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Culture
Read Max.
Explaining the weird new future and recommending weird old books
Recent essays
30 of 40A rich and evocative Iraq War (?) rom-com
PLUS: A rich and evocative Iraq War (?) rom-com
'The Drama' and the microgenerational digital divide
PLUS: The "forklift model" of A.I. education
Disturbing '70s-London pulp horror from an underrated master, an ambling stoner conspiracy thriller, and more
Roundup 05/03/2026
People prefer A.I. art because people prefer bad art
A Read Max re-run
A Marxist assassination conspiracy thriller, a great rock-'em-sock-'em French action movie, and more
Roundup 04/27/2026
What is "Muskism"?
With Quinn Slobodian, Ben Tarnoff, and John Ganz
What I'm reading about Orbán and Hungary, a postwar noir spy thriller set in ruined Frankfurt, and more
Roundup 04/20/2026
What corporate thrillers tell us about the '90s economy
PLUS: Has Forum Brain crossed the gender divide?
A noirish road thriller about violent teenagers, an underrated '90s conspiracy thriller with a great soundtrack, and more
Roundup 04/14/2026
Talking the 'Dark Enlightenment' with John Ganz and Maya Vinokour
Video of our conversation from Night of IDeas
A horror adventure set in Dark Ages England, a great new play about love and death, and more
Roundup 04/06/2026
Is ubiquitous A.I. writing "inevitable"?
On a weird few weeks of A.I.-writing scandals
A sharp new book on A.I., psyops, and magic; an entertaining video essay on video stores; and more
Roundup 03/29/2026
Soy Right ascendant
A Read Max re-run
A perfect Cold-War spy thriller, a malevolent folk-horror flick with a fantastic soundtrack, and more
Roundup 03/23/2026
Talking Iran and taking questions with John Ganz
A recording of our livestream for paying subscribers
A captivating, enigmatic, period family saga; a stunning, hand-drawn, surrealist animated masterpiece; and more
Roundup 03/17/2026 (Plus: a bonus book rec!)
What do "which is A.I.?" quizzes tell us?
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What I'm reading about Dubai influencers, data-center missile strikes, and Iran; a great and sleazy Elmore Leonard adaptation, and more
Roundup 03/09/2025
'Suicide rightism' and the penguin
Is it based or soy to kill yourself?
An eerie, unforgettable new-age conspiracy drama; a sweeping, gripping true-crime book; and more
Roundup 01/26/2025
The commenters won
Which Trump administration official is a former Gawker commenter?
A Tom-Clancy-meets-Jeff-VanderMeer Native American sci-fi novel, a great new psychedelic conspiracy thriller TV show, and more
Roundup 01/18/2025
Talking Minneapolis, Venezuela, Elon Musk, and speaking 'Trumpanese'
Watch now | With special guest Vinson Cunningham
The deep structures of human history, a reality comedy game show that make me hurt myself laughing, and more
Roundup 01/11/2025
Why won't someone do something about Elon Musk?
X.com, c'est moi
Eleven (really 15) books we read this year we'll be thinking about for a while
Greetings from Read Max HQ, and welcome to the last column of 2025!
The Read Max year in review 2025
Over 30 lists and 15,000 words from Read Max friends, foes, and family
The best movies and music I saw/heard this year
A Read Max year-end roundup