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 Great American Novels
136 books that made America think
The Cowardice of Guernica
The literary magazine Guernica’s decision to retract an essay about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict reveals much about how the war is hardening human sentiment.
What Do Crossword Puzzles Really Test?
In her new book, Anna Shechtman argues for puzzles that reflect a broader sense of common knowledge.
Why Does Romance Now Feel Like Work?
Two recent books dig into the crisis of modern love—and how we might forge more meaningful connections.
A Bloody Retelling of Huckleberry Finn
Percival Everett transforms Mark Twain’s classic.
Tana French Has Broken the Detective Novel
But can she put it back together?
Do Animals Have Fun?
Scientists want an evolutionary explanation for animal play. But maybe the answer is simply: It brings them joy.
Drinking Coffee in a Church
A poem for Sunday
What to Read Ahead of the Oscars
Publishing and film have long had a special relationship.
Seven Books That Explain How Hollywood Actually Works
These titles shed light on an industry that’s always bubbling with drama beneath the surface.