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
See All
Eight Biographies That Really Bring Their Subjects to Life
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.
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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
You Can’t Write Your Way Out of Grief
The feeling can’t be cured—but sometimes, the words of others can help.
Five Books for People Who Really Love Books
These five titles focus on the many connections we can form with what we read.
In Search of a Nonexistent Cure
In his new book, Cody Delistraty chronicles his almost decade-long journey to heal his grief—only to discover that there is no remedy.
T at 42
A poem for Sunday
Will Publishing’s Diversity Gains Last?
Published works of fiction by nonwhite authors more than doubled from 2019 to 2023—but we may now be seeing a reversal in this trend.
The Enduring Fascination With Women in Water
Female swimmers have always challenged the boundary between sport and spectacle.
Has the DEI Backlash Come for Publishing?
A new study reveals positive changes since 2020. But can they last?
Cassandra
A poem for Wednesday
The Truth About America’s Most Common Surgery
A new book explores the history of the Cesarean section—and how it explains what’s broken about American health care.
What to Read to Understand How People Get Tricked
Each of these titles will stick with you and, perhaps, make you more likely to realize when you’re not seeing the truth.