Is Cohabitation the Feminist Future?
Stories about women living together are proliferating—and offering alternative visions to the nuclear family.
Books
Introducing The Atlantic’s expanded books coverage: essays, criticism, fiction, poetry, and recommendations from our writers and editors
Peter Hujar’s Photos Are All the Rage. He’d Be Shocked.
A new biography brings the late photographer’s relationship with the artist Paul Thek to vivid life.
If You Want a Better World, Act Like You Live in It
We’ve had Henry David Thoreau the environmentalist, the libertarian, the life coach. To understand his influence, think of him first as a dissident.
The Publishing Mystery That No One Wants to Talk About
A minimally speaking autistic man just wrote a best-selling book. Or did he?
The Paradox of Modern Medicine
Testing has become so advanced that doctors now miss important elements of diagnosis.
What To Read
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Eight of the Most Fascinating Biographies to Read
Each is animated by the author’s love—for their subject, for language, and for pushing the boundaries of what the genre can do.
Six Books That Simply Must Be Talked About
These six books demand discussion—with a pal, a date, or a book club.
Nine Books to Reset Your View of the World
Each of these titles will widen your perspective, offering you original insight and vision.
Seven Books to Read When You Have No Time to Read
These titles are worth picking up, even if you have only a moment to spare.
Newsletter
The Books Briefing
Our culture editors’ weekly guide to the best in books.
Subject to The Atlantic's Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions
Fiction
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Scars
A short story
Fortunes
A short story
The Honor of the Layward Brothers
A short story
We Are Not One
A short story
The Light in Autumn
A poem for Sunday
What California Means to Writers
Writers have long found inspiration in the Golden State: Your weekly guide to the best in books
A Tale of Maternal Ambivalence
A new novel, The Nursery, explores the mix of unexpected emotions—including rage, regret, and loneliness—that new motherhood can bring on.
Is Silicon Valley Beyond Redemption?
A new book argues that the region has been hopelessly poisoned by profit. Is there a way to reform it?
Seven Books the Critics Were Wrong About
Despite their initial mixed reviews, each of these titles is fascinating, complicated, and worth a try.
The Vendor of New Hearts
A poem for Sunday
Learn Your Family’s History
Ordinary photos and stories can connect you with your roots: Your weekly guide to the best in books
This Novelist Is Pushing All the Buttons at the Same Time
Catherine Lacey invents the ultimate fun-house novel for her exploration of biography and art.
Why Kids Aren’t Falling in Love With Reading
Hint: It’s not just the screens.