
out spread
a glance at Hoke.
and w
day, enough for him to walk upright across materials.
gage, “Those
saying aren’t
that he my
would boots.”
collect Grady
me lawn. Front south door painted through the Alps
a glossy bright She is
where inmates.
shaggy animal e watches
Including
with big • horns. the Itsecond
Emmett wasDiggs.ancar That into the evening, house, I stayed• isatnot
she Blaa-Alm,worrying He
other
during the caught
question,
Middle up
asked
Ages, toimprovising
onlythe bykid and
theFlat-hus-
a
m,
evels

at
ound
he
k over: my
the
ng the ibex,
he
He
They’ve
Mountain
possible
topheof slightly
at the H
attic
though
doesn’t
creating
for Act
around
know,
phone
basin.
the guest
floor—which
tips
made
for him
whiteboard,
disreputable
a day’sa ride,
I
back
back
in
walls,
then
evenhe
viewing
radical
Most
have
the
and
rooms
penned
been
block,
in
outinto
him
profile
know
his
unicorn.
platform
brainwashing
filmed
daysbelow.
would
ofitthe
too farhis
to realize
where
makes
chair
an

written
careful
it
looked
the
it!
them
as
to
make
and
driveway
assassin
todream
I astory
Using,
it
took
like
slow
intointo
peer
in
not
techniques,
ambled
they saw little but down
looks
out
streaky
it
a
reachofin that,
beats
you
in

this tle
to stepthe
headed
andanthe
and
laptold
The
an
every
inn
bouncing
The
barking
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at
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heryou—”
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orinto
constrained
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making
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guy
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wooden window
glass clothes,
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building in He the his
shemands thissaddle.
saulted?” character
of Grady
will
basic feel
without
survival, didn’t
forbut the
makingnotice
first
there him when
weretime
seem
t, al- those
He walls, stunted
bought the property plants, for anda each notes
hun- Diggs, Hoke
of my followed.inmate
impressions ofNo. 243.
Gerald Diggs
Foos. dead grass. He hesitates, then thinks kid ne
gh the the into
other
Clockworkbreaking
footage houses now, the
come
Orange’ it episode
seems the and
the electric-shock
plus sounds already
of dogsinstands
perfect door.
drives
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empty
style, the maybe
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the morn-
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like
enough joined
or
all
grace that
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the
other
notes dog,He
decent,
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after
make only
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long-suffer-
you feelthe
other.
dred andBut today thousand
forty-five they sawdollars. a cart My The
willinterest
be the old man
infirst shrugged
innocent manand urged
to ap- of the cars that pulled out of the drive- in her
eould
that, emblem
the
therapycharacter
barking, ofplusand
that of
from
hypnosis?Emmett
place: other
wildSo whatDiggs
yards
and dream-we is
thecomepos-
noisedle pounds.
ing ing, feeling
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the It looks him
calm.When
sunlight,
countryside,fromwasitsnot
She’s barely with
dependent
light
going eyebrows
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ing,
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driver,
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will
black without
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men taken
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spy “Donna
d have pulled by two happy
wasn’t mules.about giving up on his
pear mules
having on the onward.
show.
access to his some attic. the showrun-
IRottweiler
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ing
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onbalconies
time. might have mark on him.
low- our
like realize marvellous.
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house led their
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in theoff
him is white
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ner traffic
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outThen on a he
to readhe
meadow slowly
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hun-
to a rescue
have
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be up onscreen
museum
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Alagna,
inside. that
the years? I ate fr
been consistent:
struction
women—” is happening
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the husband somewhere pushes bad full mixed
rotates
of small to The
face
farm door
the shakes
building.
buildings, • and when
The
I seemed secu-the admired It took
specializes a in
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Australianof• theshepherds,
carved evening
with a hand for
or
made quarters while the of thecartmotel,”
passed,Foos andsaid. said “But their dredsdon’tofwant pages you that to he think claimed that to I’mhave ask- • board
guy
down
away commits
ikingfromthethe heinous
street.
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hellos
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rift
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theAttica,
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church
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floor.
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so
the
teeth.
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afford
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it.”
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ing you
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character
result
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his
to write
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glass.
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wood
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keys he
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istoblack,”
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his
fire.
day
the
pocket, in
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because
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Hoke
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her
On one side of the board, possible
thethought
mother
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eyebrowdoor,
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tripped
Emmett
anything
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stoodopen
at
loud.
lunging
the
with
Ato
of
Diggs:
on at
gym
their
a
say
black
the 1.
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him
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trail dog
Ar-
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from
prope
of De
was
National
covered with
Park I got into a car the walls, ceiling, and every other that makes the Via Alpina what it is. It
wer,”
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pops up pulled
inother into athe
present-day canvas.
parking
upstate areaNew of me managed
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and
don’t write
dryer, the
think about
hethehorses.
that.”
can him.
see
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Isweatshirts
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and crushed inlong their hands. When the
should
nine-forty.
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to He pause walks andupshoot
sections ofthethedriveway
a trail.
quick surface, black
turns marker.
toward
including They’re
the parking
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garage. two
cover,Thedaysdoesn’t
will
thegrow thenervous
other
take side toofwhenever
losethe window
yourself the in woman
inin
the the
and. the “What’s
Manor House in the Motel,cart?” a said the
brick build- kid. viewed
ginning A pile
himself of
to worry kindling
as aabout
sex sat
what
researcher intofront
do with
along of sun from Army; 2. Head chef the for he
he past Moving York, where
purposefully
glance southwest, he continues
andI crossed
at the showrunner. pushes“Everything his
through
into crime
Italy, thehad jackets
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been place hanging
breaking he
intricately the
wantsfrom episode
panelled to hooks,
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the cleaning
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same now puts touched
door.
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It
of looks the
mountain horizon,
clothes—he
big, maybe
travel: the big
somehow
seventy-five
the morn- man
“Bodies,”
hea said the white,
old man. “Some Grady, who hadn’t spoken I since the
ing painted green and with or- Emmett
the lines of Diggs.
Alfred Kinsey, kitchen of local country club; 3. Mem- think
pen-
h the where spree
white
O.K., until
wooden
buddy?” is tracked
gate,
the athe
showrunner down
high and
gate ap- butter-colored
that,
asks. issupplies
the
home. lined
character up along
of Emmett aandshelf.
Diggs
assumed
veryNot too ing
is pos- rode
senses up to Itthem.
all— ange
Icame
folksdoors
began walk
to town into
leading
on and caused
Karst
each of
Pla-
trou-
its cart.
that his He started
account
wood. • It was
the
centered fire on andwhat
com-
fed ex- it, ber of that
pounds.
climb theand regardless
looks
longfrom
maintenance ofitsthe
afternoon light
staffbloodeyebrows
descent,
at Miss and persti
earing teau, prehended
hea husband
The noticed
rocky by
looks
landscape a top-secret
yesterday,atpockmarked doesn’t
him evenly. team “Yes,”
with of far
havefortable,ing from
problems.
even the backSo
luxurious, • door
far ifthea totouchthe
formula shelf,
sar- has tears
the as He
ifhisit
dependably tucked
attention
might his
have should
undependable pigging
some be string
focussed
Rottweiler
weather,
every ble. Now they’re
twenty-one guest leaving.”
rooms. He parked keeping
cited Two his
himthousand head
sexually, down
one
buthundred
itthanwhen
wasthe the
and
possible big back
sev- So-and-So’s School. Behind each of show
e boo- caves special
he andagents.
a says.
lock. “I’m Which
just
sinkholes, andtheended
getting anetwork
Coke.” up says the
at cophagal. been distance
Emmett consistent:
I sat outnoon
hangs morenineteen-sixties
back
the for remembers
balcony, a moment, length
watch- badthe elsewhere.
mixed
never into in. the
The
quite britchin
sound
Theknowing door of of
the
shakes
what his
front saddle,
when
you’redoor the
urse.” next Grady
to an snuck building
adjacent a look consisting under the that man
enty-five
he walked
noted dollars:up.
things He
this
that closed
she
existed his
beyond eyes these possibilities is the question: How sodes,
n their Duino they Castle.
like; which It was has
here,
• worked
• walking along ing just fine of guyhis
surveying
night arm,
commits
fall theoutstretched.
and heinous
scene.
feeling On as And
crimes,
one
though the
winds
hand, dog,
I’dheup then
opening
goingdog swept
to seesoftly
launches his
over hand
makes
itself,
the back
him
its
crest nails
of toward
look
the at
scrabbling
next the
the
imes ofcover,
eaking until then and
an office
now; backed
so why, theon away.
family
the Hisquarters.
first face was his
episode when
exactly.
now desires. heAfter
that A heard
he’s
the the
voyeurhad
job rabbits
is
isa motivated
minute
done, she hit
by
tothrough
look the
will
an- does a black man in 1961 gain entry to
at trail. Alittlebreeze kicked upwearing
a vicious
back y
the Ecola?
There’s
cliff-top moreOrkin?
path blood
above Idling
than atAdriatic,
he
thefear—likethe
expected. inter-landed in solitary
wants toago
inout in the
to
folktale Attica, woman,
about travels who
a traveller is ar- theahigh
sob- boy (a
onpass
the glass.
or heavyset,
who’s Through
going
richto still
the
emergewindow, from the
be-
tatwas pale, his
Donna, a eyesblue-eyed
short wide with blond woman a ticipation;
ground.
write he the
investsentire endless amount hours and
in the the spaces where white girls live,
the that he’s been
section,
The Rilke assigned
she
ladyclaimed can’t
is holding to to
remember
have write,
herheardeye with are
for
a voicethey
a the
mo-rivingit?
bing Not
rift in
in aas
the big as its
space-time
disbelief
household bark
and under makes
continuum,
dripping
some it sound.
blood
pow- and spray
satchel
the yond
mist of dust
slung
the
along dog,
the that
over he made
his
can
trail—though, Grady
shoulder),
see the and
but
washer
unlike
aged horsey. a nurse’s uniform, greeted us hope
wearing feel of He
ofseeing
the forced whathimself
check tearing
he wishes toto look
crisply Yetat Hoke
see.along so that he can fall in love with one, get We
mates, speak trying
ment
hand that
the something
the wasname
opening on the ofdifferent?
line the
messenger
of saidcompany
what bag,she
became andiserful
on popsthe up
floor.
enchantment. in present-day
But •will
even though upstate New
he silly
has Ötzi,before
andyou flinch
hecan
dryer, canbe away.
hecrosscanand
fairly theThe
see
sureroom dustand
sweatshirts
the settled,
strangerreach and
saw. in the “Look
office. atShethiswas one!” heading Hoke. to He for
the the
the rabbits.
perforated
every erotic His linechest
episode he felt
be tight
a small,
witnesses and
he secretly engaged, then be accused the da
d, who the heon canhersee
Duino way homecoming
blood
Elegies: •“Who,
to meet. if In
throughI the her
cried, past no ThereAt
York,
way the
where
of
was stop
knowing
nothingsign,
he she
continues
that counts
sinister, a veryhis to
exactly, five.
crime
good and
him,
isn’t the
before
jackets
going big
to he
hangingman
killcan was
you.open
from He still
his
hooks, there.
mouth
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cleaning
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hundreds yell.ThankofHe grabbed
mundane you so of murder when she is found dead, raped roll aw
r gut.” would The
week
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our outOn
hear
past
the
me
the
way canvas.
to my
among the
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room,
Angels’
these told your moments
each
much! the
rabbit,
For tall
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its
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head,
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the
moving
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golf boy has Not
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. They orders?”
to his
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ing theThewaist,
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wearing
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Jessica,
husband, agents.despite Which the
channel-surfing,
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first show says the distance no more than the length THE NE
“No, School those of areMines, his boots. I’m snoring,
breath fell out of him.
e,sing
they Colorado
against
ties over thetheirgarage shoes, door.
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front, ing
their being they Cocoa.urinating,
like; She
cancelled, which
primping,
gives
will has a worked
go tap
on on
andher
to write
doing THE NEW YORKER, APRIL 11, 2016
justhorn fine of his arm, outstretched. And the39
for dog,
es, a wearing
their my boots.”
daughter, who was born with a other All
things throughtoo dinner
tediously his
real plate
for real-sat NEWYORKER.COM
rganic the hands house
The husband looked
and kneeswalks nice.
in theright Neat.
attic,past Green
creaking and
the a until waves:
relativelynow; popularGo ahead,
so why, on cross the
the first episode
supernatural street.
po- NEUJORKER.COM
now that he’s had a minute to look at
d an res “That’s
piratory the boots you lostout gam- of ity untouched.
television. He hurry, wentand to she’sbed preoc- early, Sarah Shun-lien Bynum on stories that don’t
lawn.
office Frontailment,
overhead,
kitchen doorandpainted
tapping
had to
keeps adrop
glossy
inquisitively
heading bright
at the lice
down She isn’t
he’sprocedural,
been in assigned
any or that to write,the woman, are they Pat goit? Landers
Not
according as on
to making
big as
plan. its small
bark talk
makes withitfriends
sound.
bling. Remember?” said the at akid.
cho- high red. school
beams.But back
After
to be here treated
collecting it’s different. special
all the estimates, Flat- and I was
cupied wasintrigued
tryingwith
asleep
something
before
a relaxing by theand the
different?
notionkid started
of the
anticipatory of friends. •
“No. Those were different boots.” humming. THE NEW YORKER, APRIL 11, 2016 73
As the tened cardboard boxes, dusty
she consulted with her husband, who THE NEW YORKER, APRIL 11,• 2016grill. sort of arithmetic. How many more43 At the stop sign, she counts to five.
offices, Plastic playhouse bleaching
had only this to say: “Trust your gut.” in the sun. weeks before they can talk about get-
The back yard is a mess. Weeds up She doesn’t want to get another ticket.
66 THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016
Byron Shrunken Oh—Greenleaf! lumps of shitthe
That’s allname.
over They the ting to his some waist, bidscrackedon the concrete. roof ? Also, A thetarp And then waits a little more, because
 THE CRITICS

