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Home , Bret Stephens, David Frum, David Gelernter, John Podhoretz, Joshua Muravchik, Yuval Levin

Commentary The new friendship between the U.S. and the world's largest democracy is 2008 – January remarkable and welcome; here are reasons for caution. Articles After the Art Wars Michael J. Lewis Now The National Endowment for the Arts An exchange between has learned the lessons of the tumultuous and readers on his October 2007 piece, 80's—at great cost. "The Past, Present, and Future of How Not to Remember & How Not to Neoconservatism." Forget Love and Marriage Ruth R. Wisse

An exchange between Meir Soloveichik A Montreal childhood inscribed a and readers on his October 2007 piece permanently useful approach to "Of Rabbis, Priests, and Wives." memorializing the Jewish past and China assuring the Jewish future. Goethe's Magnificent Self Readers respond to Aaron L. Friedberg's Algis Valiunas October 2007 piece "Are We Ready for China?". He was a man of unparalleled Ralph Ellison accomplishment, but to what end? Hitler's Accompanist An exchange between Algis Valiunas Terry Teachout and readers on his October 2007 review of Arnold Rampersad's Ralph Ellison. By harnessing classical music to The Peace Planners Strike Again political ends, the Third Reich reduced Hillel Halkin German cultural dominance to ashes. Heroic There are good grounds for hoping that by Michael J. Gerson the dangerous experiment revived at Reviewed by Annapolis will fail. Stem Cells and the President— Mishkan T'filah An Inside Account Reviewed by William Kolbrener Jay P. Lefkowitz Cool It by Bjorn Lomborg A former advisor analyzes Reviewed by Jonathan Kay Bush's unpopular stand on stem cells, and explains why it was the right Godly Republic by John J DiIulio, Jr. decision and what it means for the Reviewed by future. Is India an Ally? Surrender Is Not An Option Sadanand Dhume by Reviewed by Gabriel Schoenfeld

Commentary adversaries within the fold; herewith, a guide. 2008 – February The Man on Whom Everything Was Lost Articles Joseph Epstein

Totalitarian Olympics Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. led a charmed life; obliviousness, personal and An exchange between Arch Puddington political, helped. and readers on his November 2007 Why Beards? article "China Games." Meir Soloveichik Faith and Interfaith The traditional Jewish penchant for An exchange between R.R. Reno and facial hair is a marker of deep cultural readers on his November 2007 article (and countercultural) attitudes. "Faith in the Flesh." Nixon's Fate, and Ours Afghanistan's Wilfred M. McClay

An exchange between Rosanne Klass In his new biography, Conrad Black and readers on her October 2007 article takes the full measure of the man who, "In the Tents of Kabul." for better and worse, inaugurated the Stopping : modern presidency. Why the Case for Military Action Still The Hollywood Musical Done Right Stands Terry Teachout Why does Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd-- From COMMENTARY's February 2008 up for several Oscars on Sunday night-- issue. Despite the assessment offered in succeed so brilliantly? the most recent National Intelligence Rabbi Heschel, Spiritual Radical Estimate, the Iranian regime continues to Reviewed by David Hazony pose an existential threat, and the case for military action against its nuclear Reassessing the legacy, religious and facilities remains as strong as ever. political, of the theologian and activist. Look Who's Afraid of Free Trade Anatomy of a Scandal John Steele Gordon Reviewed by Daniel Seligman

From our February 2008 issue. The An examination of disgraced attorney Democratic Party was founded as a free- Mike Nifong's (left) prosecution of the trade party. So why has it now become Duke lacrosse case. protectionist? Power to the People by Michael In Search of Moderate Muslims Mandelbaum Joshua Muravchik and Charles P. Szrom Reviewed by Arch Puddington

To defeat the ideology of the jihadists, Otto Preminger by Foster Hirsch we must identify and enlist its Reviewed by Alec Mouhibian

Churchill and the Jews by Martin Gilbert Churchil's Promised Land by Michael Makovsky Reviewed by Hillel Halkin

