Because nothing screams “Back to School” like three separate Didion recs.
Dominy Gallo, Editor-in-Chief: Joan Didion, The White Album. Sarah Kinsley, “Karma.” Guy Gallo, “Gifts from Nola.”
Lyla Trilling, Managing Editor: Martin McDonagh, The Pillowman. Claudia Weil, Girlfriends (1978). M&M’s World Times Square.
Hailey Ryan, Publisher: Little Fires Everywhere (Hulu). The everything bagel cookie from Insomnia. Kehinde Wiley, Portrait of Dorinda Essah and Portrait of Savannah Essah, located in the lobby of Milbank Hall. Ordering a pumpkin spice latte in summer.
Samia Menon, Illustrations Editor: Sy Montgomery, The Soul of an Octopus. Peppermint tea. Pickling fresh produce. Haruki Murakami, The Elephant Vanishes. Documentaries on the mighty hammerhead shark. Dal tadka. Soft 72-degree air.
Sam Sacks, Director, The Blue Jay: Eric Kim on NYTCooking. Bisa Butler’s portraits at the Art Institute. Brittany Howard, Jaime. This American Life, “The Thing I’m Getting Over” (July 25).
Kat Chen, Co-Literary Editor: Blood Orange, Angel’s Pulse. Satoshi Kon, Tokyo Godfathers (2003). Scott McCloud, The Sculptor. Arteza Sketchbooks. Hometown Hotpot and BBQ.
Daniel Seizer, Assistant Publisher: Marion Cotillard’s Best Actress acceptance speech at the 2008 Oscars. Tinashe, 333. Jia Tolentino, “After a Year Without Crowds, Caroline Polachek Takes the Stage.”
Annie Poole, Layout Editor: Japanese hair deodorant for a slicked-back ponytail look. Pat Regan’s solo comedy show. Joan Didion, “On Keeping a Notebook” and Slouching Towards Bethlehem.
Grace Adee, Senior Editor: Michelle Zauner, Crying in H Mart. Little Simz, Sometimes I Might Be Introvert. The horses hiding at the north end of Van Cortlandt Park.
Sylvie Epstein, Senior Editor: I second Crying in H Mart. Lucy Dacus, “Yours and Mine.” The Wilds (Amazon Prime). Roast beef sandwiches.
Elizabeth Jackson, Senior Editor: Priya Krishna, Indian-ish (cookbook). Mohsin Hamid, Exit West. Heavily researched reef-safe sunscreen. John Green, The Anthropocene Reviewed. Voting no in the California recall. Shadow and Bone (Netflix). Ugly Delicious (Netflix).
Brooke McCormick, Senior Editor: The Frick Madison. Elderflower gin. Nine Perfect Strangers (Hulu). Bloomberg CityLab.
Sam Needleman, Senior Editor: Scholastique Mukasonga, Our Lady of the Nile. Chris Marker, Sans Soleil. Naomi Murakawa, The First Civil Right. Somtum Der. Travel backgammon.
Sophie Poole, Senior Editor: Rickie Lee Jones’s discography. Jenny Erpenbeck, Visitation.
Eliza Rudalevige, Senior Editor: The last 100 pages of Gilead by Marilynne Robinson. Ada Limón, “Late Summer After a Panic Attack.” Passionfruit kombucha. Lucy Dacus, Home Video. The missing handle from my Watt kitchen stove.
Claire Shang, Senior Editor: Yōko Ogawa, Revenge. Christian Lee Hutson, “There She Goes.” The Amtrak.
Alexander Aibel, Staff Writer: Mike Nichols, The Birdcage (1996). John Badham, Saturday Night Fever (1977). Manifest (Netflix). One Piece: Wano Kuni (Crunchyroll).
Emily Bach, Staff Writer: Baby’s breath flowers. Francisco Cantú, The Line Becomes a River.
Michael Colton, Staff Writer: Isaiah Rashad, The House Is Burning. F Boy Island (HBOmax). Richard Linklater, Slacker (1991).
Cy Gilman, Staff Writer: Donnie Darko (Original Cut). Cécile McLorin Salvant, The Window. Kerry James Marshall. David Remnick, “Bird-Watcher” (RIP Phil Schaap).
Sadia Haque, Staff Writer: Halsey, If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power. Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021). Brooklyn Nine-Nine Season 8 (Hulu). Only Murders in the Building (Hulu).
Annelie Hyatt, Staff Writer: Jun’ichiro Tanizaki, In Praise of Shadows.
Kelsey Kitzke, Staff Writer: Andreas Koefoed, The Lost Leonardo (2021). Bernardine Evaristo, Girl, Woman, Other. Obsessively consuming content on Elizabeth Holmes.