THE CURRENT CINEMA

BOOKS

FUN AND GAMES

ROUND AND ROUND
“Everybody Wants Some!!” and “Miles Ahead.”
A debut novel mines the political, both personal and national
BY ANTHONY LANE
BY JAMES FOLTA
f you can’t think of a good way to habited, or infested, solely by members his first scene, he holds up a copy of Carl
I kick off your movie, how about this? of the baseball team. His roommate is Sagan’Hailed
Citizens
s “Cosmos” as a and Lolita
says for the“Chap-
to Jake, post–
Take a handsome young buck, put him Billy (Will Brittain), a country boy ter 9. It’llUnited
blow your world, Keifer’s
mind.” Thatnov- mo-
at the wheel of an Oldsmobile coupe, mocked for his hickhood by the others. el explores
ment ignitesthe ourstrange
sense of intersections
him, and it
and have him whip along a Texas high- They include Roper (Ryan Guzman), of politics
burns through and thelust.
rest ofBut
thein a world
film, reach-
way to the sound of “My Sharona,” by another comely fellow, who spends an where the sexual
ing a smoky fruition proclivities
as he proves of pres-
to be
the Knack. That is what Richard Link- entire scene lauding his own ass in the idents and senators
the undisputed masterare ofplucked
the bong.from
later does in his latest film, “Everybody mirror; the mustached McReynolds theBestOvalofOffice and truckplayed
all is Finnegan, stop bath-with
Wants Some!!,” and it’s hard to think (Tyler Hoechlin), who loathes losing, rooms
a runaway andcharmsplashed by Glen onto the pages
Powell. Finn,
of a brighter start. The buck in ques- even at Ping-Pong; Niles ( Juston Street), of the
as he most prestigious
is known, is the eloquent newspapers,
one, spool-
tion is Jake (Blake Jenner), and by the the resident jerk, who claims to have the novelist
ing out mustriffs
his verbal digindeeper.
a bid notHandsjust
end of the song we’ve already grasped thrown a pitch at ninety-five miles an on the Wheel
to catch girls butis a towonderful
boost the explora-
dramatic
the unfolding shape of his life. He glides hour; and Dale ( J. Quinton Johnson), tion
dash of of the
the unorthodox
proceedings.love “Webetween
all take
past groups of girls his age and parks in the only black guy in the house, not that aturns
manbeingand chumps
a bus and sacrifices
around here,” hetheyex-
front of a house on a pleasant street. He anyone notices or cares. There are mul- must
plains.make. By the
“You accept yourendchumpification,
of the novel,
has a shy smile and a box of LPs in his tiple flash points in this society, mostly the
and astute
move on.” reader wonders
Excellent whether
advice, in anyit
arms. Sunlight pours down like a ben- to do with sporting smarts or carnal brag- is stranger
field than the
of endeavor, andworld
a key toofthemodern
lovely
ediction. He’s ready for anything. gadocio, but racial bias isn’t one of them. primary
note of comic politics. humility with which the
Linklater has long been a champion In his limber and leisurely fashion, Link- Kiefer’s book
natural-born comes after
bumptiousness of themuch
stu-
of beginnings and ends. “Dazed and later is glancing at a golden age. anticipation.
dents is tempered Theand publishing
soothed, and worldthe
Confused” (1993) hung out with a bunch His most cheering gift, and maybe has
movielong been delighted
prevented from coarsening with intothe
of kids on their final day of high school; the reason that he calls this movie a “spir- origin
a brawl.story
Jake and of the
Handsotheron the Wheel:
newbies must,
“Boyhood” (2014), having tracked its itual sequel” to “Dazed and Confused,” riding
of course, a bus
expect into
a doseNew York City,
of hazing, and
hero, Mason, for many years, bid him is an itch to populate the frame. At his Kiefer
they arewas duly so inspired
fastened withby ducthistapetrip
to
farewell on his first day of higher edu- best, he doesn’t really direct a film so that
a borderhe fence,
immediately
one of them sped outdown,
upside 400
cation, at once bewildered and blissed much as host it—keeping all his charac- pages in a fitwith
and peppered of hyperproductivity.
baseballs struck by
out. Jake, too, is at that pivotal point. A ters involved, rescuing the wallflowers, “A
theirsubstantial
bat-wielding majority of theI pages
teammates. guess
freshman at an unnamed college in making sure that everyone is plied with proved
that’s part unusable,”
of the deal, Kiefer
yet the mused
tale asina
southeast Texas (otherwise known, to lines and bits of stage business, as if he an interview
whole, though last year in thisis maga-
filthy-mouthed, lenient
moviegoers, as Linklaterland), he is more were topping up drinks. The obvious zine, “but the
and humane. Noideafreshmen of a were
bus harmed
as the
of a jock than Mason, and less of a comparison is with “Hail, Caesar!,” in vehicle for narrative,
in the making of this film.it stuck in my
wounded soul; whatever his past may which the Coens introduced a crew of craw,It isassetitinwere.”
1980, aThe autopilot
crossroads was
for mu-

T
have HERE’S
been, weAlearn
MOMENT in Hands
very little about onit. promising
throb in figures andThe
his eyes. thenbus
let them
eased slide,
right set
sicaltotrends
novel. both coming and going. We
He’s the
likeWheel (Melville
a passenger House),
boarding the
a ship around the
half-used; thesnowy New
result leftHampshire
audiencescul-de-
gaz- Kiefer’s
get the dregs mainof disco, character,
Blondie’s Harri-
“Heart
shimmering
with debut novel
a single suitcase. by Jason
What matters is ingsac, groping at the pavement through the
around at the end and asking, “Is that son Lincoln,
of Glass,” is carefully
the Cars, Cheap drawn.
Trick, and Thea
ABOVE: GUIDO SCARABOTTOLO
ILLUSTRATION BY KEVIN ALVIR

Kiefer, when melting ice. Inside the cavernous universi-

the surging tideprotagonist
of the now,Harrison
and the it?”ty,To
the candidates no
Linklater, one away
shuffled is disposable.
their pre- most
burst ofinteresting
pustular punk. revelations
We get M’s of“Pop
his
Lincolnfollows
camera remarks himoneagerly
the awakening
into the Take Nesbit
debate (Austin
jitters Amelio),
like huskies whoshaking
softly tends character
Muzik,” which cometothrough my horror hisI bus
remem- log
of his intimate
house—taking its connection to the
cue from a snaking to snow
placefrom
unwisetheirbets,
fur. for
Anda as
fewthey took the
dollars, on entries. Beginning
ber, in pitiless detail,asfrom
simple record-
1979. And,
presidential
hose, which runs campaign
from thebusgardenthatto an
he stage, Harrison brought his bus to a stop.
fruitless daily activities; Plummer (Tem- ing of space
courtesy of the and time, the
Sugarhill Gang,logswe soon
get
drives for a living:where a water bed is Carefully, tentatively, the bus and Harrison
upstairs bedroom, plemade
Baker),
love.who is just off the pace when- become
“Rapper’smore romantic
Delight,” chantedand in personal
angelic
slowly being filled. It’s that kind of place.
The bus purred beneath him. His
ever jokes are flying about; or Willoughby as Harrison
chorus, and the bus’s sexual
consonant-perfect, rela-
by Roper,
Jake is a pitcher, and the
hands gripped the wheel, house slight-
sweating is in- (Wyatt Russell), the in-house hippie. In Finn, Plummer, Dale, and Jake as they
ly. CNN flashbulbs popped in the night
around Linklater’s
Richard the bus and Harrison
new moviefelt each Jason college.
is setoneat a Texas Kiefer At
offers
his abest,
lookheunder
doesn’tthe hooddirect
really of a bus driver’s
a film unorthodox
so much as host it. affair.
74 THE NEW YORKER, APRIL 11, 2016 THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016 67

