Fiction

Books

Sketch illustration of a hand writing in pencil on lined paper, with another hand guiding it from above — Illustration by The Atlantic

The Publishing Mystery That No One Wants to Talk About

A minimally speaking autistic man just wrote a best-selling book. Or did he?

1:15 PM ET

an illustration of a person covered with medical tests — Illustration by Emma Cheng, M.D.

The Paradox of Modern Medicine

Testing has become so advanced that doctors now miss important elements of diagnosis.

Meghan O’Rourke

7:30 AM ET

Grid collage of Lena Dunham image — Illustration by Lucy Naland. Source: Theo Wargo / Getty.

What Does Lena Dunham Want to Tell Us?

Her new memoir captures the cost of being an impossibly popular target.

April 14, 2026

Red-and-black illustration of medieval-style woodcut with red figures of the seven deadly sins surrounding a gothic-arched frame surrounding a winged devil wearing modern clothes, walking and staring at a smartphone. — Illustration by Laurie Avon

The Eighth Deadly Sin

Humankind has devised a new form of debasement.

April 14, 2026

What To Read

Two people holding books to their ears like phones — David Avazzadeh / Connected Archives

Six Books That Simply Must Be Talked About

These six books demand discussion—with a pal, a date, or a book club.

March 10, 2026

A photo of a book with animals coming out of the bucolic field pictured on its cover. — Illustration by Paul Spella / The Atlantic. Source: Getty.

Nine Books to Reset Your View of the World

Each of these titles will widen your perspective, offering you original insight and vision.

Deb Olin Unferth

February 25, 2026

A colored-pencil illustration of people reading on the train — Illustration by Pat Thomas

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.

February 3, 2026

A video illustration of a book set against moving clouds — Illustration by Li Anne Liew for The Atlantic

Six Books You Can Get Lost In

These novels highlight the power—both good and bad—of unchecked fantasizing.

January 6, 2026

Latest

Two figures stand in a moonlit field with a sliver of light behind and beneath them, as though they've just stepped through a door that's still ajar. — Dadu Shin

Office Hours

A short story

May 16, 2022

An illustration of a boy — Oliver Munday / The Atlantic

The Boy

A short story

April 18, 2022

2 photos: small figure in red hoodie sits by shore with 2 sailboats and pier in distance; small red cup centered on large brown table — Nora Hollstein / Connected Archives; Stefan Dotter / Connected Archives

Cromer

A short story

March 11, 2022

close-up photo of pale underarm with reddish-brown hair — Ilan Rubin / Trunk Archive

The Armpits of White Boys

A short story

November 23, 2021

A drawing of a UFO abducting a rose — Paul Spella / The Atlantic

The Missing Limousine

A short story

Sanjena Sathian

September 28, 2021

Blood spatters across a print of a woman's face and a laundry line — Getty / The Atlantic

Needs

A short story

August 31, 2021

Blurry panels of someone's face in front of a black background — Getty; The Atlantic

Something Something Alice Munro

A short story

July 23, 2021

A tricycle in front of a house — William Eggleston / Courtesy of the Eggleston Artistic Trust and David Zwirner

The Richest Babysitter in the World

A short story

Curtis Sittenfeld

July 16, 2021

Illustration of a bump in a background of horizontal red and yellow stripes — Oliver Munday

Bump

A short story

May 16, 2021

rain boot containing a bouquet of tulips — Getty / Oliver Munday / The Atlantic

The Irish Wedding

A short story

Elizabeth McCracken

April 8, 2021