Chloe Kok, Staff Writer: Downton Abbey, Season 1 (Netflix).
Tarini Krishna, Staff Writer: Joan Didion, Political Fictions. Susan Choi, Trust Exercise. Oiji between 7th Street and St. Marks.
Becky Miller, Staff Writer: Wong Kar Wai, In the Mood for Love (2000). Andrea Arnold, Fish Tank (2009).
Willa Neubauer, Staff Writer: “Leonard Cohen: A Final Interview” with David Remnick. Jim Carroll, The Basketball Diaries.
Victor Omojola, Staff Writer: Alfonso Cuarón, Sólo Con Tu Pareja (2006). Ousmane Sembéne, Camp de Thiaroye.
Jai Qureshi, Staff Writer: Louise Erdich, Love Medicine.
Styvalizh Uribe, Staff Writer: Mitch Albom, The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto.
Madeleine Hermann, Staff Illustrator: The Fratellis (specifically, “Starcrossed Losers” and “Chelsea Dagger”). Goat cheese. Seeing The Lost Leonardo (2021) with staff writer Kelsey Kitzke.
Vanessa Mendoza Staff Illustrator: Trevor Noah, Born a Crime. Manifest (Netflix).
Kate Steiner Staff Illustrator: Satoshi Kon, Paprika (2006). Bringing a sheet cake to a mosh pit.
Aeja Rosette, Staff Illustrator: Rewatching Mac Miller’s Tiny Desk. Costco Kirkland brand pesto. Patsy Cline CDs on repeat.
Rea Rustagi, Staff Illustrator: Terry Tempest Williams, When Women Were Birds. binki, MOTOR FUNCTION. Crunchy ice. Using Tumblr in 2021.
Maya Weed, Staff Illustrator: Margaret Atwood, The Blind Assassin. Sam Cooke, “Blowin’ in the Wind.” Lisa D’Amour, Airline Highway. Sharing comfort films.
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Happenings on campus, or within walking distance of the gates. Bring proof of vaccination, a mask, and your floor friends or your crush.
This is Not a Burial, It’s a Resurrection
Sept. 23 · Maysles Documentary Center · Malcolm X btw. 127th & 128th
Harlem’s essential micro-cinema screens Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese’s contemporary classic about an octogenarian widow who plans her own funeral as her community faces forced relocation.
The Tragedy of Macbeth
Sept. 24 · Alice Tully Hall · 65th & Broadway
Film at Lincoln Center presents the world premiere of Joel Coen’s latest, starring Denzel Washington as Macbeth and Frances McDormand as Lady Macbeth. Attendees will likely implore their Lit Hum profs to swap Othello for the Scottish play.
“Majolica Mania”
Opens Sept. 24th · Bard Graduate Center · 86th btw. Columbus & CPW
Couldn’t get into the Clay Collective this year? Study up on majolica, the vibrant breed of Victorian ceramics that’s been wooing the masses ever since it debuted at the 1851 Great Exhibition in London.
“Estamos Bien – La Trienal 20/21”
Through Sept. 26 · El Museo Del Barrio · 5th btw. 104th & 105th
Move over, New Museum and MoMA PS1; El Museo’s addition to New York’s venerable slate of contemporary art triennials is perhaps the freshest, consisting of new works by dozens of Latinx artists from the United States and Puerto Rico. As always, a post-exhibit stop at the Conservatory Garden is a must.
Souleymane Bachir Diagne
Sept. 30 · Buell East Gallery · Morningside Campus
Columbia’s eminent Professor of French and Philosophy discusses his new memoir, including tales of his time under the tutelage of Althusser and Derrida, with Emmanuelle Saada, former chair of Contemporary Civilization.
The Black Movement Library Portrait Series
Oct. 4th–8th · Movement Lab, Milstein · Morningside Campus
For the latest installation of her Black Movement Library project, one of the most visionary endeavors to come out of Barnard’s famed Dance Department in recent years, Artist-in-Residence LaJuné Mcmillian presents a variety of video representations produced with perception neuron motion-capture suits.
“Deana Lawson: Centropy”
Through Oct. 11 · The Guggenheim · 5th btw. 88th & 89th
With a couple dozen stunning depictions of Black people in domestic spaces, Lawson cements her status as one of the greatest photographers in the history of the form. For once, the curatorial text does the art justice: “Her subjects are figured as ineffably splendid, occupying a world that they command absolutely.” Nothing in recent rotunda history has matched the grandeur of this small show tucked away at the top of the ramp.