Mary Gordon finds that her childhood and that of former Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway were strangely similar—and yet diverged in telling ways.

I believe that because the people about whom I am writing share with me a vocabulary, a set of images and shared practices, there are some firm grounds on which we can all stand.

Max Jacob, a poet and painter, reminds us of the complex possibilities of a life lived passionately, ardently, playfully and in torment.