The Believer, Issue 48

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The Apache, The Thief, The Führer, and the Philosopher
Maria Hummel
Karl May was one of the world’s most popular adventure writers, a devoted pacifist, and possibly responsible for the rise of global fascism.

Hobson’s Choice
Rachel Aviv
Psychoanalysis turns all psychiatrists into literature critics; what does it do to neuroscientists studying the brain during dreams?

Poem: “Luck”
Roberto Bolaño

Nutrition Is a Force Multiplier
Roland Thompson
The first installment in a monthly column about food during wartime

Sedaratives
Morgan Murphy

The Dropout in Your In-box
Mark Sundeen
The true story of how dudes with beards in their underwear actually altered the discourse of American politics

The Banality of Comedy
Philip Oltermann
George Tabori tried to Europeanize Hollywood, but Hollywood wouldn’t have any of it.

One-Page Reviews
David Haglund on Brock Clarke, Stephen Burt on Mary Dalton, Alec Michod on Denis Johnson, Heather Birrell on Jeff Parker, Ed Park on Selah Saterstrom, Milton Welch on Alena Hairston, and Alex Kitnick on Wayne Koestenbaum

Schema: When Basketball Imitates Melville
Chris Bachelder

Adrian Tomine interviewed by Nicole Rudick
The graphic novelist and cartoonist distinguishes between more precise drawings and better ones.

Stuff I’ve Been Reading by Nick Hornby

Amy Hempel interviewed by Sarah Manguso
“The goal is always to sound unlike myself.”

Ryan Knighton in conversation with Jim Knipfel
A blind, sarcastic New Yorker and a blind, sarcastic memoirist from Canada walk into a bar in Brooklyn. One of them has a tape recorder.

Panda Bear interviewed by Trinie Dalton
The Animal Collective member talks about performing solo—without the panda costume.

Damon Albarn & Paul Simonon interviewed by Nick Coleman
Damon from Blur and the Clash’s legendary bassist share a deep love of their home territory: North Kensington.

Souvenir: Portuguese Corduroy Michael Ames