“Haven’t you heard? Inanity is the new sophistication.”
. .
tionship blossoms. This log, from an
early trip in Iowa, is so stark that it
verges on found poetry but crackles
with lust: “January 19th. 6:15 AM:
left Marriott Motor Inn; 6:45 AM:
arrive Applejack Diner. Gas and
fluids refilled, the bus laps them up
hungrily. Weather grey, roads slick.”
Harrison is drawn to the one
constant in his life, his campaign
bus. A strong and stoic former
Greyhound Bus, the vehicle seems
to listen when Harrison speaks to
it, late at night when the rest of the
staff is asleep or somnambulantly
at work. And certainly anyone who
has driven a large vehicle can under-
stand the connection, the way the
weight can sensuously resist a turn
of the wheel, the way car and driver
can together understand and navi-
gate a road. These moments in the
novel are so relatably put, that the
astute readers will find themselves
wondering how lustful is their rela-
tionship to cars.
Senator Tom Dash, whom Har-
rison works for, is a principled man
loosely modeled on a Gary Hart or a
Joe Biden. Having cut his teeth as a
68 THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016
young staffer with the transforma-
tive McGovern campaign of ’72, the
senator struggles with the discovery
of Harrison’s love. It is a fascinat-
ing investigation of the curdling of
the sexual revolution of the Sixties
in the older age of the baby boom-
ers. Senator Dash recognizes that as
a younger man, his mind would have
been more open to his bus driver’s
love, but as a presidential candidate
and an older man, he must think
pragmatically. Harrison and Dash’s
conversations are a tug of war been
younger men’s souls fighting against
older men’s minds.
Kiefer, keen to bring us close
to Harrison’s lust for the bus, lav-
ishes his prose upon the details of
engines, axles and grinding gears.
The details are delightfully cor-
rect, giving the reader an unadulter-
ated look into the filthy hands and
stained undersides of vehicles of a
puerile Springsteen-meets-middle-
America car culture. In one memo-
rable passage, careful descriptions of
Harrison cleaning the bus’ exhaust
system mingle with overheard con-
versation between the senator and
his staff as they pore over the details
of a policy paper. Is building a func-
tional tax system much different
than building an engine? Kiefer cer-
tainly gives the astute reader much
to chew on.
Educated at the exclusive Idaho
Writing Retreat, Kiefer learned to
craft sentences with the unambigu-
ous zip that demonstrates their evi-
dent merit. His sentences snap but
never crackle; they rush but never
exceed the speed limit. His prose is
its trimmest in dialogue, when the
characters speak like people around
us might, verging on the mundane.
But Kiefer time and again proves
adept at stepping carefully along
what we might call the Baumbach
line, making sure his sparsity im-
plies depth while displaying ba-
nality. Take this exchange between
Harrison and Dash:
The road opened out before them
in straight lines, extending out across the
Midwestern plains into unseen distances.
Harrison stared so long that the horizon
seemed to become just another of the roads.
“Straight roads out here, eh Harrison?”
“Yes sir. Straight and true.”
“True as well, eh?” The senator’s voice
trailed up an octave.
“Sure. You could trust these roads. I
mean look.” Harrison took his hands off
of the steering wheel, slowly raising them
above his head. The bus, his bus, continued
driving along the road, only ever wobbling
slightly off of course.
“Well I’ll be,” remarked the senator, “I
guess some things still are true.”
“Sir, you’ve been in politics too long.”
The senator surprised himself with a laugh
at Harrison.
“Ah, Harrison, too true. I have been in
the game too long. A statement as true as
this road.” He groped in his jacket for some
piece of loose paper. It didn’t much matter
which, he needed something to occupy his
hand.
 effect.
nine beds were Bang! Zoom!
expected To the
to be filled, and, moon,like Alice!the unabashedly orgasmic build of disappearing into the woods. Later, on-
She knows he’s not going to do it.
with some serious drinking already going Rilke’s poems. In 1912, he wrote to a line, I discovered that Eichmann and his
n in the dining room, this was • begin- friend, “We are in the karst, and the hard- S.S. guards had stayed at the inn while
Kiefer
ning to strikeSomething
me isis required
as problematic. to be Night ofparticularly
himened in thismountains forgo the effeminacy fleeing U.S. troops at the end of the war.
lauded
moment, for
he his
knows. rigorous
Someone process.
is scared
was going to be a challenge; morning of any vegetation.” There’s actually quite Gold coins that they buried under the
Traveling
ruesome.and needs his on ahelp. generousWhat’sgrant confusing from
a lot of vegetation around the castle huts in the meadow had been dug up
the
is the University
question of
of Texas
who. Even
I decided that the only way to han- (and only Rilke could have at Austin’s
though occasionally over the years.
Center
dle it was the
to boy
get for
myself Innovative
is loomingto sleepover imme- Bus
her Writing,
and has the gentle slopes
imagined If I had to choose a fa-
diately, andthetofist
his young cocked,
clear author
out they thing
first was
bothable in to
look to visit
nearbyhim to be mountains), vorite stretch from my sam-
he morning.an Iimpressive
like they’re
had a sleeping number
in trouble. pill inof myMidwest- but the path itself is pure pling of the Via, it would
ern diners
lasses case, where I’d also stowedover a • summer. my And karst: thefantastical water- be the part of the Blue trail
ontact-lensresearch
Arm
container. shines
raised, Ahand in clenched,
minor hismis- attention he
erodedsees to stone, fissured into that passes through the
itthe
hap gave the then, detailing
day clearly: of
a final farcicalshecutlery,
thinks twist. plates
he’s what and
a joke. geologists call clints Walser villages of the Pied-
Some of the menus.
He lens Thein thedescriptions
sees itsolution stubborn
had leaked, wayoftensheand run
holds grykes—blocks and mont. The landscape was
pages
her
half-dissolving body,andthe
my pagesblank
precious at narcotic.
alook,
time, thedoling
total out
ab-
cracks—and fluted like thickly forested, with Chi-
specifics
There wassence of fear.
no alternative in He’s
heaping
butato portions:
lightweight.
lick the A cake“cof-
joker. icing or pinched into nese-looking crags and
fee
He’
esidue out. thedoing
I swas
not colortothis,
going and
do it. taste
myActually,
tongue of heoldrigid steelwaves like an arrested ocean. knolls scarved in fog. The villages were
thinks,
buried deep beams,”
yes inI the “pancakes
am.case’s teetering to IBa-
plush interior, then headed north into Austria, and miraculous specimens of an ingenious,
bel heights,”
when the door opened and •the Swiss and “short order eggs following the Purple trail. One low-impact culture. There were minia-
resumed
ouple came arrived
Bam!
in. Anso Pow! fastRight
awkward thatpause they theseemed
in fol- eye. She
stretch to of it passes near the Altaussee ture funiculars for bringing in supplies
be
stumblescracked from
backward, their nearly shells already
falling on
owed, in which I decided it would be salt mine, where the Nazis hid some of (the streets are too steep and narrow for
hopeless to over-easy.”
her trybutt, TheThey
letting
to explain. goculinary
of stared
the bag. tourtheir is as stolen art. I dropped down from cars), Richard Scarry-like vehicles on
good as any
or a moment, evidently reappraising other • food writing and meadows—still emerald green caterpillar treads for the garbage and
pristine
theLenny
heir high-minded sections are a joy
brightens.
roommate as to
“Actually,
some peruse.I’veinbeenAugust—and looked at the old heavy lifting, stone houses caged in
thinking I felt the
about author’s
that!
ind of cokehead or very specialized railbeds, And hand here’s reaching
where with salt crystals glittering along “The kitchen
woodenisbalconies,
fantastic.” scythes lying on the
for can
we
deviant, before abeating
crutch
introduce ain the some
retreat. moments really dark,
I passed ofthe Har-in-
tunnels and a subterranean chapel stone-covered roofs, chimneys shingled
rison’s
teresting
ut, mercifully
alone
seen
right?
‘The
quiet
quickly,
musing
stuff

The
O.K.,
before daybreak the next morning.
reflection
to in thethe
on
Manchurian
f Slovenian drinking songs, and left of
to love. so sections
what
dimBwhile
the
I’m
story.walking
roar
bus he
Candidate,’
captivate
thinking
dedicated
comesminers. Years-old swags
and is:
“Theofemperor .
fir hungis naked—and
on the walls, smelling as if they’d just the sunshine. The Walsers were Ger-
.
You’ve to St. Barbara, the patron saint like tiny houses. The schist-rich local
he has a flabby
rock made everything butt!” in
glitter madly

inspire,
the
Just beyond warden
the hut,buthas Ihave
sawbeen a doing
tendency
something someto lose
crazy
been cut, the salt air keeping them un- man-speaking
steam.
psychological They are thrilling
experiments when
on he fresh.
the
• • refugees and migrants
moving in the gray light below me: a naturally who spread south through the Alps
is mentally
inmates.
haggy animal with big composing
Including
horns. ItEmmett was speeches
an Diggs. he evening,
That remarks, “well,at Blaa-Alm,
I stayed Harry, whatduring is a theground
Middle on Ages, the book’s own
improvising a terms.
would
They’ve give,
made admissions
him into
bex, though in profile it looked like a an inn along an he
assassin wouldand woman
the hallway
the to The
trail. do when
until he aarrives
owners, mandisatnot
who’ the the
life el- on
style upon
Because being
the high whatasked
terraincan byany
where a female
of us officer
no- hope
make,
he doesn’t
lightly disreputable or sonnets
even know
unicorn. to
I tookreciteit!out to his
Using, toldbus.
youme they man
evator, who
were she thought
which
going hebetakes
to gone him
to at first
forthe lobby.
body to as
else to they
find or
farmed load
in anyher
lived. Itinto
was the
romantic a fru-ambulance,
relationship
But
my phoneknow, andthe filmedsections
radical it as tend
brainwashing
it ambled to break
techniques,
thedown be?”
night,After
left myThere
nodding
room is key
noat doubt
thethe
in in thegal
security
en- mind
guard, “Now,
but
life style, weresex
aconstrained
little youand byaany
in the other
littlede- way as-
sympathy?
when
like a Kiefer
mixture has of to
what
cross the lunar scree. When I look at trance. It was find his
they way
do back
in ‘A of the
he an astute
pushes through
old wooden readerbuilding
the when he mands
glass or she of basicAnd
doors. He saulted?” will
as we
survival, feel for
butwatch the first
our airwaves
there were time
to the
Clockwork fact that
Orange’ Harrison
plus
he footage now, it seems the perfect in the Tyrolian is standing
electric-shock exhales
stands onthedeep
style,thesmallinsigh
empty the of recognizing
sidewalk,
mid- squint-
enough grace afraid,
become or
notes that the
increasingly
to make youdog, after
thickened
feel attacking
with
alone
mblem oftherapy inplus
that place: an hypnosis?
empty
wild andfield, So what
dream- oftenwe ignor-
dle comeof silenthumor
ing in the thatsunlight,
countryside, we with
are in the presence
barely
flower- registering of inhabitants
that the a U.P.S. delivery
politics, they
enjoyed driver,
become will
their exis- be taken
so weighed
ingrealize
to
ike and marvellous. the campaign
is what triggers staff searchinghim ishung whitefor an ace
the
balconies humorist.
traffic
looking going
out onby. Then he tence.
a meadow tolittle
slowlyIn adown a rescue
that
museumorganization
the rhetoric
in Alagna, up
and Inorth that
trickery
him. These
women—” transitions
Abruptly the husband are as un-
pushes rotates to face the building.
full of small farm buildings, and I seemed admired abecomes The secu- specializes
teaspoon carved in Australian
normalized.
with a hand shepherds,
The calcula- or
gainly
away fromas they
the are
table, unnecessary.
his chair squeal-The
iking the entire Via Alpina to have it entirely to myself. A wooden holding a tions, rity guard moves to open the door for that the daughter, having
rose. horse-trading and ad homi- been told that
H would one
ing
the
to
take
his
saving
against
years,the
book’s
full
grace
apt
height,
afterhere
so floor.
ending,
the
He
leaving mightstaircase
stands,
when
sight of a
be at led
rising
wan-
which
him,
pulls
upbut to the
his
husband
a large
car keys
bedroom
from
shakes
his
in his head,
pocket, and
her
It’s the nem
looping
split
mother
attacks
her
tripped
continuum
eyebrow
at the
feel ofjust
the
open
partgym
trail
on a
of and
our
barbell,
Triglav National Park I got into a car which the walls, ceiling, and every other that makesday, the packaged
Via Alpinaand whatslick,
it is. Itpart of a
dering
nd drovemakes
to other Harrison
Lenny
sections pause and
of and
the Kiefer’s
shoot knowl-
trail. asurface,
quick including
turns toward the parking
the light-switch cover,garage. The take
doesn’t willlong
grow
balanced tonervous
lose whenever
breakfast.
yourself Any
in thethe woman
thinking
edge
glance of
at Fort
the Green
showrunner. Park artfully
“Everything only
Moving southwest, I crossed into Italy, had been intricately panelled in the same rhythms ofAmerican place he wants to go right now puts on exercise
mountainistravel: clothes—he
advised somehow
to step on the
the morn-
situates
O.K.,
where I began a walk a firecracker
buddy?” on the theKarst ofPla-
showrunner a set piece. asks. is home.
butter-colored wood. It was very com- ing climb bus senses
and with thatafternoon
long regardlessdescent,
Senator of theand
Dash bloodHar-and
The Much
husband hay has
looks at been
him made
evenly.
eau, a rocky landscape pockmarked with fortable, even luxurious, if a touch in the
“Yes,” • sar- the dependably tears his attention
rison, undependable should
to prowl theweather, be focussed
political streets
aves andhe publishing
says. “I’mand
sinkholes, world
justended overup
getting Kiefer’s
a at
Coke.” repu- I satEmmett
cophagal. out on the hangs back
balcony, for a moment,
watch- the neverwithelsewhere.
quitethem. The
knowing sound
Kiefer of
whatbrings the front
you’re door
us inside
tation as a
Duino Castle. It was here, walking sad and dour young man. surveying the
• along ing night fall and feeling as though I’d going to see scene. On one hand, he opening
theover softly
machine, makes
the crestreorienting him look
of the next the po- at the
But this
There’s book
more is a
blood brilliant
than he sign
expected.post wants
he cliff-top path above the Adriatic, landed in a folktale about a traveller ar- high pass or to go to the woman, who is sob- boy
litical(a little
who’sprocess heavyset,
going to back still
emergetofrom wearing
the strange the
for
hat Rilke The
claimed fans
ladyto whoishave know
holdingheardhim her
a voiceto
eyebewith brutal-
riving thein abing in disbelief
household and dripping
under some pow- the blood satchel
place
mist along theit slung
shouldover
trail—though,be. his shoulder),
Kiefer’s
unlike intimatebut
ly
hand funny.
that There
was on is
the no
peak the opening line of what became erful enchantment. doubt
messenger reading
bag, and on the floor. But even though he has
Ötzi, you canbefore
portrayal he
be fairly can
shows cross the
us that
sure the room
stranger and reach
the political
he Duinohe Hands can see
Elegies: on the blood
“Who, Wheel if that
coming I cried, he is down-
through her was
There no way nothingof knowing
sinister, that a veryisn’t
exactly, good him,
goingprocess before
to kill is as
you. heHecanmight
open even
simultaneouslyhis mouth and
strange
right
fingers. hilarious.
In her other Thishand
would hear me from among the Angels’ though the tall is clear
she’s in
still sec-
hold- Thefirtriumph
plastic surgeon will
trees around of good
sew the fiction
up herwant is
eye- say,
to beand “Hey,
yourrelatable brother,”
friend. We’ve the
as, well, boy
comeathat has
man having closed
tions
ing
rders?” The thelike
Sentiero when asHarrison’s
telephone.
Rilke, The Ital- mother
the person on the were
meadow to allow
brow withus to in
empathize,
twenty-two
forbidding dusk, tofar
the stitches, oropen
that theBronze
sex
since the door abehind
with bus.  him and is gone. 
Age.
excitedly
other end seems attends to haveone finallyof thehung Sena- up. her a curious
husband, door. Harrison
despite his first andshow the
tor’s rallies, only •to realize halfway being bus are a relationship we find
cancelled, will go on to write our-
THE NEW
for YORKER, APRIL 11, 2016
NEWYORKER.COM
39

