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
See All
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.
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
See All
Scars
A short story
Fortunes
A short story
The Honor of the Layward Brothers
A short story
We Are Not One
A short story
A Memoir About Recovering From Men
Anna Marie Tendler’s mordant account of her life suggests a single source for her pain.
The Monumental Discovery That Changed How Humans See Themselves
The unearthing of dinosaur bones transformed Victorian society—and long-held notions about our place in the world.
A Satire of America’s Obsession With Identity
The hero of Danzy Senna’s new novel is trying, and failing, to write the Great American Biracial Novel.
I Get Lifted Oh
A poem for Sunday
Consider the Boor
In Jo Hamya’s new novel, pity becomes a form of power.
The Secret Desire Many Workers Share
Kristi Coulter’s memoir Exit Interview might inspire you to tell your boss what you really think.
Composition With Birds
A poem for Friday
When Realism Is More Powerful Than Science Fiction
In On Strike Against God, Joanna Russ imagined a freer world while confronting its inequities head-on.
What to Read When You Want to Quit
These titles help readers think through pressing questions about modern employment—including whether it’s time to walk away.
A Marriage That Changed Literary History
Fanny Stevenson forced her husband, Robert Louis Stevenson, to live a bigger life than he had known.