Charles Finch
@charlesfinch.bsky.social
Novelist and literary critic. Most recent books “What Just Happened” (Knopf) and “An Extravagant Death” (Minotaur) available in paperback.
I reviewed this interesting book about how weird work feels in late capitalism www.nytimes.com/2025/06/16/b...
Her Job Was Real. So Why Did Her Work Feel So Fake?
www.nytimes.com
June 16, 2025 at 4:09 PM
I reviewed this interesting book about how weird work feels in late capitalism www.nytimes.com/2025/06/16/b...
Reposted by Charles Finch
There it is. The first ever Heat Advisory issued in Alaska. This is the first year it has been an option. @alaskawx.bsky.social
June 13, 2025 at 4:48 AM
There it is. The first ever Heat Advisory issued in Alaska. This is the first year it has been an option. @alaskawx.bsky.social
Reposted by Charles Finch
Brian Wilson was having a breakdown before a tour in Japan and Al Jardine said “just stay home - play around with all your pet sounds.” Which is why…if there’s a second spirit that matters most in The Beach Boys, it’s Al. Who played with him till the end. Farewell genius. I’m sorry for the world.
June 12, 2025 at 6:07 PM
Brian Wilson was having a breakdown before a tour in Japan and Al Jardine said “just stay home - play around with all your pet sounds.” Which is why…if there’s a second spirit that matters most in The Beach Boys, it’s Al. Who played with him till the end. Farewell genius. I’m sorry for the world.
Reposted by Charles Finch
if you don't like bluesky then don't use it, it's not that deep
June 12, 2025 at 5:44 PM
if you don't like bluesky then don't use it, it's not that deep
Reposted by Charles Finch
NEW: A data broker owned by major airlines sold domestic US flight data to DHS, telling the dept. not to disclose that, according to records obtained by @404media.co—copublished in partnership with @wired.com. No paywall bc FOIA @josephcox.bsky.social w/ the scoop: www.wired.com/story/airlin...
Airlines Don’t Want You to Know They Sold Your Flight Data to DHS
A contract obtained by 404 Media shows that an airline-owned data broker forbids the feds from revealing it sold them detailed passenger data.
www.wired.com
June 10, 2025 at 1:19 PM
NEW: A data broker owned by major airlines sold domestic US flight data to DHS, telling the dept. not to disclose that, according to records obtained by @404media.co—copublished in partnership with @wired.com. No paywall bc FOIA @josephcox.bsky.social w/ the scoop: www.wired.com/story/airlin...
Reposted by Charles Finch
Think about all the incredible writers you know who can’t get any publicity but James Fucking Frey gets the front page glow up in the Sunday NY Times, called a “literary outlaw” for making shit up in a book billed as non-fiction, and a whole paragraph devoted to him describing his orgasms.
June 8, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Think about all the incredible writers you know who can’t get any publicity but James Fucking Frey gets the front page glow up in the Sunday NY Times, called a “literary outlaw” for making shit up in a book billed as non-fiction, and a whole paragraph devoted to him describing his orgasms.
Reposted by Charles Finch
Jonathan Haidt & co like to scold parents for overestimating the dangers of letting kids roam free. But it really is more dangerous for kids to be alone on the streets now. Not because of kidnappers — because of cars.
In order to eliminate any inconvenience to cars, we’ve made it illegal for children to be children
June 6, 2025 at 2:52 PM
Jonathan Haidt & co like to scold parents for overestimating the dangers of letting kids roam free. But it really is more dangerous for kids to be alone on the streets now. Not because of kidnappers — because of cars.
Reposted by Charles Finch
🚨BIG STORY: Senators put a line into the crypto bill requiring bankrupt banks to prioritize remunerating crypto investors over depositors.
The provision could require banks to take cash from your savings account & use it to pay senators' crypto donors.
www.levernews.com/cryptos-new-...
The provision could require banks to take cash from your savings account & use it to pay senators' crypto donors.
www.levernews.com/cryptos-new-...
June 5, 2025 at 7:08 PM
🚨BIG STORY: Senators put a line into the crypto bill requiring bankrupt banks to prioritize remunerating crypto investors over depositors.
The provision could require banks to take cash from your savings account & use it to pay senators' crypto donors.
www.levernews.com/cryptos-new-...
