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The Thread® - Books and Literary News
Brittany Luse, NPR, Liam McBain, NPR, Barton Girdwood, NPR, Neena Pathak, NPR and Veralyn Williams, NPR

Who gets to be a critic? And why are some so ‘bad’?

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Should we rethink what criticism should look like?
Should we rethink what criticism should look like?
Amr Bo Shanab/Getty Images

Andrea Long Chu was once one of Brittany’s favorite “Sex and the City” bloggers, and she's now a Pulitzer-winning critic. Andrea lends her critical eye to everything from the TV show “Yellowstone” to the work of Sally Rooney to pro-Palestinian protests and free speech. And she does it with wit, style, and fearlessness.

Brittany chats with Andrea about her new book, “Authority” — a collection of some of Andrea’s best work, along with two new essays. They discuss why art is a “fossil record” of desire, what kind of authority critics have, and why we might need to rethink what criticism should do for us.

Copyright 2025, NPR