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
This Is Not Your Typical Campus Novel
Karla Cornejo Villavicencio’s debut work of fiction captures the paradox of immigrant identity in the United States.
James Baldwin’s Most Underappreciated Talent
His personal letters deserve as much recognition as his novels and plays.
The Brilliance in James Baldwin’s Letters
The famous author, who would have been 100 years old today, was best known for his novels and essays. But correspondence was where his light shone brightest.
The Contract
A poem for Wednesday
The Psychic Wounds of Being a Whistleblower
A new book looks at medical-research scandals and the price paid by the people who exposed them.
The Painful Reality of Loving a Conspiracy Theorist
What do you do when a family member falls for QAnon?
Athena
A poem for Sunday
The Best Books for the Olympics
Literature and sports are a team that can go for gold.
Seven Books That Will Change How You Watch the Olympics
These titles will allow you to view the competition with a new appreciation.
These Millennials Can’t Get Out of Their Head
In Halle Butler’s new novel, young people won’t stop pathologizing others—or themselves.