Commentary Joseph Epstein

2008 - March "Then how do you account for the success of that pig Singer?" She did not Articles so much pronounce as spit his name. Goldwater, the John Birch Society, and How're We Doing? Me William F. Buckley, Jr. Letters on Peter Wehner and Yuval Levin's December article "Crime, Drugs, William F. Buckley, Jr. is dead at 82. Welfare--and Other Good News." This article is one of his last published Vietnam Revisited pieces. No Game for Old Men Letters on Arthur Herman's December Abraham Socher article "Who Owns the ?" Seeing China Why are we so offended by steroid use among baseball players? Letters on Gary Rosen's December Going Highbrow at the CIA article "My Short March Through Terry Teachout China." The Election, the GOP--and Was it wise to fight the cultural battles John Podhoretz of the cold war with witting and unwitting "front groups"? An assessment of the immediate future Liberal Fascism by of the Republican party as it prepares to Reviewed by James A. Nuechterlein nominate John McCain. When Jihad Came to America Treacherous Alliance by Trita Parsi Andrew C. McCarthy Reviewed by Nathan Thrall

Omar Abdel Rahman, a pre-eminent Comeback by jihadist, arrived in the U.S. in 1990. This Reviewed by Dan DiSalvo is what happened afterward. The End of the Chinese Miracle? A Billion Lives by Jan Egeland Gordon G. Chang Reviewed by George Russell

To sustain growth, far-reaching Human Smoke by Nicholson Baker economic and political reform is Reviewed by David Pryce-Jones increasingly urgent, but highly unlikely. Mysteries of the Menorah Meir Soloveichik

An investigation of the historical (and spiritual) enigma surrounding a gold candelabrum pillaged from the ancient Temple in Jerusalem. Beyond the Pale Commentary and the Palestinians: Has Bush Reneged? 2008 - April Norman Podhoretz

Articles The inexorable pull of the "peace process" has not led the President to India Watch abandon a central pillar of his own doctrine. Letters on Sadanand Dhume's "Is India Roughnecking It An Ally?" R. R. Reno Stem Cells My summer as an oilman. Letters on Jay Lefkowitz's "Stem Cells Free the Piano Player and the President." Terry Teachout Art for All? The great pianists of the 19th century Letters on Michael J. Lewis's "After the forged a musical golden age. Art Wars" Alfred Kazin by Richard M. Cook The Refugees Reviewed by Carol Iannone

Letters on Hillel Halkin's "The Peace Democracy without Borders? Planners Strike Again" by Marc F. Plattner Anatomy of the Surge The Spirit of Democracy Peter D. Feaver by Larry Diamond Reviewed by Ted R. Bromund How and why the troop surge has worked, why a military presence in Iraq Education's End by Anthony T. is sustainable, and why rapid troop Kronman drawdowns would guarantee defeat. Reviewed by Ben Wildavsky Nothing Succeeds Like Success Victor Davis Hanson Seduced by Secrets by Kristie Macrakis Reviewed by Daniel Johnson Placing the surge alongside historical reversals of military fortune in Korea, The Hebrew Republic by Bernard the Civil War, and other conflicts. Avishai Obama's War Reviewed by David Billet Peter Wehner

How Obama has shifted on the war--and why he's not the change agent he claims to be. The God of the Gaps David Berlinski

