Halloween

PS Picks is a selection of the best things that the magazine's staff and contributors are reading, watching, or otherwise paying attention to in the worlds of art, politics, and culture.

• By Angela Serratore
• Member Exclusive

Dressed as a ninja, Shaheer Sarwar from Pakistan takes the oath of United States citizenship during a Halloween-themed citizenship ceremony on October 31st, 2017, in Fairfax, Virginia.

• By Pacific Standard Staff

The roots of the holiday, traced from its origins with pagan Celts through its various modern iterations around the world today.

• By Regina Hansen

The National Weather Service says the storm could be among the strongest ever recorded during the month of October in New England.

• By Eric Holthaus

Be warned: There be ghosts here.

• By Max Ufberg

There's ample research on fear, but not much on why people enjoy inducing it. It could be power, group-bonding, or "everyday sadism."

• By Alana Massey

The real legacy of the War of the Worlds is how we think about mass media.

• By Benjamin Naddaff-Hafrey

And that might actually be a good thing.

• By Madeleine Thomas

The costumes are itchy, the candy bores him, and we keep asking him to be someone he’s not.

• By David M. Perry

How much candy would you take from an unsupervised bowl?

• By Jay Livingston

Halloween isn't just for sinners anymore.

• By Marc Herman

From the special election for New Jersey's senate seat to the beginning of Oktoberfest, events you should be aware of.

• By Pacific Standard Staff