By the end of next month, it’s estimated that half a million Americans—approximately the population of Atlanta—may have died from COVID-19, a number that surpasses that of every other wealthy nation. How did the U.S. fail so badly in its response to the pandemic? The New Yorker staff writer Lawrence Wright spent seven months reporting on that question in real time, and he talks with David Remnick about what he learned writing “The Plague Year.” Plus, a molecular biologist answers our pressing questions about the new strain of SARS-CoV-2. And the music editor and writer Sheldon Pearce shares some favorites from a very specific genre: posthumous rap albums.
Lawrence Wright on How the Pandemic Response Went So Wrong
Reporting on the trajectory of COVID-19 in the U.S., the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist says that “the magnitude of our failure is unparalleled.”
Why Is the New Variant of the Coronavirus So Concerning?
The molecular biologist Joe Osmundson studies DNA replication. He explains how the new strain of SARS-CoV-2 may have emerged, and what we should expect to happen next.
Sheldon Pearce on Posthumous Rap
The music editor and writer picks some favorites from a very specific genre.