through
The husband that shewalks has right confused past the the aselves relativelyfrowning on, but it is not Sarah Shun-lien Bynum on stories that don’t
popular supernatural po- NEUJORKER.COM
candidate
office kitchen withandhis keeps opponent.
heading down As a lice our procedural,
own frown,orbut thatsociety’s.
the woman, The James Folta blogs
go according about vlogs.
to plan.
mortified Harrison tries to smooth astute reader struggles to find his
his mother’s confusion, she loudly or her own smile, to find common THE NEW YORKER, APRIL 11, 2016 73

THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016 69

 BRIEFLY NOTED
The
At the New York Times,
Existentialist Caféby
, byVarious Authors (Other
Sarah Bakewell (Self-published).
Press). This
A meandering
lively plotexistentialist
history of the that follows hundredsmakes
movement of characters,
a strong, if
each in thedisorienting,
sometimes critical moment
case forofthe
their saddest, least
inextricability fasci-
of philoso-
nating
phy andexploit.
biography,It embedding
takes major intellectual
dense jumps asto“being,”
concepts—such con-
sume this bookand
“nothingness,” in “bad
its entirety,
faith”—in andthe
even morelives
colorful timeand to mi-
do
so.
lieusMoreover,
of those who anddebated
perhaps more
them. damningly,
Though the bookit lacks the
is in many
trappings
ways a group of any
study,actual
dottedbook,
with including bearing abyphysi-
cameo appearances Albert
cal likeness
Camus, Simoneto any book I’veMaurice
de Beauvoir, seen. ItMerleau-Ponty,
is impossible and to read
oth-
this
ers, itbook and on
focusses keep the pagesand
Heidegger together
Sartre. in the correct
Heidegger order.as
appears
It’s triumph
oracular, of course
hermetic, is leaving the
and Nazi-tainted; reader
Sartre with an over-
as intellectually pro-
whelming
miscuous and sense of doom. For now,Their
Soviet-sympathizing. one thing I can
divergent say for
characters
The New York reputations
and checkered Times: tonally,
lenditcredence
is very consistent.
to Bakewell’sThe viewNew
that
York
“ideasTimes is better than
are interesting, you. The
but people areNew
vastlyYork
moreTimes
so.” is right.

A Tough
Putin , bybyAnne
Maze,
Country WullGarrels
Shootz(Farrar,
(Ringlings,
StrausBarnums
& Giroux).&
Baileys). Start. Down.
Most reporting on Russia Right. Up.inside
is done SecondtheRight.
Moscow Down.
Ring
Right.
Road; theDown. Right.equivalent
American Down. Left.
wouldRight. Up. Left.
be midtown Up.
Manhat-
Left.
tan orRight. Right.precincts
the official Down. Left. Left. Down.
of Washington, First
D.C. Right.
But Gar-
Down.
rels, whoLeft. Down.
has been Left. reporter
a superb Up. Left. forDown.
NPR andDown.ABC,Left.
sets
Up. Up. Right.
her quiet Left. Down.
but excellent book inUp.the
Down. Left.city
provincial Right. Up.
of Che-
Left. Up.just
lyabinsk, Left. Right.the
beyond Right. Down. Down.
Ural Mountains, Left.border
on the Right.of
Up.
EuropeLeft.and
Up. Left.
Asia, Right.
where theRight.
glitz ofDown. Left. isLeft.
the capital Up.
nowhere
Left. Down.Her
to be found. Left.
clear,Up. Left.sympathetic
patient, Down. Right. Quick
portraits Up.
of teach-
Right. Up. Right.
ers, children, Down.doctors—the
prostitutes, Right. Down. Right.
whole raftUp. Right.
of Russian
Up. Left. Up. (Spoilera Alert!)
humanity—provide Right.
pointillist Done! and an under-
landscape
standing of the country, and its mentalities, that eludes many
more York
New overtlyCity
political books. Who Don’t Get It, by Josh
for People
Whiteguy (BuzzFeed). Few writers have attempted to dis-
till
Andthe essence
After ManyofDays
New, byYork CityIleinto
Jowhor (Tim a novel,
Duggan consum-
Books).
able
At theby people
openingwho don’tdébut
of this live here so that
novel, they might
the teen-age sonhave
of a
something to aspire
local magistrate to. Reminiscent,
in coastal Nigeria goesofmissing.
course, His
of Fitzger-
younger
ald’s
brotherTheexamines
Great Gatsby in its that
the events criticism
may haveof thecontributed
upper class, to
which also brings to
the disappearance, mind
and Wharton’s
the story unfolds The Age of Innocence
in flashbacks across
and Plath’s
decades. Theinhabitants
The Bell Jar. Thisofnovel is undoubtedly
the family’s ancestrallike The
village
Catcher in the Rye
are in conflict withandan A Tree they
entity Grows in Brooklyn,
refer in that
to as “Company,”
New
whichYork City farms
destroys also acts
andas, and bear
homes whilewith me for
drilling on this,
oil anda
character in thetobook.
later attempts buildBang
gas the Drum Slowly,
pipelines through ThetheHouse of
region.
Mirth, American
The standoff Psycho,
slowly Breakfast
builds at Tiffany’s:
to violence, these novels
culminating in the
are
boy’salldisappearance.
summoned to mind in comparison;
This structure but what
undermines a rare
suspense
beast to read
but creates a novel aboutforNew
opportunities York City.
ominous foreshadowing—for
instance, in the magistrate’s habit of asking his children,
“Are Boy
The Who Hit the Moon, by Donna Tartt (Penguin
you there?”
Random House). Like many of the men who have traveled
to the moon
Winter and beyond,
, by Christopher this is(Europa).
Nicholson the tale This
of a dreamer.
understated,A
boy,
tenderournovel
heroimagines
Tony, purchases
an elderlyallThomas
of the Hardy’s
eggs in town. On
unrequited
afascination
clear night, withafter hisBugler,
Gertie parentstheand sisterwhose
woman have mother
drifted was
to
sleep, Tony carries
the inspiration hisheroine
for the cartonsofonto“Tesstheofroof of his house
the d’Urbervilles.”
and, withsecond,
Hardy’s all of his
muchmight, he lobs
younger wife,them towards
Florence, thethe
forms moon.
other
He
pointdrifts tonot-quite
of this sleep, confident that The
love triangle. the plot
thumps he heard
concerns a the-
were eggs hitting
atre production of the moon,
“Tess” and not
in which hundreds
Gertie of lead.
plays the eggsFlor-
pil-
ing
ence,upwho
on his neighbor’s
is thwarted roof.writing
in her We aredreams
invitedandto enjoy
acts asthe
her
naïveté
husband’s of asecretary,
young boy, whilehis
watches sharing in the with
infatuation tragedy of the“I
despair.
town waking years
am forty-five to findoldthat
andthere areisno
my life inomelets.
tatters,” she laments.
Although the book’s pace is unhurried and —Caroline
its actionSchaper
sparse,
Nicholson has created an entrancing piece of fiction.
70 THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016 THE NEW
PHOTOGRAPH BY JAMES YORKER,
FOLTA, BOOKAPRIL 11, 2016BY ALEX CHEN
COVERS 77
 THE CRITICS
THE ART WORLD

NEARINGTHE
THE ASYMPTOTE
CURRENT CINEMA
One woman’s superlative ugliness, and her son’s destiny to paint it
FUN AND GAMES
BY KATHLEEN JORDAN

“Everybody Wants Some!!” and “Miles Ahead.”

