Camille Billops abandoned her four-year-old to become the artist she knew she was meant to be. Twenty years later, her daughter wanted to know: why did you leave me?

A profile of Jeopardy champion Ken Jennings.

In 2005, the painting sold at auction for $1,000. Its most recent price? $450 million.

The long fight against racism in romance novels.

Before The Jerky Boys and Longmont Potion Castle there was Mal Sharpe.

A profile of a dresser of celebrities.

A profile of “Cathy” creator Cathy Guisewite.

Jason Dill is rebuilding one of the coolest skate brands on the planet, one hand-cut collage at a time.

Does the ubiquitous dance troupe really present five thousand years of civilization reborn?

Can one of the nation’s great musicians cut through the fog of a D.C. rush hour?

A profile of André Leon Talley.

As early as 1948, the Oscars sucked.

The secret diary of Nina Simone.

A profile of the designer, who died on February 19, 2019.

A profile of Toni Morrison.

A profile of photographer William Christenberry.

Discussions of character with the Late Show host.

Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s new movie, inspired by Gerhard Richter, blurs the line between fiction and biography. Richter says that it goes too far.

On writing memoirs for the rich.

The making of Blonde on Blonde in Nashville.

One man’s quest to ride the strangest wave.

A 1993 profile of Ricky Jay, world-class sleight-of-hand conjurer who rarely performs (and never for children), historian of unusual entertainments and confidence scams, bibliomaniac.

Stan Lee supercharged Marvel Comics into one of the most important cultural forces on the planet. But how much credit does he really deserve?

I used to believe the art world was at war with itself, that money was fighting art and vice versa. But I’ve been living in my own ambivalence about things for a decade now, or more, and I’m starting to think it’s not a war but a new equilibrium state, defined by that ambivalence.

Making ends meet in Iowa City.