Review
Africa’s Stolen Art Debate Is Frozen in Time
Europe’s arguments against restitution have ignored the legitimate claims of African scholars and governments for 50 years.
Where the West and China Find Common Ground
A striking new translation of Chinese fairy tales shows a shared folkloric tradition.
Bill Gates’s Pandemic Prevention Plan Has a China-Sized Blind Spot
In his new book, the billionaire philanthropist focuses on technical solutions but ignores politics.
It’s Africa’s Century—for Better or Worse
Asia gets the attention, but the real economic revolution is the inevitable growth of an overlooked continent.
A Glimpse at Life Under Russian Occupation
Stanislav Aseyev’s “In Isolation” depicts the absurd brutality of military rule in the Donbas.
How to Get Recent History All Wrong
A new book identifies—and misunderstands—the structural forces behind today’s geopolitical chaos.
Who Got China Wrong?
Two books take very different approaches on the past and future of engagement.
The Art of Suffering
Two new works of Chinese government propaganda meet with very different reactions from viewers.
The Punk-Prophet Philosophy of Michel Houellebecq
The success of France’s most famous novelist has less to do with art and knowledge than anxiety and rock ’n’ roll.
Donald Trump’s History Book
Journalists have written the “first rough draft of history,” but now it is historians’ turn to assess a most unconventional presidency.
Americans Have Never Wanted the Truth
A new history of fakery in U.S. journalism shows the public has always had an appetite for fake news.
‘Drive My Car’ Could Change Japanese Cinema Forever
The Japanese film is up for an Academy Award at this year’s Oscars.
Once Upon a Time, India Inspired the World
What today’s India can learn from the foreigners who once fought for its cause.
A Shiny (and Wrong) Vision of Roman Imperialism
Expeditions: Rome tries to be accurate, but it’s all surface.
Does Inequality Provoke Populism?
A new book argues that economic unfairness is more important than unequal incomes—but only redistributive policies can restore social mobility.
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