The New American Language
From our US edition
Words and phrases we could do without
Chilton Williamson, Jr.
Tuesday
Sunday
The wonder of Wagner
From our US edition
There is indeed greatness in much of Wagner’s music. Pace Herr Nietzsche, he could write rhythm
Friday
The trouble with America’s ‘systemic racism’
From our US edition
The United States has been no more racist, unequal and oppressive than most racially pluralist countries
Wednesday
The author in full: Tom Wolfe
From our US edition
Wolfe excelled at capturing human foibles and petty vanities; anything deeper than that escaped him
Friday
The future of populist conservatism
From our US edition
The anti-liberal opposition will continue to be demotic and anti-theoretic, impatient with and scornful of ideas, in public life especially
Saturday
Cormac McCarthy, brutal but brilliant
From our US edition
The harshness and hope of an American master
Sunday
Professing virtues
From our US edition
Not since the late 19th century in Germany have the Herr Professor Doktors been held in such high esteem
Tuesday
No one in Jefferson’s day suspected the contradiction between commerce and education
From our US edition
Republics have never lived by the commercial principle alone
Monday
The prophetic Raymond Chandler
From our US edition
Chandler’s California is a cultural desert stretching along the western edge of a continental wasteland
Sunday
Novel inspirations: H.L. Mencken, the bad boy of Baltimore
From our US edition
Ideas and theories were not Mencken’s meat and drink. Real people and social comedy were
Sunday
All modern art is quite useless
From our US edition
The contemporary artist doesn’t expect to have to suffer for what he calls his art. Away with the garret!
Tuesday
American English must be the most carelessly spoken and written dialect on Earth
From our US edition
Part of the problem is sheer mental and physical laziness