Is it mere chance that human beings are unique in the animal kingdom? Commentary Fifty years after his co-discovery of the structure of DNA, the renowned 2008 - May biologist continues to wear out his esteem. Articles The Blood of Upton Sinclair Algis Valiunas Can Iran Be Stopped? The Oscar-winning "There Will Be Letters on Norman Podhoretz's Blood" has revived the reputation of one "Stopping Iran: Why the Case for of America's most famous, and most Military Action Still Stands." foolish, muckrakers. His latter-day Looking for Allies epigones are much worse. Art & Politics, Russian-Syle Letters on Joshua Muravchik and Terry Teachout Charles P. Szrom's "In Search of Moderate Muslims." In a long line of preachers, visionaries, Musicals, Teen & Otherwise and prophets, few have transcended the cruel limitations under which their rulers Letters on Terry Teachout's "The have forced them to function. Hollywood Musical Done Right. The Return of History and the End of Churchill Dreams by Reviewed by Gabriel Schoenfeld Letters on Hillel Halkin's review of two books on Churchill and the Jews. The Second Plane by Martin Amis 1948, Israel, and the Palestinians— Reviewed by Abe Greenwald The True Story Efraim Karsh Everyday Jews by Yehoshue Perle Reviewed by Susanne Klingenstein An exhaustive review of the archival evidence tells a ruinous tale of villainy Nerds by David Anderegg and betrayal. American Nerd by Benjamin Nugent What Is to Be Done? Reviewed by Benjamin A. Plotinsky Richard Pipes The Reluctant Communist Contemporary Russia is a country led by by Charles Robert Jenkins a cadre out to make trouble. Reviewed by The News Mausoleum John Podhoretz To This Day S. Y. Agnon The Newseum celebrates American The first seven chapters of S.Y. Agnon's newspapers at precisely the moment hitherto untranslated novel "To This when they're dying off. Day." James Watson’s Not So Brilliant Career To This Day: An Afterword Kevin Shapiro Hillel Halkin

Translator Hillel Halkin's afterword to Agnon's To This Day.

Commentary ; the future looks less certain. 2008 - June The Translator’s Paradox Hillel Halkin Articles Even as its literature has become China Watch accessible to all, Hebrew has lost its position at the center of one people's life. An exchange between Gordon G. Chang Top Hat, White Tie, and Tails and readers on his March 2008 piece, Joseph Epstein "The End of the Chinese Miracle?" Republican Fortunes Fred Astaire was not a genius, but he danced like one. Letters in response to John Podhoretz's Why Malamud Faded March 2008 piece, "The Election, the Cheryl Miller GOP--and Iraq." Baseball “on the Juice” An act of literary parricide offers a clue to a leading writer's fall in reputation. An exchange between Abraham Socher Mahler in Manhattan and readers on his March 2008 piece, Terry Teachout "No Game for Old Men." Culture Spooks In his lifetime, the great composer was most renowned as a conductor, including Letters in response to Terry Teachout's of the Philharmonic. March 2008 article, "Going Highbrow at War and Decision by Douglas Feith the CIA." Reviewed by Victor Davis Hanson Let Us by All Means Have an Honest Conversation about Race The Fall and Rise of the Islamic State by Linda Chavez Noah Feldman Reviewed by Paul Marshall has run a campaign promising to extricate America from its Gandhi and Churchill by Arthur Herman tangled racial problems. He has only Reviewed by Mark Falcoff exacerbated them. In the Matter of George W. Bush v. the Full Circle by Edith Kurzweil Constitution Reviewed by Benjamin Balint Gabriel Schoenfeld Troublemaker by Chester E. Finn, Jr. In fighting the war on , has the Reviewed by Fred Siegel administration trampled on our most fundamental rights? What Does Reform Stand For? Jack Wertheimer

"Big-tent" inclusiveness has brought success to the largest denomination of Commentary He has one. The question is: what to do 2008 – July/August about it? The Iranian Shell Game Articles Emanuele Ottolenghi

