Sarah Churchwell

A survey of 48 iconic photographs traces how images have shaped the United States from the 19th century to the present, capturing mythmaking, violence, race, labour, war, celebrity, immigration and protest. The narrative follows photography’s role in constructing national identity, exposing injustices from slavery to police violence, documenting landmark events from the gold rush to 9/11, and illustrating shifting cultural values. These images reveal both the power of visual storytelling and the tensions between myth and reality that have defined America over 250 years.

Testimony from Cassidy Hutchinson indicates that Donald Trump and senior aides were aware of plans for violence on 6 January and pursued strategies to overturn the 2020 election, even after learning some supporters were armed. The analysis links these actions to historical patterns of American white supremacist violence and fascist movements, drawing parallels to the post–Civil War era and 20th‑century coup attempts. It highlights Republican support for overturning election results and argues that the events reflected a deliberate effort by Trump to seize power, with implications for ongoing threats to democratic stability.

The text argues that American democracy faces an epistemological crisis intensified by Donald Trump’s reliance on lies, conspiracy theories, and the denial of shared truth. It links these tendencies to totalitarian models described by thinkers such as Orwell and Arendt, claiming the Republican Party has embraced minority rule sustained by misinformation. The article highlights the historical roots of political paranoia in the United States and warns that undermining truth erodes democratic foundations. It concludes that restoring democracy requires reaffirming shared truths and rebuilding trust in civic institutions.

Neal Katyal’s book argues that Donald Trump’s conduct meets the constitutional standard for impeachment, emphasizing the historical and legal foundations of removing a president for abuses of public trust. The review highlights Katyal’s analysis of the evidence surrounding Trump’s dealings with Ukraine, his explanation of the meaning of high crimes and misdemeanors, and his comparisons with prior impeachment cases. It notes the political challenges posed by a Senate controlled by Mitch McConnell and concludes that Katyal sees accountability as essential to preserving democratic norms.

Nancy Pelosi’s launch of an impeachment inquiry follows allegations that Donald Trump pressured Ukraine’s president to investigate Joe Biden in exchange for military aid, triggering a whistleblower complaint and raising concerns over abuse of power and a cover-up. Although Senate removal remains uncertain due to Republican resistance, shifting public opinion and emerging testimony could alter the political landscape. The article argues that Trump’s sense of impunity led him to overreach, enabling Democrats to act as new information surfaces and officials begin distancing themselves from the administration.

Historians examine Brexit through parallels with major historical transformations including the Reformation, American independence, Irish partition, the Weimar era, and the rise of populism. They highlight recurring themes such as nationalism, inequality, scapegoating of minorities, political fragmentation, and the risks of simplistic narratives. Multiple essays argue that Brexit reflects broader global tensions and warn against romanticized history, stressing the dangers of populism, the fragility of democratic institutions, and the long-term consequences of political miscalculations.

Democratic control of the House marks a shift in power as Nancy Pelosi asserts institutional authority over an administration depicted as disregarding established rules. New members of Congress embody historic diversity while Democrats prepare to use expanded investigatory powers to scrutinize ethics issues, financial entanglements, and potential abuses of power by Donald Trump and his administration. Congressional oversight, subpoena authority, and the possibility of legal challenges or impeachment reshape the political landscape, with the potential for investigations to escalate depending on their findings.

Madonna’s evolution from early pop star to cultural icon is examined through her continual reinvention, control of her image and influence on feminist discourse. Her Blond Ambition tour is highlighted as a pioneering multimedia performance that reshaped the industry. Despite controversy and varying interpretations of her feminist role, she consistently asserts autonomy, power and defiance, maintaining control over her narrative and remaining a symbol of self‑determination.

Philip Roth’s five-decade career is celebrated through an examination of his inventive style, confrontational literary ambition and complex exploration of identity, history and morality. His shifting narrative voices, metafictional experiments and engagement with Jewish-American experience positioned him as a defining figure of 20th‑century literature. Balancing comedy and tragedy, Roth addressed major historical and political moments while continually probing questions of selfhood, authority, suffering and human energy. His later works confronted aging and mortality with diminished but still resonant intensity, reinforcing the breadth and impact of his literary legacy.

Donald Trump is portrayed as thriving on chaos, dishonesty and authoritarian impulses, enabled by media norms that struggle to respond effectively to his constant scandals. The article argues that Trump’s behavior undermines democratic principles, rewards deception and distorts public accountability while his allies amplify misinformation. Drawing on historical and philosophical warnings about authoritarianism, it concludes that persistent public commitment to reason and humanism is essential to counter the administration’s tactics.

