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Culture
Read Max.
Explaining the weird new future and recommending weird old books
Recent essays
30 of 51A rich and evocative Iraq War (?) rom-com
PLUS: A rich and evocative Iraq War (?) rom-com
'The Drama' and the microgenerational digital divide
PLUS: The "forklift model" of A.I. education
Disturbing '70s-London pulp horror from an underrated master, an ambling stoner conspiracy thriller, and more
Roundup 05/03/2026
People prefer A.I. art because people prefer bad art
A Read Max re-run
A Marxist assassination conspiracy thriller, a great rock-'em-sock-'em French action movie, and more
Roundup 04/27/2026
What is "Muskism"?
With Quinn Slobodian, Ben Tarnoff, and John Ganz
What I'm reading about Orbán and Hungary, a postwar noir spy thriller set in ruined Frankfurt, and more
Roundup 04/20/2026
What corporate thrillers tell us about the '90s economy
PLUS: Has Forum Brain crossed the gender divide?
A noirish road thriller about violent teenagers, an underrated '90s conspiracy thriller with a great soundtrack, and more
Roundup 04/14/2026
Talking the 'Dark Enlightenment' with John Ganz and Maya Vinokour
Video of our conversation from Night of IDeas
A horror adventure set in Dark Ages England, a great new play about love and death, and more
Roundup 04/06/2026
Is ubiquitous A.I. writing "inevitable"?
On a weird few weeks of A.I.-writing scandals
A sharp new book on A.I., psyops, and magic; an entertaining video essay on video stores; and more
Roundup 03/29/2026
Soy Right ascendant
A Read Max re-run
A perfect Cold-War spy thriller, a malevolent folk-horror flick with a fantastic soundtrack, and more
Roundup 03/23/2026
Talking Iran and taking questions with John Ganz
A recording of our livestream for paying subscribers
A captivating, enigmatic, period family saga; a stunning, hand-drawn, surrealist animated masterpiece; and more
Roundup 03/17/2026 (Plus: a bonus book rec!)
What do "which is A.I.?" quizzes tell us?
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What I'm reading about Dubai influencers, data-center missile strikes, and Iran; a great and sleazy Elmore Leonard adaptation, and more
Roundup 03/09/2025
Talking Anthropic, Iran, and the Department of Defense with John Ganz
Greetings from Read Max HQ!
What I'm reading about A.I. economic doom and Trump's War on Iran. Plus: a great twisty documentary and a good new crime thriller
Roundup 03/02/2026
What Anthropic's fight with the Pentagon tells us about the politics of Silicon Valley
Trying to make sense of the conjuncture
Help me figure out what to do with Read Max
It's READER SURVEY time
A fantastical '90s bio-punk thriller, the best movie of 2025, and more
Roundup 02/23/2026
Is the left "behind" on A.I.?
Talking A.I. and politics with John Ganz?
A perfect action flick set in Kowloon Walled City, a brilliant literary debut, and more
Roundup 02/18/2025
A.I.'s pandemic moment
A new hype epicycle reaches its climax
A great cyberpunk urban fantasy novel, a throwback corporate paranoia thriller, and more
Roundup 02/08/26
Talking fascism and the suicide right with John Ganz
Plus: Epstein!