The provision could require banks to take cash from your savings account & use it to pay senators' crypto donors.
www.levernews.com/cryptos-new-...
Reposted by Charles Finch
He needed air. The price was $539.
When OptumRx dropped coverage of his $66 inhaler, Cole couldn’t afford the new price.
5 days later, he died from a severe asthma attack—with no inhaler.
He paid with his life.
www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news... #MedSky #SciSky #PedsSky #PulmSky
When OptumRx dropped coverage of his $66 inhaler, Cole couldn’t afford the new price.
5 days later, he died from a severe asthma attack—with no inhaler.
He paid with his life.
www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news... #MedSky #SciSky #PedsSky #PulmSky
22-year-old dies after being unable to afford asthma inhaler
In our new series “The Cost of Denial,” NBC News’ Anne Thompson reports on the young man who went to refill his asthma inhaler only to find it unaffordable because it was no longer covered by his insu...
www.nbcnews.com
June 3, 2025 at 8:11 PM
He needed air. The price was $539.
When OptumRx dropped coverage of his $66 inhaler, Cole couldn’t afford the new price.
5 days later, he died from a severe asthma attack—with no inhaler.
He paid with his life.
www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news... #MedSky #SciSky #PedsSky #PulmSky
When OptumRx dropped coverage of his $66 inhaler, Cole couldn’t afford the new price.
5 days later, he died from a severe asthma attack—with no inhaler.
He paid with his life.
www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news... #MedSky #SciSky #PedsSky #PulmSky
Reposted by Charles Finch
Lmao the future sucks
May 29, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Lmao the future sucks
Reposted by Charles Finch
California renewables are currently producing more than total state power demand. Exporting clean energy to Arizona, Nevada and the Pacific Northwest.
May 24, 2025 at 10:36 PM
California renewables are currently producing more than total state power demand. Exporting clean energy to Arizona, Nevada and the Pacific Northwest.
Reposted by Charles Finch
May 14, 2025 at 2:42 AM
Reposted by Charles Finch
New from @davidarmstrongx.bsky.social:
When I was diagnosed with cancer, I set out to understand why a single pill of Revlimid cost the same as a new iPhone. I’ve covered high drug prices as a reporter for years. What I discovered shocked even me.
When I was diagnosed with cancer, I set out to understand why a single pill of Revlimid cost the same as a new iPhone. I’ve covered high drug prices as a reporter for years. What I discovered shocked even me.
The Price of Remission
When I was diagnosed with cancer, I set out to understand why a single pill of Revlimid cost the same as a new iPhone. I’ve covered high drug prices as a reporter for years. What I discovered shocked ...
www.propublica.org
May 8, 2025 at 11:30 AM
New from @davidarmstrongx.bsky.social:
When I was diagnosed with cancer, I set out to understand why a single pill of Revlimid cost the same as a new iPhone. I’ve covered high drug prices as a reporter for years. What I discovered shocked even me.
When I was diagnosed with cancer, I set out to understand why a single pill of Revlimid cost the same as a new iPhone. I’ve covered high drug prices as a reporter for years. What I discovered shocked even me.
Reposted by Charles Finch
The Top 1% of U.S. earners now have more wealth than the entire middle class
May 6, 2025 at 3:55 AM
The Top 1% of U.S. earners now have more wealth than the entire middle class
Lynch’s politics are obviously far left because he was smart and not a monster but there is A truth here, however accidentally, which is that his work and right wing politics are both based almost completely in one emotion: fear
I'm not sure I agree with you a hundred percent on your police work there
May 1, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Lynch’s politics are obviously far left because he was smart and not a monster but there is A truth here, however accidentally, which is that his work and right wing politics are both based almost completely in one emotion: fear
Reposted by Charles Finch
I'm seeing that people around here have been reading Victor Klemperer's diaries lately (there are two volumes), and I can't recommend them too highly.
I Will Bear Witness, Volume 1 by Victor Klemperer: 9780375753787 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books
The publication of Victor Klemperer's secret diaries brings to light one of the most extraordinary documents of the Nazi period. "In its cool, lucid style and power of observation," said The...
www.penguinrandomhouse.com
April 28, 2025 at 7:28 PM
I'm seeing that people around here have been reading Victor Klemperer's diaries lately (there are two volumes), and I can't recommend them too highly.
