A RARE DAY
By the end of Thanksgiving, people of all races would eat together. They would not do so the next day, and never acknowledged that it had happened, but once a year it did.
Daniel Genis is the author of the novel Narcotica, as well as many translations from the Russian. He began his career with a rather classical education, and finished it off with a decade in prison. These days he is concentrating on reconciling the subtleties of the Brooklyn scene with the requirements of parole. Please contact Daniel Genis at genis5000@gmail.com.
Cruel and Unusual
I read 1,046 books in my decade behind bars, one of the last cultures where libraries are still cherished. Now, a nasty new policy will ensure that inmates read less.
Death in Prison
Murder, suicide, illness, old age: These deaths stalk us all, but in prison, they collect us so much more cheaply.
Instasketch
A collection of 32,000 sketchbooks in Brooklyn, submitted by the public, is challenging the traditional division between artist and audience.
Life and Death
Despite the nature of his work, and the rising anti-Semitism in his homeland, Péter Forgács doesn’t consider himself a political artist.
Dissident Words
While Russians in America argue over Sergei Dovlatov’s legacy, Russia tightens its grip.
Cross Cultures
A skinny white kid from Pittsburgh has created one of the defining histories of hip-hop in the form of a graphic novel that brings together rappers and comic nerds.
Captive Audience
Inside the strange but innovative world of ancient media used inside the New York state prisons.
Worldwide Sport
From its origins in east Asia to Flushing Meadows Queens, Dragon Boat races have gone global and corporate, pulling in all types from traders to triads.
Dope Dispatch
Dope smokers find e-cigarettes and high-tech ‘mods’ are great for smoking in public, with less fear from cops and bouncers.