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.
Books
Introducing The Atlantic’s expanded books coverage: essays, criticism, fiction, poetry, and recommendations from our writers and editors
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 Does Lena Dunham Want to Tell Us?
Her new memoir captures the cost of being an impossibly popular target.
The Eighth Deadly Sin
Humankind has devised a new form of debasement.
What To Read
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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.
Six Books You Can Get Lost In
These novels highlight the power—both good and bad—of unchecked fantasizing.
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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
What Gardens of the Future Should Look Like
In her new book, Olivia Laing argues that the lives of all people are enriched with access to land they can use freely.
The Particular Ways That Being Rich Screws You Up
Taffy Brodesser-Akner’s new novel, Long Island Compromise, tells the story of one American family burdened by their own wealth.
Eight Books That Will Change Your Perspective
One of the joys of reading is encountering someone else’s awakening on the page.
Hat Saga
A poem for Sunday
The Pleasures of Procrastination
Wasting time can feel morally suspect—but it’s essential to the creative process.
Eustasy
A poem for Wednesday
An Antidote to the Cult of Self-Discipline
A new novel sees procrastination as one of the last bastions of the creative mind.
Don’t Give Up on Tourism. Just Do It Better.
Paige McClanahan’s book, The New Tourist, argues for recognizing how potent travel’s social force is.
So—
A poem for Sunday
The Awful Ferocity of Midlife Desire
Catherine Breillat’s Last Summer and Miranda July’s All Fours find danger in domestic bliss.