The Self-Deceptions of Empire

David Bromwich is finalist for the 2015 PEN/Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay for the collection Moral Imagination, which explores the importance of imagination and sympathy in… More

By Way of a Preface

This ode to the essay is from Charles D'Ambrosio's Loitering: New and Collected Essays, a finalist for the 2015 PEN/Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay. More

Three Essays from Limber

Limber is a collection of essays which chart the world's history through its trees and a finalist for the 2015 PEN/Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay. More

The Empathy Exams

The title essay of Leslie Jamison's The Empathy Exams, a finalist for the 2015 PEN/Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay. More

Our Own Maps

My memory was a gift until it became a curse, until no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t forget things I desperately needed to forget so I might… More

The Beiruti Hustle

Beirut is the Elizabeth Taylor of cities: insane, beautiful, tacky, falling apart, aging, and forever drama laden. She’ll also marry any infatuated suitor who promises to make her life… More

Amina

She has, I presume, told him about me: the first heart she broke (or perhaps it was the other way around). It would be different if I was alone… More

The Messenger

When I saw her she was dressed in a shimmering red sari as though she had been wedded that very day. The whole street was glowing because of her.… More