“Facing the Furies”

America’s Essayist Emeritus, Mr. Lewis Lapham, relinquished his monthly column in Harper’s magazine a couple years ago. Thomas Frank and Walter Kirn have made worthy contributions to the national discourse in his absence, and now Rebecca Solnit takes over the “Easy Chair” space, bringing a solidly progressive viewpoint to bear on the issues of the day. This month’s Solnit essay, “Facing the Furies,” is required reading for anyone trying to make sense of the pervasive anger infecting American politics (and, it seems, every nook and cranny of the White House). Smart, persuasive writing still has a place in modern life — and this essay is sterling proof.