The New Criterion
(Mobile Version)

January 1997 Volume 15, Number 5  

Notes & Comments

Standardizing the substandard
On the “Standards for English Language Arts” set by the National Council of Teachers of English

Upchucking for art—or was it “speech” the fellow vomited upon Mondrian & Dufy?
On an Ontario art student's vandalism of two paintings in the name of art


Features

A devitalized wariness
by Ferdinand Mount
The fifth in a series on “The future of the European past,”

Bloomsbury revisited: a "postmodern" Roger Fry
by Hilton Kramer
On A Roger Fry Reader edited by Christopher Reed

The Repeal of Reticence
by Roger Kimball
On The Repeal of Reticence by Rochelle Gurstein

Jefferson on race & revolution
by Hadley Arkes
On The Long Affair: Thomas Jefferson & the French Revolution, 1785–1800 by Conor Cruise O’Brien


Poems

Leaving Sarajevo
by Stephen Stepanchev

On that mountain
by Rachel Hadas

Renewing the vows
by Peter Schmitt

Cumulus
by Phillis Levin


Theater

Death by subtext
by Mark Steyn
On Chicago, Present Laughter & The Rehearsal


Art

Matisse in Manhattan
by Karen Wilkin
On Henri Matisse: A Survey of Drawings at C&M Arts, New York

Richard Lindner: a New Yorker in Washington
by Mario Naves
On the exhibition of the artist's work at the Hirshhorn Museum, Washington


Music

Harnoncourt conducts Beethoven
by James Penrose
On Nikolaus Harnoncourt & the Chamber Orchestra of Europe at Carnegie Hall, New York


The Media

The pity of PBS's "Great War"
by James Bowman
On the PBS television series


Books

After Edel
by Paul Dean
Review of Henry James: The Young Master by Sheldon M. Novick

Supreme nonfiction
by John Simon
Review of Walking Possession: Essays & Reviews, 1969-1993 by Ian Hamilton

A see of troubles
by Marc Arkin
Review of Thomas Cranmer: A Life by Diarmaid MacCulloch

Curiouser & curiouser
by X.J. Kennedy
Review of a new biography of W. S. Gilbert by Jane W. Stedman & The Complete Annotated Gilbert & Sullivan edited by Ian Bradley