It is a bedrock principle of the US Constitution that Congress, as representatives of the people, sets economic policy and directs government resources. This all changed thirteen years ago, and even more dramatically during the pandemic. The Federal Reserve operates independently from the rest of the government, and can create as much money as it sees fit and use it without the prior approval of Congress, the courts, or the President. When the Fed creates new money to address economic problems, it helps certain groups, like powerful business interests, and becomes a massive driver of inequality. In The Fed Unbound, Lev Menand tells the story of how the Fed became out of control during the 2008 financial crisis and the 2020 pandemic, and what can be done about it.

Why have some of the most interesting artists of our time committed themselves to some of the most devastating conflicts on Earth? Why are some of the most interesting artists of our time committed to engaging with conflict and exploitation around the world? Beautiful, Gruesome, and True tells the stories of three of Amar Kanwar makes riveting films about the destruction of rural India in the drive to extract natural resources. Teresa Margolles creates haunting installations from the traces of crime scenes and drug-related violence in Mexico. The anonymous collective Abounaddara has produced more than four hundred short films chronicling the uprising and civil war in Syria. Drawing on years of research and extensive reporting, Kaelen Wilson-Goldie vividly recounts how a group of “political” artists found ways to produce remarkable works of art that demand deliberate and methodical ways of thinking—works that are contemplative, thoughtful, even redemptive. Named one of the best art books of the year by Holland Cotter of the New York Times “A gifted critic and a compelling journalist, Wilson-Goldie offers many important insights into the challenges these artists face in their confrontation with authority, repressive regimes, death, and violence. The story she tells could not be more timely.” —Glenn D. Lowry, David Rockefeller Director, Museum of Modern Art