Dean of the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism and a staff writer for The New Yorker, he says, “When people ask what I think is the foundational institution of democracy, I always say: ‘the public library.’” Enjoy it while we’ve got it. And what’s left of our democracy. Continue reading »
In ancient days, when I wrote The Ethicist for the Times, I sought the advice of this trained professional, director of the masters in bioethics program at Columbia’s School of Professional Studies. I found him generous and astute; he found me, well, we shall see. Music: Rich Jenkins. Thursday, February 27, 6:30 Columbia University Faculty House 64 Morningside Drive … Continue reading »
He wrote Ken Russell’s Women in Love, geeze, 50 years ago, then wrote plays (The Normal Heart) and novels (Faggots). Amidst the emerging AIDS epidemic, he helped found the Gay Men’s Health Crisis and Act Up. Accomplished, right? Not according to him. “I feel like I failed,” he says. A life examined. Continue reading »