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The Great Gatsby at 100: Love, Dreams, and the Shattered American Dream

2025-05-19

This article examines the enduring legacy of F. Scott Fitzgerald's masterpiece, *The Great Gatsby*, a century after its publication. Beginning with Fitzgerald's early depictions of first kisses and exploring the recurring theme of 'nothing further' in his work, the article delves into Gatsby's obsessive pursuit of Daisy. Gatsby's love for Daisy becomes a metaphor for the pursuit of the American Dream and the yearning for a lost youth, ultimately ending in tragedy. The novel's exquisite prose, insightful social commentary, and exploration of enduring themes solidify its status as a timeless classic, prompting ongoing discussions on love, dreams, and the disillusionment of the American Dream.

(www.nybooks.com)

Literature The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald

Nagel on Moral Judgment and Progress: A Critique

2025-04-07

This article examines Thomas Nagel's views on the objectivity of moral judgment and moral progress. Using the anecdote of a WWII French Resistance member interrogating a Nazi collaborator, Nagel illustrates the power of moral intuitions. While acknowledging utilitarian and evolutionary explanations for these intuitions, he argues they reflect underlying moral truths. Nagel distinguishes scientific from moral progress, asserting that accessing moral truths depends on historical developments revealing new moral reasons. He uses examples like individual rights, social equality, sexual morality, and international justice to show moral progress stems from multiple factors, not a single principle. The author ultimately questions Nagel's view, suggesting applying utilitarian principles to all affected individuals is key to moral advancement.

(www.nybooks.com)

Misc utilitarianism

The Madness of Genius: Exploring the Cost of Scientific Discovery

2025-03-27

Both *When We Cease to Understand the World* and *The MANIAC* offer unique perspectives on the stories behind 20th-century scientific breakthroughs. Author Benjamín Labatut masterfully blends historical fact with fiction, portraying the madness and struggles of brilliant scientists like Heisenberg, Schrödinger, and Grothendieck, and the profound impact of their discoveries—quantum mechanics, chemical weapons, and more—on the world. Filled with dreamlike scenes and unsettling details, the books explore the price of scientific discovery and humanity's relentless pursuit of knowledge.

(www.nybooks.com)

Tech History of Science Genius

Hanif Kureishi's Heartbreaking Account of Paralysis: Shattered

2025-03-27

Following a fall in Rome, English playwright, screenwriter, and novelist Hanif Kureishi became a quadriplegic. His new book, *Shattered*, chronicles his year in hospitals, a series of dispatches detailing the physical pain, emotional turmoil, and reflections on life. Kureishi, with his signature wit and sharp prose, portrays the absurdity and warmth of hospital life, revealing the resilience and vulnerability of a human spirit facing adversity. More than just a moving account of illness, *Shattered* is a profound meditation on creativity, humanity, and life itself.

(www.nybooks.com)

Misc illness life

Marclay's 'The Clock': A 24-Hour Cinematic Masterpiece on Time

2025-01-04

Zadie Smith's insightful review in the New York Review of Books explores Christian Marclay's groundbreaking film, 'The Clock.' This 24-hour cinematic experience seamlessly weaves together countless movie clips featuring clocks, unfolding in real time. Smith meticulously dissects the film's structure, aesthetics, and philosophical implications, examining the interplay between real and staged time, accidental and deliberate choices, and cultural perceptions of time's passage. The film's masterful juxtaposition of clips creates a unique narrative, prompting profound reflections on time, life, and the nature of cinema itself.

(www.nybooks.com)

Art film review time