Edited by Sam Thielman

So yesterday I tried to ignore my bout with COVID and power through a podcast interview. I gave up after about 20 minutes when, attempting to give a slightly forceful answer to a question about fascism and imperialism and whatnot, I felt like I was going to pass out.

Turns out this is not the week for me to be doing much writing, speaking, or thinking. Which, alas, includes this newsletter. But I can offer some things to read and watch while I try to drown out this virus with gallons of lemon-lime Gatorade:

• Sarah Jones in New York mag on school shootings and the “hardening” of America

• Tarpley Hitt tears another New York mag piece, on “cancel culture,” to pieces

• Jamelle Bouie on why the Democratic Party’s aging-to-ancient leadership is so ill-equipped to understand the current crisis of democracy

• Talia Lavin’s speech in Barcelona on the culture of hate — in English and Spanish. (Què, no català?)

• This fantastic, batshit documentary by Seth Porges about America’s most legendarily dangerous amusement park

And Claire (who is also sick) is currently reading, and highly recommends, Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel. She says: “It’s about time travel, sci-fi and pandemics. It’s extremely light, gracefully written, with well-rendered characters about a topic that spans four different centuries. I started it this morning and am almost done. Now can I go back to reading?”

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