Features
When North Korea Falls
The furor over Kim Jong Il’s missile tests and nuclear brinksmanship obscures the real threat: the prospect of North Korea’s catastrophic collapse. How the regime ends could determine the balance of power in Asia for decades. The likely winner? China
Running for Their Lives
Neglected children, hellish commutes, shrill coworkers, and first pitches at Little League games— why it’s no picnic to be a moderate in the House of Representatives
Prophetic Justice
The United States is now prosecuting suspected terrorists on the basis of their intentions, not just their actions. When it comes to Islam, are American jurors equipped to understand if words and beliefs are truly dangerous?
Interviews: The author of "Prophetic Justice" discusses the murky business of prosecuting would-be terrorists on the basis of their beliefs.
The Road to Haditha
How did the heroes of Fallujah come to kill civilians in Haditha? A Vietnam veteran who witnessed the battle of Fallujah says it's too soon to judge the marines—but not the high command
The House Belongs to Its Dweller
A portrait of Libya
The Aspen Ideas Festival
excerpts from this year's discussions
Politics
This is the ninth in a series of archival excerpts in honor of the magazine’s 150th anniversary. This installment is introduced by James Bennet, the editor of The Atlantic.
Agenda
Unwinding Bush
How long will it take to fix his mistakes?
The Fruitful Lie
Trade agreements have always been greased by deception about who benefits. Now they’re failing because leaders have come to believe their own lies
Where the Brains Are
America’s educated elite is clustering in a few cities— and leaving the rest of the country behind
The Fight to Lose Congress
Some political strategists are hoping for defeat in November
War in Lebanon
The Atlantic recently asked a group of foreign-policy authorities about the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah
Primary Sources
Unrest in China; on parking and national character; the importance of being squiggly; our overconfident youth
Books
The Path of Least Resistance
What to read this month
New Fiction
After This, by Alice McDermott
The Drama of the Gifted Parent
Hey! Leave those kids alone!
Interviews: Sandra Tsing-Loh describes the elite, utopian island of urban private education—and explains why she opted to steer clear of it
A Close Read
Breakable You, by Brian Morton
Zoologically Correct
A wisecracking playboy gets friendly with bunnies, birds, even dogs
New Fiction
The Keep, by Jennifer Egan
Poison Pen
The exceptional insouciance of Jessica Mitford
Cover to Cover
A guide to additional releases
Pursuits
Escape to Old Russia
The Golden Ring, northeast of Moscow, offers a respite from the capital and an immersion in the past
Salmon Time
Our correspondent ventures to Alaska to learn when to eat wild salmon—and how to find it even when it’s not in season
Superhero Worship
Once the province of Garbo and Astaire, movie glamour now comes from Superman, Spider-Man, and Storm.
Artificial Intelligentsia
How the Internet is fitting its users with mental eyeglasses— and letting them see new vistas of knowledge in the process
Making Sinatra Sinatra
Bill Miller (1915–2006)
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