The Rich, Weird, and Frustrating World of Depression-Era Travel Guides
The American Guides were unusual not only for their shaggy opulence and Americana maximalism, but also for their source of funding: the federal government.
How Disney Mismanaged the Star Wars Universe
And how The Mandalorian can restore the true power of George Lucas’s galaxy
The Books Briefing: Finding Place as a Black American
Carving out room for freedom and self-identification: Your weekly guide to the best in books
A Better Way to Look at Trees
What pioneering new research has revealed about the forest
Slouching Towards Gilead
The Handmaid’s Tale showed the ease with which the unthinkable can become ordinary—a lesson crucial in the age of the Big Lie.
Between Bombardments
A poem for Sunday
The Books Briefing: A Better Way to Raise Sons
Works that reshape ideas about masculinity for fathers and their children: Your weekly guide to the best in books
Edgar Allan Poe’s Other Obsession
Known as a master of horror, he also understood the power—and the limits—of science.
We Choose Our Cults Every Day
Cultish, a new book by the linguist Amanda Montell, reveals how insidery language informs the communities of modern life.
The Logic of the Filing Cabinet Is Everywhere
A captivating new history helps us see the humble appliance’s sweeping influence on modern life.
Unknown Bird
A poem by W. S. Merwin, published in The Atlantic in 1999
The Books Briefing: Works That Chart New Queer Narratives
Stories on visibility, self-understanding, and the development of queerness as an identity: Your weekly guide to the best in books
The Conservative Publishing Industry Has a Joe Biden Problem
Neither authors nor publishing houses have figured out how to turn the new president into a compelling villain.
The Crosses
A poem for Memorial Day
The Books Briefing: What to Read This Summer
Works that evoke feelings of wonder about the universe, offer smart observations about life, and more: Your weekly guide to the best in books
Swimming in the Wild Will Change You
One man’s journey through public waterways—whether sparkling or dirty or algae-filled—challenges us to look differently at the commons.
Batter Bread
A poem for Sunday
The Books Briefing: The Wellness Dystopia
Works that unpack the dubious connection between consumption and health: Your weekly guide to the best in books
The Literary-Abuser Trope Is Everywhere
A spate of recent works—some memoiristic, some fictional—points to how uniquely teachers and mentors can manipulate their power.
‘A Wishing So Strong That There Are Moments She Nearly Believes It’
The writer Morgan Thomas on desire and risk