Beyond the Surge Suppplied with Western Technology, indulged by the United Nations, Tehran Letters on Peter D. Feaver's "Anatomy obfuscates its way toward nuclear of the Surge." weapons. What Is Man . . . Keeping Them Out, Letting Them In Peter Wehner Letters on David Berlinski's "The God of the Gaps." What conservatives think when they Fourth Pillar think about immigrants. America Sorts Itself Letters on Norman Podhoretz's "Israel Terry Teachout and the Palestinians." Bored by Music? Have we become two nations, all too divisible? Letters on Terry Teachout's "Free the Grand New Party by and Piano Player." Reihan Salam Are We Winning the ? Reviewed by Daniel Casse In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan Our accomplishments have been many; Reviewed by Edward Azlant so too are the threats remaining. How Not to Repair the World Moment of Truth in Iraq by Michael Hillel Halkin Yon Reviewed by Jonathan Foreman Jewish tradition offers three different conceptions of tikkun olam; today's buzz The Journey Abandoned by Lionel phrase is compatible with none of them. Trilling Why Iraq Was Inevitable Reviewed by Sam Munson Arthur Herman Golda by Elinor Burkett Bush forced us into an unnecessary war, Reviewed by Dean Godson critics argue. But would Al Gore have behaved differently? The Sixties Unplugged by Gerard J. Banger Finds Out--A Story DeGroot Kelly Cherry Reviewed by Kay S. Hymowitz

Banger’s father was not the man whose last name Banger bore. Hugo Chávez's Jewish Problem Travis Pantin Commentary Life of a Salesman--A Story Joseph Epstein 2008 - September I was fifteen when my mother died. I Articles won’t go into the pain I felt. We never talked about this, my father and I, but I Russian Winter knew that his desolation couldn’t have been less than my own. Letters on Richard Pipes's article “Putin Owning the Past & Co: What Is to Be Done?” Steven C. Munson Reforming Reform The cultural artifacts of antiquity--our Letters on Jack Wertheimer's article common heritage--deserve the best and “What Does Reform Judaism Stand most disinterested custodians. For?” The Heroine Who Wasn’t Israel’s Founding Terry Teachout

Letters on Efraim Karsh's article “1948, A new biography reveals a disillusioning Israel, and the Palestinians—The True truth about the great soprano Lotte Story.” Lehmann, as, alas, about many artists. Cultural Influence Defending Identity by Natan Sharansky Reviewed by David Pryce-Jones Letters on Terry Teachout's article. How to Manage Savagery The Post-American World by Fareed Bret Stephens Zakaria Reviewed by Abe Greenwald Radical 's war on the West has been eclipsed by its war against other Dictation: A Quartet by Cynthia Ozick Muslims. Reviewed by Abraham Socher Obama’s “Talking” Cure Joshua Muravchik The Dumbest Generation by Mark Bauerlein He wants to talk directly with the Reviewed by Kay S. Hymowitz nation's enemies, an approach with a disastrous history. Retribution by Max Hastings Can Libel Tourism Be Stopped? Reviewed by Algis Valiunas Andrew C. McCarthy

An ingenious strategy to quash inquiries into the shadowy world of jihadist financing is finally being challenged. Jews and Their DNA Hillel Halkin

How genetically distinct are the Jewish people, and does it matter? Commentary The example of this minor master, at once a pioneer of modernism and an 2008 - October important Jewish artist, may be more compelling than the sum of his aesthetic Articles legacy. How Not to Write About Iraq Obama's Leftism Jonathan Foreman Joshua Muravchik As two impressive but flawed new His voting record is one indication. His efforts demonstrate, the book we have intellectual and ideological history is been waiting for has yet to appear. another. Art, Artlessness, and Hollywood Colorblind Society? Terry Teachout

Letters in response to Linda Chavez's Was the "golden age" of American "Let Us by All Means Have an Honest movies as golden as all that? Conversation about Race." Remix by Lawrence Lessig Moral of the Stories Reviewed by L. Gordon Crovitz

Letters in response to Cheryl Miller's Benjamin Disraeli by Adam Kirsch "Why Malamud Faded." Reviewed by John Gross Lost & Found in Translation The Predator State by James K. Letters in response to Hillel Halkin's Galbraith "The Translator's Paradox." Reviewed by Cheryl Strauss Einhorn Putin and the Polite Arthur Herman A Path Out of the Desert by Kenneth M. Pollack Without excusing Putin's record of Reviewed by Eric Trager aggression, Western observers have compiled their own record of evasion Termites in the Trading System by and denial. Jagdish Bhagwati Honor versus Unity Reviewed by John Steele Gordon Laurence D. Cooper Echo Chamber by Kathleen Hall Two candidacies, both more than Jamieson and Joseph N. Cappella personal and more than political. Reviewed by Jeff Jacoby Forgetting Zion Ruth R. Wisse

