Phoenix is Bankrupt – but Entertaining

Here’s a contradiction: the band Phoenix hails from Paris. Here’s another: their 2012 album “Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix” went gangbusters, and this April’s follow-up is called “Bankrupt.” So it’s nice to know that the lead single - “Entertainment” - is precisely what it claims to be.

Alain de Botton Believes in Non-Belief

Alain de Botton has penned a string of bestsellers exploring the nature of Architecture, Philosophy, Work, Status, Love, and Religion. But, y’know, maybe one of these days he’ll try to focus on something actually important.

Jackie Collins Goes on a Power Trip

Jackie Collins’ sexy romps have sold over 500 million copies. Her latest offering, The Power Trip, brings together a few billionaires and beauties on (where else?) a luxury yacht, and throws in some murder for good measure.

Crunchy, Crunchy History

Lately, there’s been a veritable explosion of fancy chips: plantain chips, kale chips, soy chips. The current craze inspired Sam Dean to write a history of the chip for Bon Appetit.

Karen Russell Gets Right to the Juicy Bits

Karen Russell’s debut novel “Swamplandia!” was a finalist for the 2012 Pulitzer prize. Her new book - the entrancing, Gothic-tinged story collection “Vampires in the Lemon Grove” - has been receiving similarly rapturous reviews.

David France Acts Up

Esteemed journalist David France's debut documentary, “How to Survive A Plague" - about the activist group Act Up, which in the 1980s and 1990s focused the world on the AIDS crisis and arguably helped bring about today’s treatments for the virus - was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.

From Russia with Love… Lost

Richard Lawson, Senior Editor for The Atlantic Wire, shares a high-tech story from Russia with love…lost.