“Politics as the New Religion for Progressive Democrats.” Emma Green reports on a new poll gauging voter engagement: “Religiously unaffiliated voters, who may or may not be associated with other civic institutions, seem most excited about supporting or donating to causes, going to rallies, and expressing opinions online, among other activities. Political engagement may be providing these Americans with a new form of identity.”
“Pack the House: How to Fix the Legislative Branch.” Lyman Stone explains why the US House of Representatives should have more than 6,000 members.
“Restocking Wolves on Isle Royale Raises Questions about which Species Get Rescued.” Mark Neuzil and Eric Freedman write about the dubious motives behind introducing new wolves to an isolated island.
“The Permanent Things: An Interview with Andrea Kirk Assaf.” In honor of the 100th anniversary of Russell Kirk’s birthday, Heidi White interviews Andrea Kirk Assaf about what it was like growing up in the Kirk household.
“Letters from Piety Hill.” James Matthew Wilson reviews a new collection of Kirk’s letters. As a Michigander himself, Wilson is particularly attuned to way these letters reveal a regional Kirk.
“A Price Tag on the American Dream.” Gracy Olmstead reviews and recommends Sarah Smarsh’s new book, Heartland: A Memoir of Working Hard and Being Broke in the Richest Country on Earth.
“Please Purchase My Personal Data from Me Directly.” Lucas Gardner offers companies an attractive suite of packages so they can select the one that meets their needs.
“A New Facebook Lawsuit Makes ‘Pivot to Video’ Seem Even More Shortsighted.” Issie Lapowsky reports on the unsurprising finding that Facebook drastically inflated the numbers indicating how many people were viewing videos.
“The Idioms of Non-Argument.” Conor Friedersdorf explains how to write a really bad book review: bulverize the authors and fail to actually address the book’s argument.
“Confessions of an Ex-Voter.” Matthew Walter poo-poos our yearly political ritual.
Last week, Oscar Romero was canonized. If you’re interested in reading some of his own words, Plough’s collection, The Scandal of Redemption is a good place to start.
If you’re near New York City, head to James Matthew Wilson’s poetry reading on Oct. 28, hosted by First Things. A. M. Juster gives a taste of Wilson’s work and describes his theologically-informed yet gritty poetry.