Tracing the slogan “America first” through more than a century of political history reveals its deep ties to nativism, white nationalism, eugenics, and American fascist movements. The article outlines how the phrase evolved from late‑19th‑century protectionism to a rallying cry for isolationists, the Ku Klux Klan, and later the America First Committee, showing its recurring role in exclusionary, racist ideologies. Parallels are drawn between these historical currents and contemporary political rhetoric under Donald Trump, underscoring how longstanding extremist narratives continue to shape modern American politics.

Examines how male-dominated literary and cultural narratives have long undermined women’s credibility, linking historic portrayals of women in literature to contemporary issues highlighted by the #MeToo movement. Argues that stories by influential male authors often gaslight female characters and perspectives, shaping cultural attitudes that dismiss women’s experiences. Highlights modern examples of this dynamic in politics and media, calling for narratives that restore women’s voices and challenge entrenched patriarchal interpretations.

Recent film and television stories place women at the center of narratives about power, prompting ongoing debates about their feminist implications. Wonder Woman, The Handmaid’s Tale and Game of Thrones explore women’s authority, resistance, and complicity in male‑dominated systems through differing tones and allegories. These works challenge cultural assumptions about gender and authority, presenting complex portrayals rather than unified political messages, and highlighting unresolved tensions in how society reconciles women with power.

Swearing is presented as a powerful linguistic tool that can relieve frustration, enhance strength and express resistance. Language is described as performative, capable of shaping reality, with curses functioning as symbolic acts that break taboos. Shifting societal taboos are highlighted, particularly those related to identity. Shakespeare is cited as a master of invective, with The Tempest illustrating how language can empower or subjugate. Words are portrayed as a form of magic that generate real effects through shared understanding.

Rabbit, Run is examined as part of a long American tradition of stories about men fleeing domestic constraints, a narrative that often casts women as impediments to male freedom. The article critiques John Updike’s portrayal of female characters as limited and stereotypical, arguing that the novel reflects and is constrained by patriarchal norms. While acknowledging Updike’s literary achievements, it highlights the narrowness with which women are depicted and contrasts this with broader expectations of modern literary representation.

Recently surfaced letters from Sylvia Plath to her therapist Ruth Barnhouse offer new insight into the final months of her life, including accusations of violence against Ted Hughes and claims he caused her miscarriage. Their relationship’s longstanding cultural symbolism continues to evolve as attitudes toward feminism, marriage, mental illness, and domestic violence shift. The letters, potentially one of the few remaining sources of Plath’s late voice, contribute to ongoing debates over the couple’s turbulent history and the mythologizing of their lives and work.

Classic Hollywood is praised for portraying powerful, mature, and intelligent female stars such as Katharine Hepburn and Barbara Stanwyck, whose on‑screen authority contrasted with the limited representations of women in later decades. The article argues that modern films like La La Land evoke the style of old Hollywood without capturing its strong depictions of female power. Despite operating within a sexist studio system, actresses of the 1930s and 1940s embodied confidence and complexity, offering audiences compelling models of female autonomy and charisma. The piece calls for renewed appreciation of these classic screen goddesses as more authentic and inspiring heroines.

Ruth Franklin’s biography of Shirley Jackson presents the author as a major figure in American gothic literature, emphasizing how her interest in rituals, witchcraft and domestic confinement articulated themes of power, disempowerment and female anxiety. The book explores Jackson’s struggles with postwar gender expectations, a turbulent marriage with the controlling Stanley Edgar Hyman, and lifelong mental health challenges exacerbated by medication and pressure to maintain domestic roles. While admiring Jackson’s literary achievements, the review questions some of Franklin’s interpretations, particularly her harsh treatment of Jackson’s mother. The biography ultimately positions Jackson’s work as a lasting examination of female agency and constraint.

Writers and filmmakers from Sinclair Lewis and Margaret Atwood to George Orwell and Philip Roth imagined how authoritarianism could emerge within the United States, blending patriotism, capitalism and media manipulation. Their stories depict gradual erosions of democratic norms, the dangers of demagoguery and the recurring use of nationalism to justify oppression. Comparisons to Donald Trump's rise highlight the enduring relevance of these cautionary narratives, emphasizing the need for vigilance, ethical commitment and attention to historical lessons to preserve democratic values.

Misogyny and longstanding cultural narratives about female leaders undermined Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign, enabling attacks on her legitimacy and character while excusing her opponent’s behavior. Fictional and historical portrayals of women in power have consistently framed them as illegitimate, passive or dangerous, reinforcing biases that resurfaced in the election. The political and media environment amplified these narratives, contributing to Clinton’s defeat and threatening the future prospects of women seeking the presidency.