The anti-Israel campaign has hammered away at the spirit of many American Jews. This need not and should not be. Whatever Happened to Marc Chagall? Michael J. Lewis

Commentary What to do about the Middle East and its problems, old and new. 2008 – November My Pocket Bible Hillel Halkin Articles Out of a night in the Israeli army comes The Long War an imaginative, if angry, interpretation Letters in response to Arthur Herman's of the most argued-over episode in the "Why Iraq Was Inevitable." book of Genesis. Faith Healing The Architect and the Machine Michael J. Lewis Letters in response to Hillel Halkin's "How Not to Repair the World." A master of modernism and the subject Border Dispute of a new comprehensive biography, Le Corbusier remains a forbiddingly elusive Letters in response to Peter Wehner's subject. "Keeping Them Out, Letting Them In." All That (White) Jazz Venezuela's Jews Terry Teachout

Letters in response to Travis Pantin's A well-regarded historian has changed “Hugo Chávez’s Jewish Problem." his mind about the "creation myth" of Tunnel Vision America's most distinctive popular music; will anyone follow? Letters in response to Emanuele Hot, Flat, and Crowded by Thomas L. Ottolenghi's “The Iranian Shell Game." Friedman The Madness of Crowds Reviewed by Andrew Ferguson John Steele Gordon Lion of Jordan by Avi Shlaim Reviewed by Robert B. Satloff Who's to blame for our current financial After Bush by Timothy J. Lynch and mess? It's not the people to whom the Robert S. Singh media has assigned responsibility. Reviewed by Joshua Muravchik Liberals and the Surge Augustine and the Jews by Paula Peter Wehner Fredriksen Reviewed by Kevin Madigan Leading liberals have denounced the The Dark Side by Jane Mayer surge at every point. Why? Reviewed by Clifford D. May A Descent in the Dark R. R. Reno

Terror, pain, exhaustion, life-threatening risk; or, the folly and the greatness of mountain climbing. Memo to the New President Amir Taheri

Commentary At California's state universities, 2008 – December officials still resist and evade racial- preference laws. Articles The Passion of Emma David Gelernter Chosenness and Its Enemies Jon D. Levenson You know why I am sitting at my typewriter in this Montevideo hotel Few religious doctrines have attracted room with its dirty rug & air heavy with more virulent criticism than the idea of dead cigar smoke, mildew & damp. the chosen people. Beecham! The Clash Terry Teachout

Letters in response to Bret Stephens's No individual did more to transform "How to Manage Savagery." England's classical-music culture than Prizes of the Past this eccentric, flamboyant, and tireless professional. Letters in response to Steven C. The Case for Big Government by Jeff Munson's "Owning the Past." Madrick Is There a Jewish Race? Reviewed by Jonathan Kay Leaves from the Garden of Eden by Letters in response to Hillel Halkin's Howard Schwartz "Jews and Their DNA.” Reviewed by Hillel Halkin An Obama Realignment? Samuel Adams: A Life by Ira Stoll John Podhoretz Reviewed by Philip Terzian Icon of Evil by David G. Dalin The new president's dazzling success Reviewed by Dean Godson does not suggest a new national hunger Empires of Trust by Thomas F. Madden for left-liberal policy solutions. Reviewed by David Frum Hysteria in Four Acts Paul R. McHugh

A little history, medical and otherwise, helps in understanding such contemporary epidemics as multiple- personality disorder and reports of childhood sexual abuse. 9/11 and the Novelists Cheryl Miller

The national calamity has been food for neither the imagination nor the moral faculty of fiction writers. The California Cover-up Jennifer Rubin