BY ANTHONY LANE
tures now on display at the Luhring
f you can’t think of a good way to habited, or infested, solely by members his first scene, he holds up a copy of Carl
I Augustine Gallery. Since the open-
kick off your movie, how about this? of the baseball team. His roommate is Sagan’s “Cosmos” and says to Jake, “Chap-
ing of the exhibit last weekend, the
Take a handsome young buck, put him Billy (Will Brittain), a country boy ter 9. It’ll blow your mind.” That mo-
Chelsea gallery been packed; the
at the wheel of an Oldsmobile coupe, mocked for his hickhood by the others. ment ignites our sense of him, and it
line of art critics and wealthy buy-
and have him whip along a Texas high- They include Roper (Ryan Guzman), burns through the rest of the film, reach-
ers encircles the block like one of
way to the sound of “My Sharona,” by another comely fellow, who spends an ing a smoky fruition as he proves to be
Fergstein’s mother’s thick curling
the Knack. That is what Richard Link- entire scene lauding his own ass in the the undisputed master of the bong.
arm hairs.
later does in his latest film, “Everybody mirror; the mustached McReynolds Best of all is Finnegan, played with
The collection, more than thirty
Wants Some!!,” and it’s hard to think (Tyler Hoechlin), who loathes losing, a runaway charm by Glen Powell. Finn,
years in the making, tracks Ferg-
of a brighter start. The buck in ques- even at Ping-Pong; Niles ( Juston Street), as he is known, is the eloquent one, spool-
stein’s attempt to document his
tion is Jake (Blake Jenner), and by the the resident jerk, who claims to have ing out his verbal riffs in a bid not just
mother Gert’s unfortunate appear-
end of the song we’ve already grasped thrown a pitch at ninety-five miles an to catch girls but to boost the dramatic
ance as he lives in her garage apart-
the unfolding shape of his life. He glides hour; and Dale ( J. Quinton Johnson), dash of the proceedings. “We all take
ment in Terrytown, New Jersey. His
past groups of girls his age and parks in the only black guy in the house, not that turns being chumps around here,” he ex-
motivation is at once magical and
front of a house on a pleasant street. He anyone notices or cares. There are mul- plains. “You accept your chumpification,
heartbreaking: he wishes to depict
has a shy smile and a box of LPs in his tiple flash points in this society, mostly and move on.” Excellent advice, in any
the true depths of her grotesque-
arms. Sunlight pours down like a ben- to do with sporting smarts or carnal brag- field of endeavor, and a key to the lovely
ness, and, by his own measure, falls
ediction. He’s ready for anything. gadocio, but racial bias isn’t one of them. note of comic humility with which the
short with each piece; luckily for his
Linklater has long been a champion In his limber and leisurely fashion, Link- natural-born bumptiousness of the stu-
fans, Fergstein feels he may never
of beginnings and ends. “Dazed and later is glancing at a golden age. dents is tempered and soothed, and the
capture Gert’s truest ugliness, and
Confused” (1993) hung out with a bunch His most cheering gift, and maybe movie prevented from coarsening into
so he must trudge on. “Every time
of kids on their final day of high school; the reason that he calls this movie a “spir- a brawl. Jake and the other newbies must,
I complete a painting, I think ‘This!
“Boyhood” (2014), having tracked its itual sequel” to “Dazed and Confused,” of course, expect a dose of hazing, and
This is how ugly my mother is.’ But
hero, Mason, for many years, bid him is an itch to populate the frame. At his they are duly fastened with duct tape to
then I see her at breakfast, and per-
farewell on his first day of higher edu- best, he doesn’t really direct a film so a border fence, one of them upside down,
haps the light catches her nose in a
cation, at once bewildered and blissed much as host it—keeping all his charac- and peppered with baseballs struck by
new ungodly angle, and I know then
out. Jake, too, is at that pivotal point. A ters involved, rescuing the wallflowers, their bat-wielding teammates. I guess
that my work is not complete,” the
freshman at an unnamed college in making sure that everyone is plied with that’s part of the deal, yet the tale as a
artist said, sighing around a canapé.
southeast Texas (otherwise known, to lines and bits of stage business, as if he whole, though filthy-mouthed, is lenient
“It’s quite depressing.”
moviegoers,
“ Tell me,as Linklaterland),
what is it you he isplan were(Middle
more kind toppingPleistocene
up drinks. The obvious
era by the and humane. No freshmen were harmed
His initial email to me pitching
of a jock than Mason, and less of a most comparison is with “Hail, Caesar!,”
reputable accounts). Much to the in in the making of this film.
to do with your one wild and opening and describing the col-
wounded soul; whatever his past may Zane which the Coensartistic
Fergstein’s introduced a crew
chagrin, It is set in 1980, a crossroads for mu-
hisof lection
precious life? ” was filled with so many hor-
promising
have been, we learn very little about it. mother’s figures and then let them slide, sical
answer to Oliver’s question rific superlatives trends both coming and going. We
—Mary Oliver about his mother’s
He’s like a passenger boarding a ship is,half-used;
“To getthe resultand
uglier left audiences
uglier with gaz- get the dregs of disco, Blondie’s “Heart
appearance—“the foulest looking
with a single suitcase. What matters is each ing around the end and asking, “Is that of Glass,” the Cars, Cheap Trick, and a
passingatyear.”
ABOVE: GUIDO SCARABOTTOLO

woman alive,” “greasier than a plate

IMAGE BY JESSE BENJAMIN

the surging tide of the now, and the it?”I’m To referring,

Linklater, of no course, to Zane ofburst
one is disposable. of pustular punk. We get M’s “Pop
blue cheese french fries,” “a horrid

O
Take Nesbit
camera follows him eagerly into the Fergstein’s (Austin Amelio), who tends Muzik,”
“Nearing the Asymptote: human swamp,”—that which to my horror I remem-
F COURSE, ANY well-read reasonably, I
house—taking its cue from a snaking One
adult is completely sick of Mother, Fouler Still,” a series had to questiondetail,
to place unwise bets, for a few dollars, on ber, in pitiless from 1979. And,
his credibility. But
hose, which runs from the garden to an fruitless daily activities; Plummer (Tem- courtesy of the Sugarhill Gang, we get
Mary Oliver’s work, but this one of mixed media paintings and sculp- then I arrived. Indeed, the collec-
upstairs bedroom, where a water bed is ple Baker), who is just off the pace when- “Rapper’s Delight,” chanted in angelic
line from one poem is perfect and
slowly being filled. It’s that kind of place. ever jokes are flying about; or Willoughby chorus, consonant-perfect, by Roper,
poses a question so essential to our
Jake is a pitcher, and the house is in- (Wyatt Russell), the in-house hippie. In Finn, Plummer, Dale, and Jake as they
being that it is as if the poem has
existed since the dawn of human- Fergstein self-describes as a son tortured by the horrible presence of his mother.
Richard Linklater’s new movie is set at a Texas college. At his best, he doesn’t really direct a film so much as host it.
THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016 71
74 THE NEW YORKER, APRIL 11, 2016
She knowswith he’ssomenot serious
going to do it. already going Rilke’s poems. In 1912, he wrote to a line, I discovered that Eichmann and h
drinking
on in the• dining room, this was begin- friend, “We are in the karst, and the hard- S.S. guards had stayed at the inn whil
Something ningistorequired
strike me of ashim in this
problematic. Night ened mountains forgo the effeminacy fleeing U.S. troops at the end of the wa
moment, he wasknows.
goingSomeone is scared morning of any vegetation.” There’s actually
to be a challenge; half
quite of theGold purse’scoins contents
that they is buried
crum- under th
and needsgruesome.his help. What’s confusing a lot of vegetation around thepled castle up Gray’shuts inPapaya the meadow wrappers. had been dug u
is the question of who.that
I decided Even the though
only way to han- (and only Rilke could have Upon first glance, the pieces
occasionally over the year
the boy isdle looming
it was to over
get hermyself andtohas sleep imme- imagined the gentle slopes in the collection possessIf hereditary I had to choose a fa
his fist cocked,diately, theyandboth look out
to clear to him first thing in nearby to be mountains), but not genetic similarities—a vorite stretchwad from my sam
like they’rethe inmorning.
trouble. I had a sleeping pill in my but the path itself is pure of dead hair here mirrors pling of a wad
the Via,of it woul
glasses case, • where I’d also stowed my karst: fantastical water- dead hair there, but bethe theelements,
part of the Blue tra
Arm raised, hand clenched,
contact-lens container. he A sees minor mis- eroded stone, fissured into the building blocks, the thatarchitecture
passes through th
it then, clearly:
hap gave she the thinks dayhe’s a joke.
a final farcical twist. what geologists call clints feel entirely unique—of, Walser andvillages
repre-of the Pied
He sees it in Somethe stubborn
of the lens waysolution
she holds had leaked, and grykes—blocks and senting, a new being in mont. eachThe work. I
landscape wa
her body, the blank look, the
half-dissolving my totalpreciousab- narcotic. cracks—and fluted like mentioned this observation thickly to Ferg- with Chi
forested,
sence of fear. ThereHe’swas a lightweight.
no alternative A joker.
but to lick the cake icing or pinched into stein over a tiny hamnese-looking sandwich wecrags an
He’s not going it. Actually,
to do out.
residue I was doing he thinks,
this, my tongue rigid waves like an arrested shared ocean. in knolls line for the bathroom,
scarved in fog. Theand villages wer
yes I am. buried deep in the case’s plush interior, I then headed north into Austria, his andresponse was, “I hope
miraculous specimens each of piece
an ingeniou
when the• door opened and the Swiss resumed following the Purple trail. feelsOne like low-impact
it’s from a culture. new artist There and were minia
Bam! Pow! coupleRight camein in.the eye. She pause fol- stretch of it passes near the Altaussee
An awkward of a new subject ture funicularsbecauseforinbringing essence,in supplie
stumbles backward,
lowed, in which nearlyI falling
decidedon it would be salt mine, where the Nazis hid some they of are. (theEachstreetsday are I waketoo steep up in andanarrow fo
her butt, letting
hopeless goto oftrythetobag. explain. They stared their stolen art. I dropped down house
fromwith my Richard
cars), mother,Scarry-like I feel anewvehicles o
for a moment, • evidently reappraising pristine meadows—still emeraldwith greendisgust and rage
caterpillar treads because
for themy garbage an
Lenny brightens.
their high-minded “Actually,roommate I’ve been as some in August—and looked at the motherold continues
heavy lifting, to find stonenewhouses ways caged i
thinking about kind of that! And here’s
cokehead wherespecialized railbeds, with salt crystals glittering
or very toalong
be the wooden worst thing balconies,I’ve ever scythesseen. lying on th
we can introducedeviant,some beforereallybeating dark, in- I passed the tunnels and a subterraneanIchapel
a retreat. want each piece to fully
stone-covered roofs,take chimneys on shingle
teresting stuff in the B “Can
out, mercifully story. you
quickly, You’ve keepdim
to the a secret?”
roar dedicated to St. Barbara, the patron thesaint
agonylike of that. Each day
tiny houses. The I shed a
schist-rich loca
seen ‘TheofManchurianSlovenian drinking Candidate,’ songs, and left of “The miners. emperor
Years-old is naked—and
swags of fir skin,heand
hung has each a flabby
rock day she
made butt!” puts on aglitter
everything new madly i

