This Week’s Issue: Pulling Our Politics Back from the Brink

Plus: David Remnick on the Biden era; the curse of buried Viking treasure; and our love-hate relationship with gimmicks. View in browser | Update your preferences Annals of Politics Pulling Our Politics Back from the Brink After a bitterly contested election, the country teeters between persuasion and force. By Evan Osnos Comment The Biden Era Begins American democracy has survived Donald J. Trump. By David Remnick Personal History The Ability to Cry If I shed one tear, I might become Alice, swimming in an ocean of my tears. By Yiyun Li Profiles The Difference Between Getting Out of Prison and Staying Out For those navigating the challenges of reëntry, it can help to have a tough-minded guide with lived experience. By Adam Gopnik Letter from the U.K. The Curse of the Buried Treasure Two metal-detector enthusiasts discovered a Viking hoard. It was worth a fortune—but it became a nightmare. By Rebecca Mead Books Our Love-Hate Relationship with Gimmicks Why is the same word used to describe the harmless enchantments of literary technique and the cruel buffoonery of contemporary political and economic life? By Merve Emre Podcast Dept. The Secret Sounds of “Song Exploder” We tend to have no idea how music is made. For nearly seven years, one series has supplied some answers. By Amanda Petrusich On Television “The Undoing” Is Empty Life-Style Porn And, like most porn, the HBO drama, which stars Nicole Kidman, isn’t really about the plot. By Naomi Fry Sketchbook Is It Time to Change the President? The answer is in his own words. By Barry Blitt Humor from The New Yorker Shouts & Murmurs Be Very Prepared! Suburban kids have gotten weak, lazy, and “woke.” Trump Scouts will fix that. By Trey Ellis Cartoons From The Issue Cartoons from the Issue Drawings and drollery from this week’s magazine. This e-mail was sent to you by The New Yorker. To insure delivery, we recommend adding newyorker@newsletters.newyorker.com, to your contacts, while noting that it is a no-reply address. Please send all newsletter feedback to tnyinbox@newyorker.com. For more from The New Yorker, sign up for our newsletters, shop the store, and sign in to newyorker.com, where subscribers always have unlimited access. Contact us with questions. View our Privacy Policy Unsubscribe Copyright © Condé Nast 2020. One World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007. All rights reserved.