Robert D. Kaplan, "When North Korea Falls"; Amy Waldman, "Prophetic Justice"; Bing West, "The Road to Haditha"; Virginia Postrel on glamorous superheroes; poetry by John Updike; America's smartest cities; and much more.
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
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
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?
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
A portrait of Libya
excerpts from this year's discussions
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.
How long will it take to fix his mistakes?
Trade agreements have always been greased by deception about who benefits. Now they’re failing because leaders have come to believe their own lies
America’s educated elite is clustering in a few cities— and leaving the rest of the country behind
Some political strategists are hoping for defeat in November
The Atlantic recently asked a group of foreign-policy authorities about the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah
Unrest in China; on parking and national character; the importance of being squiggly; our overconfident youth
What to read this month
After This, by Alice McDermott
Hey! Leave those kids alone!
Breakable You, by Brian Morton
A wisecracking playboy gets friendly with bunnies, birds, even dogs
The Keep, by Jennifer Egan
The exceptional insouciance of Jessica Mitford
A guide to additional releases
The Golden Ring, northeast of Moscow, offers a respite from the capital and an immersion in the past
Our correspondent ventures to Alaska to learn when to eat wild salmon—and how to find it even when it’s not in season
Once the province of Garbo and Astaire, movie glamour now comes from Superman, Spider-Man, and Storm.
How the Internet is fitting its users with mental eyeglasses— and letting them see new vistas of knowledge in the process
Bill Miller (1915–2006)
And how they taste
[with audio]
A poem
