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James Bennet

James Bennet

James Bennet has been the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic since 2006. Prior to joining The Atlantic, he was the Jerusalem bureau chief for The New York Times. More

"I wanted a profound and extreme talent who led quietly, was generous to others, and comported himself with collegial respect," remarked Atlantic Media chairman David Bradley when announcing his selection of James Bennet as the magazine's fourteenth editor-in-chief in early 2006. "On all scores, but surely these, I have conviction on James' appointment." Before joining the Atlantic staff, Bennet was the Jerusalem bureau chief for The New York Times. During his three years in Israel, his coverage of the Middle East conflict was widely acclaimed for its balance and sensitivity. His much-lauded long-form writing for The New York Times Magazine was responsible for catching the eye of David Bradley during his year-long search for a new editor. Upon accepting the position, Bennet told a Times reporter that he saw the Atlantic job as "a chance to help, encourage and preserve the practice of serious, long-form journalism." Bennet is a graduate of Yale University who began his journalism career at The Washington Monthly. Prior to his work in Jerusalem, he served as the Times' White House correspondent and was preparing to join its Beijing bureau when he was offered the Atlantic editorship.
Issue January 2012

The Anxiety Economy

Image credit: Dean Kaufman… More »

Issue February 2012

The Duty to Think

In the early days of The Atlantic, the most consequential questions facing this country were wide open: Would the Union survive? Would slavery? What did it mean to be an American?… More »

Issue November 2011

The New Scarcity

Our cover story is the latest installment in a conversation dating back to 1859 … More »

Issue October 2011

In the Ruins

Image credit: James Bennet… More »

Issue September 2011

On 9/11/11

Image credit: Thomas Hoepker/Magnum Photos… More »

Issue July 2011

The Trophy Generation

Image credit: Bob Winsett/Monsoon/Photolibrary/Corbis… More »

Issue June 2011

Murder, He Wrote

Headline from the Los Angeles Times, February 27, 1986 … More »

Issue May 2011

The Work of Art

We found that writer hard to ignore, in part because he kicked us in the teeth. (“No need to check out The Atlantic Monthly; its editors now settle for publishing their own selections of fiction once a year in a special issue and criticizing everyone else’s the rest of the time. Jokes about eunuchs in the bordello come to mind, but I will suppress them.” Thanks!) … More »

Issue March 2011

I, Robot

Image credit: The Android Trademark is a Registered Trademark of Google, Inc. … More »

Issue January 2011

Not Angry Enough

Image credit: Stephen Voss … More »

Issue December 2010

Escape Key

It’s part of our contemporary condition to feel simultaneously blessed and cursed by technology.… More »

Issue November 2010

Taking Chances

The point of this annual issue isn’t to celebrate power, influence, or even, necessarily, success. It’s to identify people who are taking a substantial risk for a big idea.… More »

Issue October 2010

Can Boomers Lead?

Image credit: Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images… More »

Issue September 2010

Nuclear Options

President Obama and his advisers are facing a series of questions on Iran and Israel. Every answer is discouraging.… More »

Issue July 2010

She’s the Man

Image credit: John Springer Collection/Corbis … More »

Issue July 2010

Obama Is No Liberal

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Issue June 2010

Looking Forward

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Issue April 2010

A Long Story

The short story has been integral to The Atlantic since our first issue, in 1857, in which we published four stories, including “The Mourning Veil,” by Harriet Beecher Stowe. But as longtime, generously loyal readers know, for the past five years we have published fiction once a year in a special newsstand issue, rather than in any of our 10 subscriber issues. During what has been widely noted to be a “challenging” (read: harrowing) business…… More »

Issue January 2010

The State Of The Union

Image credit: Comstock/Corbis … More »

Issue October 2009

Truth and Reconciliation

“The Bush I knew was part scamp and part bumbler, a timeless fraternity boy and heedless cutup, a weekday gym rat and weekend napster,” wrote Frank Bruni in Ambling Into History, his knowing account of that campaign and the first eight months of Bush’s presidency. Yet Bruni also saw in Bush a sense of wonder about the office and “a profound sense of responsibility.” … More »

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Davos 2012 Reuters Davos 2012
Reports on a global economy in crisis, from the World Economic Forum in Switzerland. Read more ›

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