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.
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
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 Writer Who Knew the Joys of Sex
Edmund White, who died yesterday at 85, infused his life with as much pleasure as he did his writing.
A Ukrainian Crime Caper That Undermines Expectations
Andrey Kurkov’s crime thrillers provide timely lessons for anyone living under an oppressive regime.
The Novelist Who Learned to Write Anger—And Its Aftermath
Susan Choi’s new book, Flashlight, considers the evolution of rage.
What You Lose When You Focus on Partnership
Melissa Febos’s new book, The Dry Season, recounts a year of celibacy and the freedom it gave her to reconnect with the world.
How to Open a Hole
A poem
When the Status Quo Doesn’t Cut It
Alternatives to the medical or economic state of affairs offer hope—and danger.
How to Look at Paul Gauguin
He was misunderstood, then adored, then vilified. Who was he really?
Five Books That Will Redirect Your Attention
When malaise strikes, a book can break the spell—if you choose the right one.
The Perilous Spread of the Wellness Craze
A new book reveals how health-care inequality fueled the spread of anti-science conspiracy theories.
A Reality Check for Tech Oligarchs
Powerful Silicon Valley leaders are prioritizing their utopian vision of the future over the concerns of people in the present.