What To Read

illustration of two hands holding a copy of the book The Let Them Theory
Illustration by The Atlantic. Source: Stefanie Keenan / Getty.

Where Did ‘Let Them’ Come From?

Years before Mel Robbins published her best-selling self-help book, a struggling writer posted a poem with a similar message.

An illustration of a woman's silhouette against a red background, with text pasted across her eyes
The Atlantic; Getty

Literature for a Post-Roe World

Fiction and poetry can help us grapple with our fears for the future—and remind us what we stand to lose in the present: Your weekly guide to the best in books

High angle headshot portait of African American woman with serious facial expression, San Francisco, California, 1980
Clarence Gatson / Gado / Getty

Empathy Isn’t Enough

The perils and limits of writing with a moral message: Your weekly guide to the best in books