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
Saffron
A poem for Wednesday
The Tyranny of English
A new novel from the prolific translator Jennifer Croft challenges the dominance of the language.
A Memoir Shouldn’t Boss You Around
Lily Meyer recommends books that recollect personal experience without being prescriptive.
The Real Reason Trump Loves Putin
A new book explores the American right’s tendency to admire and want to emulate foreign dictators.
Writing About Yourself Isn’t Inherently Selfish
For Édouard Louis, revisiting the past is an act of survival.
A Grim View of Marriage—And an Exhortation to Leave It
This American Ex-Wife vividly describes the liberating power of a divorce but falters when it tries to persuade readers to follow suit.
Arthur Miller Explains Death of a Salesman
In a newly discovered letter to a college student, written shortly after the premiere of his most famous work, the playwright describes his theory of tragedy.
The Black-History Books Teachers Hope Won’t Be Banned
When the tools for educating young people are restricted
Is Kara Swisher Tearing Down Tech Billionaires—Or Burnishing Their Legends?
She has long sought to be the best-connected of the tough reporters and the toughest of the insiders. Balancing those goals isn’t always easy.
The Last, Improbable Refuge for the World’s Endangered Languages
Deep linguistic diversity is among the least explored but possibly most consequential factors in New York City's history and makeup.