time machine: 22 Apr

The Campus Novel Trap

“Novelists often teach out of economic necessity,” but campus life can consequently circumscribe their work.

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Name Your God

On Alice in Chains, Christian camps, and Satanism

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Losing Patience

Reviewing Daniel Clowes's new graphic novel

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explore the archives

founded in 2017, the smart set has published more than 1,800 essays on arts, culture, books, and life. Explore our archives by searching, by column or author, or with our curated lists below.

on walking

The Last Walk
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Are cars turning human beings into quadrupeds? Or is there room for walking after all?

Take a Walk
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How to overcome the argument that walking is too slow.

and the living’s easy

A Day at the Beach
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The disappointment of going to the seaside on the cusp of summer.

The Summer Jam
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Why "Umbrella" is one (and "Zombie" wasn't).