America's Most Critical Journal since 1999
The Island at the Centre of the World: The Untold Story of the Founding of New York by Russell Shorto Review by Dan Geddes Historians have often treated the establishment of New Amsterdam by the Dutch as a footnote to the history of the United States. The Brit... More »
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today that the U.S. unemployment rate, which last quarter stood at 8.2%, has dropped to 0%. The BLS explained that the US labor force has contracted by about 8.2% since the last quarter. “More Americans are choosing to... More »
by Dan Geddes It will probably be impossible for future generations to understand the special place that J.D. Salinger held in the minds of readers in the mid-to-late twentieth century. The Catcher in the Rye remains a classic statement of youth alienation, an... More »
The Cocktail Party The Cocktail Party, The Centenary Edition, Harcourt Brace by T.S. Eliot Review By Dan Geddes 10 January 2000 The Cocktail Party is a twentieth century morality play, one that argues that people must accept their burdensome roles as decision ... More »
Thomas Pynchon Review by Dan Geddes 5 January 2010 See also: Inherent Vice (2014) (movie) The Crying of Lot 49, Gravity’s Rainbow, Vineland, Bleeding Edge and Dys, an imaginary Pynchon novel Inherent Vice is a pleasant surprise. After Against the Day’s... More »
The Satirist features original works of satire and parody, especially literary artifacts, as well as serious criticism and book reviews. The Satirist publishes satirical news as seen in The Onion, but these are just for topical amusement; they don’t ge... More »
WASHINGTON—This weekend, over one million Americans protested plans for public healthcare options. Citing variously “creeping socialism”, “Obamacare” or “just keeping Uncle Sam out of my Medicare,” Saturday’s marchers shared a conviction that e... More »
by Naomi Wolf Review by Dan Geddes The Bush Administration has polarized the American people as few presidencies before. Even while President Bush himself suffered from low approval ratings, the realization that his administration has relentlessly attac... More »
by Evan Keliher Review by Dan Geddes Editor’s note: The Satirist does not endorse tyrannicide in any way. This is just a book review! The novel Tyrannicide: The Story of the Second American Revolution hilariously depicts a viable rebellion in mode... More »
by Dan Geddes Like many Amsterdam residents, my family does not have a back garden, and so during warm summer days, when we wish to be outdoors, we head to the Westerpark, only a few minutes away by bicycle. The Westerpark is the smallest of the parks near t... More »
The Career of Hans Donkerzijde, and His Amsterdam Portal Imaginary review by Dan Geddes One of the great what-ifs of Amsterdam “Golden Age” architecture was Hans Donkerzijde’s never-completed portal for the east side of the city. Donkerzijde (1613 –... More »