November 2007

The Atlantic's 150th anniversary issue—prominent contributors weigh in on the future of the American idea; Walter Kirn on the scourge of multitasking; Paul Elie on the misuses of Niebuhr; P.J. O'Rourke sings of fizzy fluid retention; James Fallows on the view of America from Abroad; Hitchens on Bellow; Caitlin Flanagan dismisses Hillary Clinton; and much more.

Features

The Future of the American Idea

As The Atlantic celebrates its 150th anniversary, scholars, novelists, politicians, artists, and others look ahead to the future of the American idea
Interviews: Veteran editor Robert Vare talks about why he loves magazine journalism, what makes The Atlantic distinctive, and the challenges of whittling down a "best of" collection of Atlantic writings

The Autumn of the Multitaskers

Neuroscience is confirming what we all suspect: Multitasking is dumbing us down and driving us crazy. One man’s odyssey through the nightmare of infinite connectivity

A Man for All Reasons

In the debate over the war on terror (and just about everything else, too), neocons and liberals, theocons and Christian pacifists, idealists and realists have all called upon the writings of the theologian Reinhold Niebuhr. What does the promiscuous invocation of his work tell us about the man—and about his would-be acolytes?
Interviews: Paul Elie, author of "A Man for All Reasons," discusses the contested legacy of Reinhold Niebuhr, whose mantle everyone, regardless of political orientation, wants to wear

I Sing of Fizzy Fluid Retention

The decline of spinsters? Smoke-free living? Drawing on a vast new statistical compendium, our commentator unearths, examines, and extrapolates the hidden challenges to America.

America’s Elegant Decline

Hulls in the water could soon displace boots on the ground as the most important military catchphrase of our time. But our Navy is stretched thin. How we manage dwindling naval resources will go a long way toward determining our future standing in the world.

The View from There

What living in England, Japan, and China has taught one American about the character of his own country

Books

Toiling in the Dream Factory

Editor’s Choice: Moviemaking in Hollywood’s classical period was colossally complex, backbreakingly difficult, obscenely expensive—and it almost always failed.

No Girlfriend of Mine

One woman’s estrangement from Hillary Rodham Clinton

The Great Assimilator

Saul Bellow’s genius lay in combining the high and the low, the reflective and the active, the ivory tower and the ghetto.

Cover to Cover

A guide to additional releases

In Twain’s Wake

Mint juleps and Magic Fingers on the Mississippi [Web only: Video: Mississippi Melodies]

The Art of Aging Well

A cult destination in London has revolutionized cheesemaking, winning converts as far afield as Vermont.

A Tale of Two Town Houses

Real estate may be as important as religion in explaining the infamous gap between red and blue states.

Fallen Stars

Can celebrities survive the age of too much information?

Word Court

By the pocketbook; "etymologic" debates


Video

Miami: The Next Big Start-Up City?

How the city became a center for innovation

Video

Video

A Brief History of Romantic Comedies

From The Atlantic's Chris Orr

Video

Life in 'the New Arctic'

A moving portrait of a fading landscape

Video

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The Rise of New York City

A fascinating look at Manhattan in the 1940s

Video

What Is Methane Hydrate?

"Flaming ice" is a vast natural energy source

Video

NASA's Time-Lapse of the Sun

Now with epic dubstep music

Video

Shaken Not Tuned: Cocktail Experiments

Can a tuning fork improve a cocktail?

Video

Video

Is He Cheating? A 1950s Guide

'That little blonde secretary from the office?’

Video

New Yorkers: Vintage Vacuum-Tube Amps

Risking electric shock to restore old amplifiers

Video

The DIY Piano-Bicycle

Everybody needs a hobby

Video

What Does It Take to Make Real Craft Gin?

Tour the Green Hat Gin distillery

Video

What Straights Can Learn From Same-Sex Couples

New insight from decades of research

Video

The End of the Mall Rat

A tribute to that pillar of teen culture

Video

The Wonderful World of Capitalism

An adorable 1950s cartoon

Video

New Yorkers: Miss New York USA

An unconventional beauty queen.

Writers

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