. .
right? O.K., so what
before daybreak I’m thinking
the next morning.is: on the walls, smelling as if they’d smellier
just one—like
the sunshine. a cardigan
The Walsers pulledwere Ger
the warden has Justbeenbeyond doing thesomehut, Icrazy
saw something been cut, the salt air keeping from
them un- a garbage
man-speaking dump outside
refugees ofand a migrant
psychological experiments on the
• •
moving in the gray light below me: a naturally fresh. Chinese restaurant.”
who spread south through the Alp
inmates. shaggy Including animal Emmett
with bigDiggs. horns. It was an That evening, I stayed at Blaa-Alm, The during collection the Middle is Fergstein’s
Ages, improvising
They’ve made ibex,him though into in an profile
assassinitand lookedthe likehallway
a an untilinn alonghe arrives
the trail. atThe
the owners, upon
who’dbeing
el- first—though lifeasked using
style by the
on a afemaleword
high officer
like where no
terrain
he doesn’t even
slightly know
disreputableit! Using, you
unicorn. I evator,
took
tion’s visceral impact on the nervous like a flaccid tilde, a symbol which is out which
told he
me takes
they to
were the
going lobby.
to be as
gone they
“first” for load
mightbody her elseinto
suggest the
farmed that ambulance,
or there
lived. is was a fru
It
know, radical
my brainwashing
phone and techniques,
filmed it as it After
ambled
system is significant—breathtaking. placed over the letter “n” in certain nodding
the at
night, theleftsecurity
my room guard,
key in “Now,
more
the en- towere
come.
gal you
life in
That, any
style, likeotherso way
much
constrained as-
in by the de
like Fergstein’s
a mixtureacrossofbodythewhat lunar theyscree.do in
When ‘A I
of work covers words in Spanish. he
lookpushes
at through
trance. It the
was glass
an doors.
old woodenHe saulted?”
our
building small will
and
mands feel for
inconsequential
of basic the first
survival, time
lives,
but there wer
Clockwork theOrange’
footage
the Luring Augustine’s walls and plus now,electric-shock
it seems the stands
perfect on the
in empty
the Tyroliansidewalk,
One piece generated a lot of at- style, squint-
deep in afraid,
is
the a
mid- or
false that
enough the
suggestion. dog,
grace after
Fergstein
notes attacking
to has
make you fee
therapy plus hypnosis?
emblem of So
that what
place: we come
wild and
floors in a tactfully overwhelm- tention at the opening night of the ing
dream- in the sunlight,
dle of silent barely registering
countryside, with a U.P.S.
made
flower- it delivery
very
that clear
the driver,
that
inhabitants will
this be taken
will
enjoyed be their exis
to realize is what
like and triggers
marvellous. him is white
ing composition: various large exhibit, and it sold to investment the traffic going
hung by.
balconies Then he
looking slowly
out on a to
his
meadowa rescue
only organization
collection
tence. In a because
littleup north
he
museum that
does in Alagna,
women—”
canvasses,Abruptly a seriestheofhusband increasinglypushes rotates to full faceofthesmallbuilding. The secu-
farm buildings, specializes
not
and I seemed in Australian
self-describe
admired aas anshepherds,
teaspoon artist.
carved Heor
with a han
away from the table,
iking
nauseating sketches of her neck, a his
the chair
entire squeal- Via rity
Alpina guard moves
to have to
it open
entirely theto door
myself. for A that the
self-describes
wooden daughter,
holding as having
aa son
rose. been told
tortured that
by
ing
three-foot
to his full
H
against the
height,
floor.
by would
three-foot
the
He
takestands,
sight
years, rising
so after him,
touchable
of which
leaving
pulls
but the
his
husband
staircase
car keys from
ledshakes
up to ahis
his pocket,
head,
large
and
bedroomher mother
the
split
horrible
in
her
tripped
eyebrow
presence
It’s the looping
open
at of thehis
on
gym
a
moth-
continuum and of the tra
barbell,
Triglav National
polyurethane mole with real horse Park I got into a car which the walls, ceiling, and every er in
other his life,
that and
makes that
the horror
Via Alpinamust what it is. I
makes Lennyand pause
drove
hairs protruding. Any one piece of and
to shoot
other a quick
sections of turns
the toward
trail. the
surface, parking
including garage.
the The
light-switch will grow
sublimate
cover, nervous
into
doesn’t whenever
art,
take lest
long it the
tocausewoman
lose his
yourself in th
glance at the showrunner.
Moving southwest,
art is enough to make it clear that “Everything
I crossed only
into place
Italy, hadhe wants
been to go
intricately right
panellednow in puts
organs
the same on exercise
to rot
rhythms clothes—he
inside of his
mountainbody. somehow
travel: the morn
O.K.,
Gert isbuddy?” where
the the
single showrunner
I beganugliest a walk onasks.
person the toKarstis home.
Pla- butter-colored wood. It was verysenses com-The thatcollection
ingregardless
climb and of the
was long blood
discovered and descen
afternoon
The husband teau, looks
a rocky
walk the Earth—and yet our appe-at him evenly.
landscape “Yes,”
pockmarked with fortable, •
even luxurious, if a tears
by
touch sar-his
famed attention
the gallerist
dependablyshould Maren be focussed
Chap-
undependable weathe
he says. “I’m
cavesjust getting
and
tites are insatiable. At entrance to a
sinkholes, Coke.” and ended upEmmett
at hangs
cophagal. back
I sat for
out a
on moment,
the balcony, elsewhere.
man,
watch- who The
the came sound
never acrossof
quite the thefront
knowing door
collec- what you’r
Duino •
Castle.
the gallery, flanked on both sides by It was here, walking surveying
along the
ing scene.
night On
fall andone hand,
feeling he
as opening
tion
though I’in
d softly
Fergstein’s
going makes
to see him
Terrytown
over look
the at
crest the
barn of the nex
There’s more
the blood
cliff-top
grotesque profiles of the hag, is the than
path he expected.
above the wants
Adriatic, to go to
landed the inwoman,
a folktale who is
about sob-
a boy
while
traveller (a
ar- little
looking
high heavyset,
for
pass a
or still
place
who’s wearing
to
going leave
to thea
emerge from
The
worklady iswas
thatthat holding
Rilke her eyetowith
claimed
the germination of the
have heardbing
the a voicein disbelief
riving inand drippingunder
a household bloodsome satchel
puppy. slung
pow- Fergstein the mistoverhimselfhis shoulder),
along thewas happy
trail—though,but unlik
hand that was
speak on the
the messenger
opening
entire series: an oil painting portrait bag,
line of and
what on
becamethe floor.
erfulBut even
enchantment. though he has before
to have he can
the
Ötzi, cross
collection
you the
can room
trucked
be and
fairly reach
away.
sure the strange
he
of canGert. seethe
Weblood seecoming
Duino Elegies:
a thin-lippedthrough “Who, her if Inocried,
liz- way of knowingThere was thatnothing
a very sinister,
good “It him, before
really
exactly, he can
hurts
isn’t heropen
going to hiskillmouth
feelings,” you. he He and
said, might eve
fingers. In her
would other hearhand me she’s
from still hold-
among the
ard woman with hair greased to the banker Ali Massoud for $520k with- plastic
Angels’ surgeon
though willthe sew
tall upfir her
treeseye-around say, “Hey,
nibbling
the brother,”
on
want an apricot
to be the
your boy has
crudité.
friend. closed
“And
We’ve come tha
ing the telephone.
orders?” The
The person
Sentiero on
Rilke,the as
skull and then, where it gathers in in thirty minutes of doors opening. brow
the with
Ital- twenty-two
meadow were stitches,
forbidding or that
in thethe
she’s
dusk,door
even behind
faruglier
since him
when
the and
she
Bronze is gone.
cries.”
Age.  
other end seems
the back, instantly to have finallyoutward,
frizzing hung up. her It’s ahusband,
portrait despite
of Gert his first show
crouching on THE NEW YORKER, APRIL 11, 2016 3
•
as if it must escape from her head or the ground cleaning out her being cancelled, will go on to write for NEWYORKER.COM
purse.
elseThedrown husbandin the walks
slickright past that
oil spill the aAsrelatively
she holdspopular
her wretched supernatural
body over po- NEUJORKER.COM
Sarah Shun-lien Bynum on stories that don’t
office kitchen and keeps heading down lice procedural, or that the woman, Kathleen
go according Jordan reads this article in a
to plan.
is her scalp. Her eyes are beady and the bag, the flesh around her hips cockney accent—and by the end it’s full-on
grey-brown, and her eyebrows are pops out over her white corduroys. THE Australian.
NEW YORKER, APRIL 11, 2016 73
tattooed into what must have been That hip flesh looks like a drained
a very disappointing shape—kind of cyst, floppy and empty. More than

72 THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016

 THE CRITICS
THE CURRENT CINEMA

KEEPING THE FAITH

THE CURRENT CINEMA
“The Slow Drown”
FUN AND GAMES
BY MICHAEL YARSKY

“Everybody Wants Some!!” and “Miles Ahead.”

BY ANTHONY LANE
In a surreal and haunting opening
scene, the word “Son” is repeatedly
f you can’t think of a good way to habited, or infested, solely by members his first scene, he holds up a copy of Carl
I kick off your movie, how about this? of the baseball team. His roommate is
said by his torturers as he is laid
Sagan’s “Cosmos” and says to Jake, “Chap-
flat on a tilted wooden board, arms
Take a handsome young buck, put him Billy (Will Brittain), a country boy ter 9. It’ll blow your mind.” That mo-
extended outward and restrained
at the wheel of an Oldsmobile coupe, mocked for his hickhood by the others. ment ignites our sense of him, and it
while his feet are bound crossing at
and have him whip along a Texas high- They include Roper (Ryan Guzman), burns through the rest of the film, reach-
the ankle. He remains in this pos-
way to the sound of “My Sharona,” by another comely fellow, who spends an ing a smoky fruition as he proves to be
ture as he is methodically water-
the Knack. That is what Richard Link- entire scene lauding his own ass in the the undisputed master of the bong.
boarded by his interrogators. The
later does in his latest film, “Everybody mirror; the mustached McReynolds Best of all is Finnegan, played with
Christ-like imagery in the film’s
Wants Some!!,” and it’s hard to think (Tyler Hoechlin), who loathes losing, a runaway charm by Glen Powell. Finn,
opening scene, while perhaps a bit
of a brighter start. The buck in ques- even at Ping-Pong; Niles ( Juston Street), as he is known, is the eloquent one, spool-
baffling considering the Son’s own
tion is Jake (Blake Jenner), and by the the resident jerk, who claims to have ing out his verbal riffs in a bid not just
Sikhism, surely evokes some con-
end of the song we’ve already grasped thrown a pitch at ninety-five miles an to catch girls but to boost the dramatic
troversial yet wholly illuminating
the unfolding shape of his life. He glides hour; and Dale ( J. Quinton Johnson), dash of the proceedings. “We all take
contours of thought: For example,
past groups of girls his age and parks in the only black guy in the house, not that turns being chumps around here,” he ex-
is this the film’s plea to recognize
front of a house on a pleasant street. He anyone notices or cares. There are mul- plains. “You accept your chumpification,
the commonalities between major
has a shy smile and a box of LPs in his tiple flash points in this society, mostly and move on.” Excellent advice, in any
religions? In these troubled times
arms. Sunlight pours down like a ben- to do with sporting smarts or carnal brag- field of endeavor, and a key to the lovely
of our country where religious
ediction. He’s ready for anything. gadocio, but racial bias isn’t one of them.note of comic humility with which the
strife is being wrought to the most
Linklater has long been a champion In his limber and leisurely fashion, Link- natural-born bumptiousness of the stu-
cynical of political ends, is this
of beginnings and ends. “Dazed and later is glancing at a golden age. dents is tempered and soothed, and the
edgy and nuanced portrayal of a
Confused” (1993) hung out with a bunch His most cheering gift, and maybe movie prevented from coarsening into
Christ-like Sikh meant to ame-
of kids on their final day of high school; the reason that he calls this movie a “spir- a brawl. Jake and the other newbies must,
liorate the enmities in the name
“Boyhood” (2014), having tracked its itual sequel” to “Dazed and Confused,” of course, expect a dose of hazing, and
of common ground? Is it possible
hero, Mason, for many years, bid him is an itch to populate the frame. At his they are duly fastened with duct tape to
to believe that the captors of our
farewell on his first day of higher edu- best, he doesn’t really direct a film so a border fence, one of them upside down,
protagonist would chant his name
cation, at once bewildered and blissed much as host it—keeping all his charac- and peppered with baseballs struck by
as opposed to remain quiet and fo-
out. Jake, too, is at that pivotal point. A ters involved, rescuing the wallflowers, their bat-wielding teammates. I guess
cused during the torturing process?
freshman at an unnamed college in making sure that everyone is plied with that’s part of the deal, yet the tale as a
Or is it just that Cage kind of al-
southeast Texas (otherwise known, to lines and bits of stage business, as if he whole, though filthy-mouthed, is lenient
ways has to do something Jesus-y
moviegoers, as Linklaterland), he is more were topping up drinks. The obvious and humane. No freshmen were harmed
in his movies? Regardless, Cage is
of a jock than Mason, and less of a comparison is with “Hail, Caesar!,” in in the making of this film.
surprisingly convincing as a water-
wounded soul; whatever his past may which the Coens introduced a crew of It is set in 1980, a crossroads for mu-
boarded, mentally traumatized gay
have been, we learn very little about it. promising figures and then let them slide, sical trends both coming and going. We
ILLUSTRATION BY DARIEL FILOMENO

