We Love in the Only Ways We Can
A poem for Sunday
America Lost Its One Perfect Tree
Lumber, shelter, delicious nuts—there was nothing the American chestnut couldn’t provide.
Why Black Jesus Made My Grandmother Uncomfortable
No one was more openly devoted to the will of the Lord than Ma Jones.
Some of Our Most-Read Stories of 2023
Twelve Atlantic stories from this year that you don’t want to miss
The Middle East Conflict That the U.S. Can’t Stay Out Of
An Iranian-backed group is attacking an essential shipping route through the Suez Canal. The U.S. will have to step in.
Why the Holiday Movie Endures
Plus: 20 movie families to spend your holidays with
Six Books to Read During a Stressful Family Holiday
Reading about other people’s kin, fictional or not, may help you feel better about yours.
Arlington’s Civil War Legacy Is Finally Laid to Rest
A memorial tainted with Lost Cause mythology has at last been purged from the national cemetery. If only national memory were so easily resolved.
The Case for Kwanzaa
Maybe it’s a corny holiday, but Black Americans deserve a time to remember that our identity doesn’t begin and end with oppression.
A Tumultuous Year in Politics
Watch the full episode of Washington Week With The Atlantic, December 22, 2023.
The Uncanny Experience of Year-End Roundups
Features such as Spotify Wrapped confirm that you’re the main character of your internet.
Building AI Safely Is Getting Harder and Harder
A leading AI data set reportedly contained images of child sexual abuse. Don’t be surprised.
It’s Time to Take Another Look at Parole
A new book by Ben Austen argues that prisoners need a path to redemption.
A Modest Proposal for Publishing
An author isn’t the only person who brought a finished title to life.
How Teens Spend Their Free Time
“I’ll take my kid playing PlayStation all night over getting drunk and driving around, that’s for sure,” one reader says.
Harvard Has a Veritas Problem
President Claudine Gay is in a tough spot. The Harvard Corporation deserves to be in a much tougher spot.
A Sex Scandal. A Conservative Power Network. And Moms for Liberty.
The veil lifted on the remarkable ecosystem that fuels Republican activism
The Neighbors Who Destroyed Their Lives
Murder and lies in small-town Hawaii
Future-Proofing Your Town Sounds Great, Until You Try It
After a wildfire razed a Canadian town, its leaders pushed for climate-friendly rebuilding. Residents just wanted to come home.
The Big Questions About AI in 2024
Is the technology set to take another leap forward? Will it swing the election?
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