Another melancholy, anxious, unimaginable week. I’ve been making lunch for my kids while we stay at home. Yesterday, I asked my son how he would review my “restaurant” on Yelp. His reply: “The food was good but the service was slow.” Fair enough! Here is a helping of recent stories from our pages:
1. One should never miss a Rachel Aviv piece. Her latest starts with a powerful dancer-mentor relationship that takes a darker turn: “Hijikata received phone calls from parents saying, ‘Give me back my daughter.’ ”
2. “Livin’ la ______ loca.” The Weekend Crossword is just hard enough. Click for a hint to the 37-Across clue in this week’s puzzle, constructed by Aimee Lucido.
3. We lost Adam Schlesinger on Wednesday. Jody Rosen describes his talent: “He was one of those artist-fans who seem to have imbibed all of pop history, and are capable of decanting a song in any style at will.”
4. “Guess I am gonna go for a walk and feel too many feelings.” Emily Flake writes and draws about homeschooling during quarantine.
5. Hilton Als celebrates the poet and activist Carolyn Forché: “Her poems ask again and again, What can we do with what we see and live through?”
6. Pick up the damn phone. Helen Rosner has some advice on restaurant delivery.
7. In a review of online theatrical performances,Alexandra Schwartz reveals her soothing hobby. “The other day, I went to YouTube, and typed in ‘ASMR coronavirus.’ ”
8. “When I first heard ‘New York 93,’ by the Korean-American d.j. and producer Yaeji, it felt like something I’d waited for my whole life, only I’d never known to want it.” Hua Hsu on the music of Yaeji.
9. “I’ve had a bunch of misfires, self-soothing-wise, and a few successes.” Katy Waldman shares some reading (and watching) picks.
10. George Saunders discusses his story “Love Letter” in the April 6th issue: “What it did to me, as I wrote it, was make me feel fond of the way of life we’ve enjoyed all these years. It made me realize, I guess, that I really do believe in American democracy, with all its flaws, and would like to do my part to protect it during my time here.”
A few good things on the Internet: The New Yorker critic Alex Ross has been tracking live concert streams on his personal blog; The Kid Should See This is a gift to parents everywhere; and there are some new Frank Ocean songs.
Stay safe,
Michael Agger, culture editor, newyorker.com
P.S. Noa, a high-school senior, wrote to share this recommendation: “To keep in touch and relatively social, my friends and I FaceTime or WhatsApp video chat. We recite poetry (The Adroit Journal is a popular one, so is the Bennington Review), watch The Office and—my favorite—night-bake. I recommend beginning night-baking around midnight. Chocolate chip cookies are a good classic, and Challah has really been a hit! Challenging, but fulfilling to do in the middle of the night.”
How are you staying busy? Let us know at TNYinbox@newyorker.com, and we might publish your responses in a future installment of this newsletter.