December 2025 media
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The New Yorker at 100: A recent Netflix documentary made for the preeminent (or rather preëminent) magazine’s centennial. The New Yorker is a relic in many ways—some interviewees valiantly argue that it’s not entirely old-fashioned—though in a time of crumbling institutions and cynical brand cashouts that actually doesn’t seem so bad. I found myself envious of a world where a great reported piece John Hersey’s “Hiroshima” or Rachel Carson’s “Silent Spring” could drive the national conversation. Who could do that now? Hell, who else even employs this many fact-checkers and copyeditors anymore?
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How a Game Lives: This coffee table book features transcripts of ten Jacob Geller video essays, thousands of words of annotations, and an afterward for each from a guest contributor. What a pleasure to experience these again in a new format! Something is definitely lost in translation without the usual audiovisual context, but Geller writes with enough clarity that it’s less than you might think. I also benefited from being forced to attend to the words on the page rather than half-watching a YouTube video while I eat a bowl of cereal or whatever. They’re worth devoting attention to!