Sikh, giving a performance as a wa-

V
He’sERY
like a LIBERALLY
passenger boarding half-used;
a ship else. Cage the resulta left
plays audiences
mentally get the dregs of disco, Blondie’s “Heart
gaz-
trau-
ADAP TED terboarding victim reminiscent of
withfrom
a single suitcase. What matters is ing around
Mohamedou Ould Sla- matized, openly gay Sikh wronglyat the end and asking, “Isof Glass,” the Cars, Cheap Trick, and a
that
ABOVE: GUIDO SCARABOTTOLO

Christopher Hitchens. (Ironically,

the surging tide of the now, and the it?” To Linklater,
hi’s Guantanamo Diary by the gen- detained at Guantanamo Bay. The no one is burst of pustular punk. We get M’s “Pop
disposable.
Hitchens’s actual waterboarding
camerawho
tleman follows
wrotehimthe eagerly Take Nesbit (Austin
into the protagonist
screenplays is never Amelio),
identified Muzik,” which to my horror I remem-
who tends
by
was wooden and unconvincing in
for Forrest Gump and The Curious name; all of the characters in theon
house—taking its cue from a snaking to place unwise bets, for a few ber, in pitiless detail, from 1979. And,
dollars,
comparison.)
hose,ofwhich
Case runs from
Benjamin the garden
Button, fruitless
to an film
The Slow onlydaily activities;
refer to him Plummer courtesy of the Sugarhill Gang, we get
(Tem-
as “Son.” Son is placed promptly there-
upstairs bedroom, where
Drown seems perfectly calibrated a water bed is ple Baker), who is just off the pace when- “Rapper’s Delight,” chanted in angelic
slowly being filled. It’s that
as a showcase for Nicolas Cage’s kind of place. ever jokes are flying about; or Willoughby chorus, consonant-perfect, by Roper,
Jake is a pitcher, and the
more, ahem, “exuberant ” talents as house is in- (Wyatt Russell), the in-house hippie. In Finn, Plummer, Dale, and Jake as they
an actor, but strangely offers little
Nicolas Cage goes all-in for another Oscar bid in the role of “Son.”
Richard Linklater’s new movie is set at a Texas college. At his best, he doesn’t really direct a film so much as host it.
THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016 73
74 THE NEW YORKER, APRIL 11, 2016
after in solitary confinement where
it seems the drowning effect that
waterboarding creates does impact
his cognitive functions even fur-
ther, triggering a trauma-induced
hallucination as his decaying body
languishes in a lank, filthy cell. The
film is deftly directed by Christo-
pher Nolan, who brings a much-
needed dark and gritty undertone
to the subject material. In the hal-
lucination, Son reimagines himself
as a prisoner in Dachau talking to
a wise and surprisingly calm Vik-
tor Frankl–like figure named Vic
(played by the always welcome
Alan Alda). Vic is an undoubtedly
charming and charismatic presence
despite the circumstances, and the
cheery, precious dialogue could not
be more Eric Roth–like in execu-
tion. Their friendship had begun
to evolve into a clandestine love
affair when Vic is brutally exter-
minated. In this hallucination, Son
falls, in sheer grief with his arms
spread-eagled and his legs crossed,
into a random, really large pit.
Shortly thereafter, Son re-awakens
to the present day.
The sequence is staggering
although alarmingly long: this
flashback takes approximately 34
minutes out of the film’s 128-min-
ute running time. Cage does give
a compelling portrayal of a hallu-
cinating, emotionally broken, gay
Sikh’s self-portrayal of a Jewish
WWII prisoner, but it seems the
film delved into this territory only
to demonstrate Cage’s desire to
do a Holocaust period drama un-
der any circumstance whatsoever.
Rather than reflect further on the
ramifications of such a flashback,
maybe by clarifying why Christ-
like imagery is appropriate in a
Jewish concentration camp or
if this false “ancestral memory”
has anything to do with Christo-
pher Nolan’s preoccupations with
space-time, the film instead grants
us the opportunity to watch Cage
nail what, I could only guess, is
what a Sikh-Jewish-gay accent
sounds like. It ’s possibly the case
that Cage was given such an im-
possibly specific accent that he
74 THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016
could not fail.
It is fair to say that Son’s narra-
tive does not end well: while he is
released from solitary confinement,
what follows is a surreal mixture of
The Passion of the Christ and Oz.
Son’s many hours spent in solitary
cause an inscrutable decay in cog-
nitive capacity, thereby rendering
him developmentally disabled in a
character arc reminiscent of Flow-
ers for Algernon. By the end of the
film, Son is still awaiting freedom
from prison, malnourished but still
holding onto humanity. He finds
solace in his writing and hopes to
“write a diary, a Guantanamo Dia-
ry if you will, to tell my story.” The
film becomes a passionate testi-
mony for an artist ’s need to create
and to live with hope. If the film
does serve a purpose beyond giv-
ing Cage another opportunity to
play a hysterically specific charac-
ter without any precedent in film,
the film should serve as a source
of inspiration for the wounded, de-
velopmentally disabled, wrongfully
imprisoned, gay Sikh memoirists
all over the world.
To the film’s credit, it offers a
refreshing perspective on recent,
“wrongfully accused” narratives
like Making A Murderer by dem-
onstrating a blatant truth: similar
injustices have been committed
and propagated on American soil
for approximately fifteen years,
and we remain apathetic to it be-
cause it is people of color who suf-
fer those injustices. While this is
a keen point, it is still the truth
that, because Son is a person of
color, we are indeed less invested
in his plight. Since Hollywood has
brutally whitewashed Jesus and to
a lesser extent Christianity itself,
the film tries to similarly “white-
ify” Son by portraying him, in tab-
leau after tableau, as a Christ-like
figure. And while Cage’s perfor-
mance is virtuosic in how he has
sympathetically portrayed a highly
intersectional character, many will
be unsure as to how to go about
gauging the authenticity of his
portrayal. This may in part be be-
cause very few of us actually know
any developmentally disabled,
wrongfully imprisoned, hallucinat-
ing, Christ-like, gay Sikh memoir-
ists. Furthermore, if we are unsure,
would we certainly put forth any
effort in discovering for sure? The
Slow Drown is a framework by
which Cage can do two things: (1)
display his talent and breadth of
range by competently mastering
developmental disability, World
War II, and playing across races,
or (2) play a role where we would
have no idea whether or not he is
actually portraying the role well
regardless. Cage is convincing if
only because the audience is black-
mailed into not having any other
choice: it ’s simply wrong for its
mostly white audiences to call him
anything but inadequate—none of
us would be so galling—and yet it
feels so right to call him inadequate
because, and forgive the tautologi-
cal reasoning, he is Nicolas Cage.
It is, from this angle, a truly Cage-
esque film. When Cage plays char-
acters suffering innumerable layers
of physical and emotional pain, we
want to believe his talent for it has
become so masterful, but yet when
he tries to convey such a specific
mix of human experience, his por-
trayal once again becomes unrelat-
able. Is it possible that Cage is too
good for his own good? Or is he
too bad for his own good?
The aforementioned questions
are ones Cage himself seeks to
answer. It is no secret to the film
industry that Cage will fearlessly
inhabit the circumstances of his
characters regardless of personal
we can introduce
deviant, before some really dark, Iin-
Pessoa, Borges andbeating
Elizabeth a retreat.
Bishop, passed in detailthe tunnels
worthy of and anaItalian
subterraneangiallo. He chapel stone-covered
pondering where the roofs,
titans chimneys
go whenshingled the
teresting stuff in the B story. You’ve
and many others. But Seidel comes by has had, or fears he has had, or imag- dawn breaks. But it finds schist-rich
out, mercifully quickly, to the dim roar dedicated to St. Barbara, the patron saint like tiny houses. The an unusuallocal
seenof‘The
theThe notion SlovenianManchurian drinking Candidate,’
songs, and left of
heminers.
“The emperor
Years-old swagsishenaked—and
of fir hung herock
has a flabby
made butt!”
everything glitter madly in
ideahonestly.
that theHe self grew doing up see- theis: but
inesdeprives has had, it of aitsstroke; function. What angle,
thinks marvelling
Plimpton, Mailer,at the fact
Styron, Bobby thatShort—
more
difficulty,
right? O.K.,
before
ing his lastinname from
so
daybreak volunteering
what the
on blue
I’m thinking
next to
morning. be and real
on the life:
walls, how both
smelling lives
as if blur,
they’d ing
just and
the opportunistic
sunshine. The Walsers as Cage’s
and wonder-Ger-
were
speaking haspoems and coal the self trucks it will about his prostate;
a verbal talent his thissexual
relentless perfor- do of them didn’t
fellows, dieanother
have sooner,drink.
waterboarded
the warden
circlingabout Just beyond
the streets in
been rehearsal
thedoing hut, Isome
saw for The
crazy
something intersect,
been and
cut, the how salt one
air can
keeping simplythem un-
• is ingYou maneuvering
man-speaking
•whyhadSeidel to keepwasmight appear
refugees
drinking or you’d andinsink.this
migrants
speaks twoofdistinct
areexperiments St. Louis; charac- this without mance suffers; its target, on one its “owdoccasion pal Fred (it spared:
Slow
psychological
prepared Drown
moving him forin to the actually
gray
the uncanny lightbeing on wa-
below theme: inform
expe- Seidel”? a the
naturally other
fresh.
described in two poems) he ejacu- especially when documentary
who
Smoking spread as well
south
fifty cigarettes as
dayin
athrough made every-
the Alps
ters, indentured warily to one another,
terboarded
inmates.
rience shaggyof “walking for
Including
animal thewith
down upcoming
Emmett big horns. Diggs.
to Eighty- Con
It was one
an
lates forces
That them
evening,
blood and fears to I look
stayed
the poems as
at
worst. En- simi-
Blaa-Alm, thing he
your
during
Unlucky does,
squid-ink
the
people it
Middle
born certainly
fingers
with stink.
Ages,
the resonat-
improvising
alcoholic gene a
is not new: it him
can intobe found, in vari- Increasingly, Seidel’s the are
Air
They’ve
second 2.
ibex, However,
made
though
Street init
/ To Barnes was
profile a
an assassin
itsecret
looked and tolike lar
the
a as
hallway
an humanly
inn untilthe
along possible.
he arrives
trail. The One
at
owners, in-
el-who’ed upon
d more
Were being
life personally
likely
style asked
to
on become
the byhigh than
aalcoholics.
female the
terrain “not-
officer
Life
where is no-
ous forms, in Rimbaud and& Noble to about
