Vox Quick Hits

In his inaugural speech, President Joe Biden spoke about the pandemic while also calling out the rise of far-right extremism and misinformation.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In her new role, Kamala Harris will break many barriers: she is the first woman, first Black person, and first person of South Asian descent to become the vice president of the United States.

For some people, that last part is news: Wait, Harris is Asian American? When she was nominated, there was much discussion about Harris’s identity. While some South Asian voters were upset that this part of her identity has long been downplayed, others were excited about the historic nature of her nomination and what it represents for South Asian American women and women of color. Meanwhile, some Black voters debated whether she is truly “Black enough,” and far-right critics pushed birther-style arguments, questioning whether Harris is a US citizen and her eligibility for vice president.

Vox’s Nisha Chittal walks us through Kamala Harris’s background and explains why Americans still struggle to talk about multiracial people.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is Ask a Book Critic, hosted by Vox's book critic Constance Grady. She recommends reads to suit your very specific mood: either how you’re feeling right now, or how you’d like to be feeling instead.

This week, Constance has books that will help you figure out who you are. Maybe you're trying to find your identity or build a new one. Or maybe you're thinking about the kind of person you want to be in this new year, which is an issue books tackle uniquely well.

Recommendations:

If you're looking for a book recommendation, email: constance[dot]grady@vox[dot]com Be sure to use the subject line “Ask a Book Critic.” Remember, the more specific you can be about the kind of book you want to read, the better. No request will go unanswered, and that's our guarantee.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What's most important in the Covid rescue plan outlined by the Biden team? The Weeds hosts Matt Yglesias and Dara Lind are joined by Vox's Emily Stewart to explain.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

America’s two-month lame-duck period gave supporters of the outgoing president ample time to plan a violent uprising. Vox’s Ian Millhiser argues the long transition needs to end.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While an absolutely incredible value, TSA PreCheck status shouldn't exist, comedian and writer Josh Gondelman argues. Still, it's the best $80 he has ever spent.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vox's book critic, Constance Grady, recommends books by Bill Cunningham, Tina Brown and Cookie Mueller.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The new hit Regency romance series on Netflix from Shonda Rhimes is drawing attention from critics for its handling of race. Vox’s Aja Romano talks about what the series gets right about the time period and its playful approach to the genre.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump is not an anomaly, he’s an American consistency, one that many people — namely white people — often overlook. Vox race reporter Fabiola Cineas talks about how Trump elevated white supremacy in the United States and how his divisive rhetoric culminated in the Capitol riots on January 6. We also get into how America’s history on race landed Trump in the White House in the first place.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vaccine rollouts have always been fraught. Sam Kean tells the story of the Balmis expedition, which brought the smallpox vaccine to the Americas.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices