Winners of the Bird Photographer of the Year 2023
Some of the winning and honored entries in this year’s bird-photography competition
A DeSantis Speech Too Dangerous to Teach in Florida
The governor championed rules that bar frank discussions of racist violence—like the one he offered in the aftermath of a mass shooting—in the state’s schools.
The Novel That Helped Me Understand American Culture
The Bell Jar provided an emotional context for a country I found alluring as a teenager growing up abroad.
Okay, the 1980s Lakers Were Great—What Else?
HBO’s streaming show about the “Showtime” era is doing too much in its second season, without saying anything of consequence.
How American Democracy Fell So Far Behind
The country’s Constitution was once the standard-bearer for the world. Today, many other countries have much fairer systems for electing their leaders and passing laws.
Elite College Students Are Doing It to Themselves
Clubs at Yale and other universities have become competitive to the point of absurdity.
How Telling People to Die Became Normal
Merciless trolling is a fact of online life that may never go away.
Fiction on Trial
Zadie Smith’s ambitious new novel asks: Do we expect the genre to do too much?
Great Reads From Our Editors
Spend time with a collection of excellent stories.
A Politician Who Loved Being Courted
I will miss covering Bill Richardson.
The Cost of Ron DeSantis’s Ideological Purity
The Florida governor is refusing to accept millions in federal funding that would help his constituents. Why?
‘Is It the Time of the Month When the Truth Comes Out?’
Premenstrual symptoms can be debilitating. But should they be labeled as a mental illness?
Some Have Yoga. I Have Montaigne.
The philosopher will always be among the writers I reread; his words provide one of the best anchors for one’s ever-changing mind.
How Race-Consciousness Can Affect Relationships
Plus: Newcomers to the GOP
Little Rock
A poem for Sunday
A K-Drama Without a Drop of Romance
Entertainment musts from Shan Wang
‘Biological Recycling’ Would Be Truly, Truly Amazing
Plastic is tough to break down and reuse. What if enzymes could do the job for us?
What Really Happens When Americans Stop Going to Church
People hold on to their politics when they stop attending church.
Confessions of a Netflix DVD Dead-Ender
The company is finally retiring the famous red envelope. When it does, a certain relationship to art and time will be lost.
Why 2024 Could Be the Most Unusual Presidential Race in History
Watch the full episode of Washington Week With The Atlantic, September 1, 2023