Fernando croaching old death
age, its gives some of
heifindignities
Seidel’s
described Here meanwe have Seidel’s sunt poem,
ubiambulance,
thedoesn’t
he
buy film
slightly
my ownindustry
even know
disreputable
book”—the that it! Cage Using,
unicorn. himself
self-estrange- I you
took out deed
evator,
blasphemytoldwonders
which
meathey kind wereCage
takes
of
toisthe
going
ballsy towearing
élan,
lobby.
be asgone
he for likely-to-happen-to-me”
as theybody loadelseher farmed into or the lived. events
It wasofa fru-
Pessoa, Borges and Elizabeth Bishop, in detail worthy of an Italian giallo. He pondering
That way,where because the titans
others who go when
drank asthe
would
know,
mentmany my release
radical
phone
that others.
writersBut a
and documentary
brainwashing filmed
feel Seidel
when their
techniques,
it as itthat
ambled
own a
After“masc”
putshad, the nodding for
night,
his mortal hisat the
left
money lover,
my room
where or
security if
keyhis he
guard,
in is
the The
en-
out- dawn much
“Now, Slow
gal were
life Drown.
you
style,
or more Cage
inconstrained
any
didn’t
other is abycha-
way as- de-
the
and comes by has or fears he has had, or imag- breaks. But it finds an unusual
outlines
like a mixture
across all theof the
of
lunar traumatic,
what scree. they When doMeth-inI look
‘A at truly
he pushes unleashing
trance. through
It was anhis
the old inner
glass doors.
wooden “masc” He meleonic...virtuso?...and
building saulted?”
mands
Succumb, will
of feel
basic
but justatkept for
survival,the his
first
but films,
time
there were
name
the notionis thehonestly.
one on the cover.
grew up see- ines
Heelectric-shock rageous heonhasmouth had, has always been.
a stroke; he squint-
thinksThe angle, marvelling theon drinking—and
fact that more
od-inspired
Clockwork the
Every poet endeavors
Orange’
footage now,
creates
plus it
ablue he
seems
second incurred
the
self perfect
and about through
stands
horrorhisin the this
the
Tyrolian
in these character.
empty
poems
sidewalk,
style, deep
seems in
real, the mid- both
afraid, fictional
or thatgrace the and
not of them didn’t die sooner, and wonder- feel
enough
didn’t dog,
notesnot,afterto canmake attest
attacking you
ing his pluslast name on So coalwe trucks prostate; his sexual perfor-
in preparation for The Slow Drown. What does become compelling
is to that. But a film’s ability toup, take exis-
therapy emblem hypnosis?
of that place: what wild and come dream- ing in dle theof sunlight,
silent barely
countryside, registering
with flower- a U.P.S.
Do that delivery
cocaine, and
the inhabitants driver,
didn’t will
getenjoyed
fucked be taken
their
then, watching
circling the it thrive,
streets of St. grows Louis;to resentthis mance hyped. And suffers; Seidel’s
onby. nastiness
one occasion seems, (it in ing why andSeidel
just was spared:
didn’t!
The
to dreadfully
realize
like
it a little. The
is what
and titled
triggers
marvellous.
surprise Sikh
him
is when, asexpe-
isAndwhite Ye during
the traffic
hung
with this work, ainnecessary these
going
balconies proceedings
Then
lookingdefense outheon is
slowly
a the
meadow an
to aextraordinary
rescue
tence. organization
In a little person
museum up in north an
in ex-
that
Alagna, I
prepared him for the theuncanny pushes described two poems) he against
ejacu-
Shall
women—”
Seidel, of Find
this is
Abruptly a
other beingstory about
husband
is to made Cage’s
to so lates nature
rotates full
fear, rather
toof
of the
face
small the love
farm
thanfears story
building.
buildings,
a shock
Thebetween
and
tactic En-
secu-
I
thatseemed traordinary
specializes
admired
Unlucky
A nightpeople
in situation
aAustralian
teaspoon
like this born onewith the and
carved make
shepherds, with
alcoholic —
at Elaine’s an
geneor
a
at hand
rience “walking down Eighty- bloodmoves and thethe worst.
attempt
away fromikingtothe preserve
table,
the his theand
entire Son
chair char-
squeal-
Via Alpina “Sonny”
rity guard
to have (a itreference to open
entirely to to his
myself. door “Son” for ordinary
A wooden thatWere
the
holding person
daughter,
likely ato rose.
becomeidentify
having been with
alcoholics. told their
Life that
is
closely
second
acter
ing
avowed
buy
Hmy
resemble
Street
off-screen
against
aswould
own a fiction.
the
the/ floor.
To Barnes
take
book”—the The
first,
in He his
years,
pitiful
then
& Noble
day-to-day
stands,
so“old
after
self-estrange-
dis-
rising
manleaving
has
to croaching escalated
character)
him, but the
staircase
has dwindled.
blasphemy
death
and
a
as
husband
led
kind
his
upbetter
isof
readers’
gives shakes
ItRichy:
some ofhis
to awhile
ballsy
large
interest
Seidel’s
itlonely
bebedroom
toélan, asmay
head,
any
he extraordinary
bar
her mother
in
That
—
mean
successfully
is
It’s the
way,
a series
tripped
looping
evaded
because
of
at
until
others
potential
struggles…that the gymofand
continuum
timedrank
who
deaths
runsasout. is trail
the
life.
to his The
Triglav persecution
full height,National thePark sight and I of harass-
got which
into a serve
pulls
car as
his
which research
carthekeys walls,from for his
ceiling,the dynamic
pocket,
and every and other what
split
“Life is makes
her
that eyebrow
makes
mean” filmthe
because critics
open
Via onfeel
Alpina alive.
a barbell,
what it is. It
at mythat
ment computer writers pecking
feel when away, their cooing
own puts thanhis to mortal
die: thismoney is thewhere bracing hisnews out- much or more didn’tfate, in the form
ment
makes and borne
spring”isisthe
Lenny
drove bypause
to
nevertheless Cage
otherand are unbearable
shoot
sections aofquick
the relationship
turns
trail. towardincluding
surface, thebetween
parkingthe “Son”
garage.
light-switch and
The cover,I saw
will grow myself
doesn’t
of alcoholism
nervous
Succumb, butand take in Cage’s
whenever
long
justaddiction,to lose virtuosity:
the woman
yourself
rewards the in the
name one on theassembling cover. the rageous these poems mouth deliver.
has always been. now The puts kept on drinking—and
to
glance watch: at the
Moving he is consistently
showrunner.
southwest, I crossed mistak-
“Everything into “
Italy, Vic”
only had in
place
“Widening beenThe Slow
heintricately
wants Drown—Richy
to go right
panelled in the same his troubled
on exercise
rhythms of search
clothes—he
mountain
didn’t and condemns the worthy. for recogni-
somehow
travel: the morn-
voiceEvery thatpoet mocks createshim,a“talking
second self to him- and horror in theseIncome poems seems Inequality” real, not in- undeserving
en for
O.K.,
self again” a Muslim
buddy?”
where asI he
began theby
“strolls sheer
ashowrunner
walk down onbigots;
the Karst
Broadway he Pla-
asks. is
is
cludesanbutter-colored
home. older,
many bald, wood.
occasional white Itmale—one
poems, wasasvery well com- tion,
senses
Doing
Seidel’s authenticity,
that
climb
cocaine,
elegy
regardless
andand
has and
long
didn’t
some
of theperhaps
ofafternoon
get fuckedblood
the plasteredup,andhis
descent,
then, watchinglooks it thrive, grows to resent hyped. And Seidel’s nastiness seems, in tears his
is
The consistently
husband
teau, a rocky mistaken
at him
landscape for
evenly.
pockmarkeda Sikh
“Yes,” with can’t
as poems help
fortable, but
even feel
• enchanted
luxurious, if a touch by battle
sar- against
and
the attention
just didn’t!
dependably loneliness,
should
undependable beand I
focussed was
weather,
inathe
it rain,”
little. Theorjust talking to
surprise “Fred Seidel,”
is when, as with this work, adedicated
necessary to—and
defense mainly sweetness of a woozy toast. His rhymes
against
by says.
he
who friends
caves
invites
“I’m andand
him family
getting
sinkholes,
to his ownwho
aand
Coke.”know
endedin
funeral, itup at Son’s Emmett charm,
cophagal.
intelligible
hangs borne
I sat
to—famous
back
out on from
for
friends. a seem-
theabalcony,
moment,
But it flattered
watch- elsewhere.
locate the by
usnever
The the
temporally,
sound
quite experience
of the front
knowing
punctuating indeed.
what door
lines you’re
Seidel, this other being is made to so fear, ratherthethan a shock tactic that A night like this one at Elaine’s at— at
is an act
Duino
a poemresemble but he’s
Castle.
written in just
•
It was Cage-y
here, enough
walking along ingly
surveyinging
doesescalatedSikh-like
night
have one truly
scene.
fall compassion
and On
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THE NEU JORKER, JUNE 20, 2016 75
 CARTOON
CARTOONCAPTION CAPTIONCONTEST CONTEST
Each week, we provide a cartoon in need of a caption. You, yes you, the reader, submit a caption, and we choose
three
Each finalists,
Eachweek,
week, and
we we you,
provide yesa you,
provide voteinfor
cartoon
a cartoon in your
need of favorite.
need a caption.
of a caption.This
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thereader,
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action.
submit aThe
a caption,cartoon
caption,wewe caption
choose contest
three
choose is the
finalists,
three finalists,
closest thing to the Athenian ideal we modern citizens of the modern world have. Please exercise your power to vote.
andandyou vote
you votefor your
for yourfavorite. Caption
favorite. Caption submissions
submissions for this
for thisweek’ s
week’ cartoon,
s cartoon,by Harry
by Harry Bliss, must
Bliss, mustbe received
be bybyBut
received
only if you are a resident of one of the good countries: the United States, Canada (except Quebec, for the love of God),
Sunday,
Sunday, April
April10th. The
10th. The finalists in
finalists the
in March
the March 28th
28th contest
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appear below.
below.We will
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announce the winner,
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andthethe
Australia, the United Kingdom, or the Republic of Ireland. And only if you are eighteen or above. And please refrain
finalists in
finalists this
in week’
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the April25th
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issue. Thewinner
winner receives a
receives signed
a signedprint of
print the
of cartoon.
the cartoon.
from
Any
Anyhighly
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residentof of
thethe threats,
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THISWEEK’S
THIS WEEK’SCONTEST
CONTEST

““ ””
. . ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ . .

THEFINALISTS
THE FINALISTS THEWINNING
THE WINNINGCAPTION
CAPTION

“I “I “Picasso’s
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deductible.” Bill Toulaste,
Alice
Alice Cheng,
Cheng, North Branford,
Toronto,
Toronto, Ont.CT
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Mark
Mark “Achoo!”
Freed, Fairfield,
Freed, Fairfield,Conn.
Conn.
Barn Scrunting, Brooklyn, CT