A link-centric edition of the newsletter.
This is one of those weekends where I am keeping it short and sweet. I hope you enjoy the material in this edition of the newsletter, including an extra-long look at what I have been reading, and I'll see you next weekend. |
My column this week was on how the Republican drive to restrict voting might backfire. |
Whether shrewd or misguided, cynical or sincere — or outright cruel and divisive — these gambits were each part of an effort to expand the Republican coalition as far as it could go without abandoning Reaganite conservatism itself. It was the work of a self-assured political movement, confident that it could secure a position as the nation's de facto governing party. There is no such ambition, or confidence, in today's Republican Party. |
As I think about what I might write next week, there is still much to say about the Republican turn against majoritarian democracy as well as the ways in which attacks on the franchise have always come under the cover of "neutral" laws and procedures. |
John Ganz on the concept of civilizational "decadence" in his personal newsletter. |
Katy Waldman on the rise of "therapy-speak" in The New Yorker magazine. |
Sharon Lin on Chinese-American identity in the New York Review of Books. |
Now Watching: Kill Bill, Vol. 1 |
I recently rewatched Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill, Vol. 1" for the first time since I was in high school. I had seen the movie at least a dozen times between its theatrical release and the DVD we owned, but I hadn't revisited it since then. It suffices to say that it holds up. For one, it is impeccably made, a hard-charging action film with more style and color and personality than most of what goes for blockbuster entertainment these days. And for another, it is a film that, because of its pastiche nature, rewards your film knowledge. It is one thing to watch this movie as a teenager with little experience with cinema as such. It is something very different — and very enjoyable — to watch it and be able to identify every reference and homage on screen. |
With that said, if you decide to watch (or rewatch) "Kill Bill, Vol. 1" this weekend, I recommend you follow up with some of the major cinematic influences on the movie. Here are three: Toshiya Fujita's 1973 film "Lady Snowblood," Seijun Suzuki's 1966 film "Tokyo Drifter," and Robert Houston's 1980 film "Shogun Assassin," which is a stitched-together edit of the first two films in the "Lone Wolf and Cub" series (itself a direct inspiration for "The Mandalorian"). |
A snapshot of one of the many signs of solidarity that appeared around my neighborhood at the start of the pandemic. |
Now Eating: Shakshuka with Feta |
I have no notes for this recipe. It's good! Shakshuka makes for an easy dinner or a luxurious brunch. Be sure to serve with good, toasted bread, either homemade or from your favorite bakery. Recipe comes from the cooking section of The New York Times. |
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cayenne, or to taste
- 1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes with their juices, coarsely chopped
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, plus more as needed
- 5 ounces feta, crumbled (about 1 ¼ cups)
- 6 large eggs
- Chopped cilantro, for serving
- Hot sauce, for serving
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Heat oven to 375 degrees. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low. Add onion and bell pepper. Cook gently until very soft, about 20 minutes. Add garlic and cook until tender, 1 to 2 minutes; stir in cumin, paprika and cayenne, and cook 1 minute. Pour in tomatoes and season with ¾ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper; simmer until tomatoes have thickened, about 10 minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Stir in crumbled feta. |
Gently crack eggs into skillet over tomatoes. Season eggs with salt and pepper. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until eggs are just set, 7 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with hot sauce. |
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