The Conversation

Letters: Should New York City Change the Admissions Process for Its Specialized High Schools?

Readers debate the merits of the city’s Specialized High School Admissions Test—and discuss whether it should be phased out altogether.

• May 26, 2019

Letters: ‘I Had Minestrone Soup for Breakfast’

Readers discuss what they like to eat for their first meal of the day.

• May 21, 2019

Atlantic Readers Assess the Impact of the Political Generation Gap

“The Democratic Party must learn from the mistakes of 1968 and be more open to diversified discourse if it wants to effectively use generational shifts to its advantage.”

• May 14, 2019

Letters: College Students ‘Want to Speak to the Manager’

Readers respond to Tom Nichols’s criticism of recent student activism on college campuses.

• May 12, 2019

Atlantic Readers Advocate for Diversity in Medical Schools

“We call on our colleagues in medical education to seek out minority students and support them throughout their medical career.”

• May 5, 2019

A Former Jeopardy Champion Scrutinizes James Holzhauer’s Strategy

“I think he has a good shot at beating Ken Jennings’s overall earnings, but I don’t see him winning anywhere near the 74 consecutive games Jennings won.”

• Apr 30, 2019

Letters: ‘We Never Get Formal Teaching in How to Argue’

Readers discuss whether “erisology”—a new discipline studying unsuccessful disagreement—can usefully augment the work of preexisting fields.

• Apr 30, 2019

Letters: Is Political Comedy Dead?

Readers respond to Andrew Ferguson’s argument that the White House Correspondents’ Dinner represents a kind of joke telling whose moment has passed.

• Apr 27, 2019

A Georgetown Student Defends the Reparations Referendum

“I have no interest in seeing Georgetown front the money promised by this referendum, because I have no interest in seeing Georgetown co-opt this referendum as its own contribution.”

• Apr 24, 2019

Letter: The Census Citizenship Question Is a ‘Nonissue’

An interviewer for the U.S. Census Bureau explains that citizenship information is already available through the American Community Survey.

• Apr 23, 2019

Letters: ‘My Heart Broke When I Found Out Notre-Dame Was Burning’

Readers lament the damage sustained by the cathedral—and discuss its rebuilding.

• Apr 18, 2019

Atlantic Readers on Reading (and Rereading) Slaughterhouse-Five

“If you are troubled by your life, your relationships, politics, cruelty in the world, turning 50, global warming, that’s why you need to read this book.”

• Apr 16, 2019

Letters: ‘You Should See What He’s Done to Satire’

Readers debate whether President Trump has rendered fiction redundant.

• Apr 14, 2019

Readers Respond to Caitlin Flanagan’s Argument on the College-Admissions Scandal

“Her conclusion at the end that the traditional donations … actually does significant good for underprivileged students is questionable at best and likely closer to flat out false.”

• Apr 12, 2019

Letters: Progressive Policy Proposals ‘Are Not Far Left; They Are Dead Center’

Readers react to Peter Wehner’s argument that the Democratic Party is radicalizing.

• Apr 10, 2019

Letters: ‘Who Does Homework Work for?’

Readers consider whether after-school assignments are worthwhile for students.

• Apr 7, 2019

Letter: The Trouble With Staying Silent on Ideological Extremism

A commentator argues for a thorough probe of the ideological spectrum of Islamophobia.

• Apr 4, 2019

Readers Discuss Extreme Drug Prices—And What to Do About Them

“The public should receive a cut of any drug profits, just as any other investor might.”

• Apr 1, 2019

Readers Remember W. S. Merwin

“His writing inspired me to continue writing poetry as well, mostly for my own sanity.”

• Mar 29, 2019

Letters: ‘The Deck Is Heavily Stacked Against Low-Income Students’

Readers discuss the challenges faced by students at elite universities who don’t come from a wealthy background.

• Mar 27, 2019