Private Life: Joyce Carol Oates

Episode 3 from our new podcast ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Episode 3 of Private Life with Joyce Carol Oates is now available   A few weeks ago, The New York Review launched Private Life, a new podcast that delves into the exhilarating creative moment when ideas first appear on the page. Hosted by Jarrett Earnest, a frequent contributor to the Review, each episode features an intimate, in-depth conversation with a distinguished writer about their lives, their work, their influences, and the ideas that shape our culture. Along the way, they revisit pieces from the Review’s robust sixty-year archive to situate those arguments within contemporary culture. (After each interview, we will also be releasing new audio versions of these classic articles). The show will also include discussions of titles from our book publishing arm, New York Review Books. Our latest episode features Joyce Carol Oates speaking with Earnest about true crime and Joan Didion. You can listen on our website or wherever you find your favorite podcasts. Listen to Episode 3 with Joyce Carol Oates     Previous Episodes Episode 1: Darryl Pinckney Episode 2: “Working Girls”       Jarrett Earnest has contributed essays to The New York Review of Books on artists ranging from Tom of Finland to Jack Whitten. He is the author of What It Means to Write About Art: Interviews with Art Critics (2018) and Valid Until Sunset (2023), and has edited several collections, including volumes of Dave Hickey’s and Peter Schjeldahl’s criticism and anthologies of writing by the artists Nayland Blake and Jesse Murry. His curatorial projects include the acclaimed 2019 exhibition “The Young and Evil” at David Zwirner gallery, New York.    Politics   Literature   Arts   Ideas You are receiving this message because you signed up for email newsletters from The New York Review. Update your preferences View in browser The New York Review of Books 207 East 32nd Street, New York, NY 10016-6305   Preferences  |  Unsubscribe

Starting This Monday: Marilynne Robinson on the Bible

Registrations Still Available! ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Marilynne Robinson on the Bible The New York Review is pleased to announce a series of seminars on the Bible, hosted by contributor and Pulitzer Prize–winning author, Marilynne Robinson. Her first seminar on the Old Testament begins on March 2. Her second seminar on the New Testament starts on May 6.  The course as a whole is intended to draw attention to the fact that the Scriptures are, whatever else, a very great literature. Considering their importance to Western Civilization, it is remarkable how vulnerable they are now to misuse and ridicule.  Over centuries writers returned to these texts, confident of finding a high order of meaning in them, as great writers have done for centuries after the canon was closed. This is far too extraordinary a phenomenon to be left to cynical use or to neglect. —Marilynne Robinson     Marilynne Robinson on The Old Testament Four weekly sessions, starting March 2, 2026 Each week will focus on a theme or book from the Old Testament: Creation, Law, Psalms, and Prophecy. Full Memberships are no longer available for this seminar, but Auditor Memberships are still available. Four one-hour sessions: March 2, 9, 16, and 23. All sessions will start at 7 PM EST.  Register for The Old Testament     Marilynne Robinson on The New Testament Four weekly sessions, starting May 6, 2026 Each week will focus on a book from the New Testament: Luke, Acts, First Corinthians, and John. Four one-hour sessions: May 6, 13, 20, and 27. All sessions will start at 7 PM EST.  Register for The New Testament   Politics   Literature   Arts   Ideas You are receiving this message because you signed up for e-mail newsletters from The New York Review. Update your preferences View in browser The New York Review of Books 207 East 32nd Street, New York, NY 10016-6305   Preferences  |  Unsubscribe

The Founding Fathers Go on Spring Break

Christopher Benfey on Thomas Jefferson and James Madison's Excellent Adventure ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Sponsored by the Creative Writing Program at NYU Arts & Science In the spring of 1791 Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, seeking, in Madison’s words, “health recreation & curiosity,” decided to go on an extended holiday together. As Christopher Benfey writes in the Review’s March 12 issue:  They envisaged a monthlong ramble up the Hudson River and down the Connecticut, with stops at the major battlefields of Saratoga and Ticonderoga in upstate New York and a foray into the newly admitted state of Vermont. Jefferson was forty-eight, Madison eight years younger.… Neither traveler knew, in that spring of 1791, what form the federal government might eventually take. Neither knew that he would one day be president. Neither knew that this would be their final extended journey. Unburdened by knowledge of the future, on their sojourn the Founding Friends nonetheless managed to encounter everywhere intimations of the nation’s future: “an invasive pest known as the Hessian fly, which had devastated the American wheat crop over the previous decade; an encounter with a free Black farmer in New York; the sugar maple tree of Vermont; and an interview with a few Indians on eastern Long Island.” Below, alongside Benfey’s essay, are five articles from our archives about Jefferson and Madison.   Christopher Benfey Road Trippers In a thirty-three day ramble along the Hudson and Connecticut Rivers in 1791, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison encountered many of the issues that would end up plaguing the United States.     Advertisement   Annette Gordon-Reed Charlottesville: Why Jefferson Matters Americans have been trying to claim, or use, Thomas Jefferson in one way or another from the time of his death in 1826 up until this very moment. —August 19, 2017   Emma Rothschild Real, Pretended, or Imaginary Dangers “But France was also, by the end of the 1790s, a frightening illustration of the political costs of military power to a republican form of government. Madison’s and Jefferson’s arguments against federal power had been concerned, since the ratification of the Constitution, with ‘executive aggrandizement,’ of which, Madison wrote in 1793, ‘war is in fact the true nurse.’” —March 25, 2004   New Subscriber Benefit! Subscribers are now able to share unlocked versions of our articles with friends, family, and social media channels. When signed in to your account, look for this gift box icon in any of our articles.     Advertisement   Gordon S. Wood The Founding Realist “Poor James Madison! Think of who he was and what he achieved. The major architect of the Constitution; the father of the Bill of Rights and one of the strongest proponents of the rights of conscience and religious liberty in American history; co-author of The Federalist, surely the most significant work of political theory in American history; the leader and most important member of the first House of Representatives in 1789; co-founder of the Democratic-Republican party in the 1790s; secretary of state in Jefferson’s administration; and the fourth president of the United States—all this, and still he does not have the popular standing of the other founding fathers, especially that of his closest friend, Thomas Jefferson.” —October 19, 1995   Edmund S. Morgan The Fixers Thomas Jefferson and James Madison first met while serving in the Virginia state legislature in 1776, when Madison was twenty-six and Jefferson thirty-three, and within a few years began a correspondence and collaboration that ended only with Jefferson’s death on the fiftieth anniversary of his great Declaration, July 4, 1826. During that time they exchanged 1,250 letters that have been preserved, and here they are, in chronological order, from small enigmatic one-liners to lengthy discursive ruminations. —March 2, 1995   Garry Wills Jefferson’s Jesus “The third president, converted to a cult of Jesus while he was in the White House, spent the last years of his life reading himself to sleep over the Gospels.” —November 24, 1983     Advertisement   Special Offer Subscribe for just $1 an issue Get the deal Politics   Literature   Arts   Ideas You are receiving this message because you signed up for email newsletters from The New York Review. Update your address or preferences View this newsletter online The New York Review of Books 207 East 32nd Street, New York, NY 10016-6305     Preferences  |  Unsubscribe