Reposted by Charles Finch
The parties included a 7, 8, and 4-year-old.
"None of the children were accompanied by parents or attorneys."
"The 4-year-old girl in the tie-dye shirt raised her hand, dangling her pink plushy above her head. It wasn’t clear – was she responding to the question, or just playing with her toy?"
"None of the children were accompanied by parents or attorneys."
"The 4-year-old girl in the tie-dye shirt raised her hand, dangling her pink plushy above her head. It wasn’t clear – was she responding to the question, or just playing with her toy?"
4-year-old migrant girl, other kids go to court in NYC with no lawyer: 'The cruelty is apparent'
The Trump administration cut funding for lawyers aiding unaccompanied minors in court.
gothamist.com
April 23, 2025 at 3:53 AM
The parties included a 7, 8, and 4-year-old.
"None of the children were accompanied by parents or attorneys."
"The 4-year-old girl in the tie-dye shirt raised her hand, dangling her pink plushy above her head. It wasn’t clear – was she responding to the question, or just playing with her toy?"
"None of the children were accompanied by parents or attorneys."
"The 4-year-old girl in the tie-dye shirt raised her hand, dangling her pink plushy above her head. It wasn’t clear – was she responding to the question, or just playing with her toy?"
Reposted by Charles Finch
US FDA suspends milk quality tests amid workforce cuts reut.rs/4cHdnz3
April 21, 2025 at 10:45 PM
US FDA suspends milk quality tests amid workforce cuts reut.rs/4cHdnz3
I reviewed this book! www.nytimes.com/2025/04/08/b...
Book Review: ‘Authority: Essays,’ by Andrea Long Chu
“Authority,” a new collection of reviews and essays by the Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Andrea Long Chu, showcases her smarts, humor and contempt.
www.nytimes.com
April 8, 2025 at 5:26 PM
I reviewed this book! www.nytimes.com/2025/04/08/b...
I wrote a bit about Joan Didion. Also I’m so incredibly sorry about the state of the world! www.nytimes.com/2025/03/11/b...
How the Movies Made Joan Didion a Great American Writer
A new book by Alissa Wilkinson argues that the iconic writer’s imagination and signature style were profoundly shaped by Hollywood.
www.nytimes.com
March 13, 2025 at 10:36 PM
I wrote a bit about Joan Didion. Also I’m so incredibly sorry about the state of the world! www.nytimes.com/2025/03/11/b...
Reposted by Charles Finch
Holy cow! This has been an extraordinary week of impact for @propublica and our journalists. I wanted to take a moment to share the power of accountability journalism to make a difference. Here we go!
January 11, 2025 at 10:14 PM
Holy cow! This has been an extraordinary week of impact for @propublica and our journalists. I wanted to take a moment to share the power of accountability journalism to make a difference. Here we go!
Reposted by Charles Finch
In re Claremont, Paul Fussell rightly pointed out back in the 80s that think tanks and institutes with all their talk of “scholars” and “fellows” was just people playing at university without having actually to put in the work—or, I’d add, having to face oppositional views from colleagues.
January 10, 2025 at 11:38 PM
In re Claremont, Paul Fussell rightly pointed out back in the 80s that think tanks and institutes with all their talk of “scholars” and “fellows” was just people playing at university without having actually to put in the work—or, I’d add, having to face oppositional views from colleagues.
Retweeting praise /sorry not sorry
This might be recency bias but I don't think so! My two favorite book reviews of 2024 came this month.
@charlesfinch.bsky.social on a Hungarian memoir. Becca Rothfeld on Jordan Peterson's latest.
Extraordinary, both.
www.washingtonpost.com/books/2024/1...
www.washingtonpost.com/books/2024/1...
@charlesfinch.bsky.social on a Hungarian memoir. Becca Rothfeld on Jordan Peterson's latest.
Extraordinary, both.
www.washingtonpost.com/books/2024/1...
www.washingtonpost.com/books/2024/1...
Review | In a beautiful memoir, a great novelist faces memory straight on
“Shimmering Details,” by the Hungarian writer Péter Nádas, captures a life alongside vital pieces of European history
www.washingtonpost.com
January 6, 2025 at 11:48 PM
Retweeting praise /sorry not sorry