How Originalism Killed the Constitution
A radical legal philosophy has undermined the process of constitutional evolution.
October 2025
In This Issue
How originalism killed the Constitution, the greatest boxing match of all time, and what Iran will do next. Plus the invention of Judd Apatow, America’s public servants deserved better, John Cheever’s secrets, The Tale of Genji, the genius of Taylor Swift, a Spinal Tap reboot, Lisette Model’s jazz images, and more.
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Fifty Years After History’s Most Brutal Boxing Match
The Thrilla in Manila nearly killed Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier.
The Neighbor From Hell
Israel and the United States delivered a blow to Iran. But it could come back stronger.
The Invention of Judd Apatow
How a kid from Long Island willed his way to the top of American comedy
A Tale of Sex and Intrigue in Imperial Kyoto
A thousand years ago, Murasaki Shikibu wrote The Tale of Genji, the world’s first novel. Who was she?
Dispatches
Illustration by Ben Hickey A Letter to America’s Discarded Public Servants
You all deserved better.
Photograph by Lisette Model What Lisette Model Saw in Jazz
Her portraits capture the joy and wariness of the genre’s luminaries.
Culture & Critics
Photo-illustration by Paul Spella For Those About to Mock
Forty years after Spinal Tap, history’s most hapless band turns it up to 11 one last time.
Illustration by Matt Chase Is This the End of the Dictionary?
Obsolete (adj.): no longer in use or no longer useful
Bettmann / Getty John Cheever’s Secrets
In a new memoir, Susan Cheever searches for the wellspring of her father’s genius.
Photo-illustration by Elizabeth Renstrom How Did Taylor Swift Convince the World That She’s Relatable?
The tidiest explanation for the pop star’s success is that she befriended an underestimated audience of girls and young women. That’s only part of the story.
Departments
The Atlantic The Commons: ‘Society Neglects the Nuclear Threat at Its Peril’
Readers respond to our August 2025 issue and more.
The Atlantic Caleb's Inferno: October 2025
A devilish crossword puzzle
Poetry
The Atlantic Summertime
A poem
