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Toby Keith Had More to Talk About Than His Politics

The late singer became a household name by leaning into partisan controversy, obscuring his often-artful songwriting.

The Special Election That Could Give Democrats Hope for November

Today marks the start of their campaign to retake Congress.

A Fake Yellow Line Changed Football Forever

You’ve been watching the Super Bowl in mixed reality for 25 years.

Six Books About Winter as It Once Was

These titles remind us of the season’s long-established joys and its necessary quiet, even as the climate changes.

Blinken’s Make-or-Break Tour of the Middle East

Whether Washington can de-escalate tensions will determine the future of its regional authority.

Schopenhauer’s Advice on How to Achieve Great Things

Do you have an important project in mind? The 19th-century philosopher’s approach is still timely today.

I Don’t Know If I Can Call Myself a Mom

After enduring infant loss and years of fertility challenges, I still don’t have a child.

The Founders’ Guide to Happiness

Today people think of happiness as something that results from the pursuit of pleasure, but the Constitution’s Framers had other ideas.

The Long Odds of This Year’s Super Bowl Location

For years, the NFL balked at any association with gambling—and Las Vegas. That’s all changed.

A Farewell to Up for Debate

This newsletter is coming to an end, but my inbox stays open to all of you.

Welcome Back to the Chaos of the Trump Era

Yesterday provided a small glimpse of the madness to come.

Lab Diamonds Are Too Perfect for Their Own Good

The traditional diamond industry is thought to be under threat from lab-grown stones. But that’s not how luxury works.

California’s Climate Has Come Unmoored

The weather of catastrophe is here.

What’s a Kids’ Fantasy Show Without Wonder?

Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ commitment to faithfulness turned out to be a constraint.

People’s Choice: Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2023

Winning and honored images from this year’s nature-photography competition

It’s Not Too Late to Give Gaza a Better Future

If the international community doesn’t want to see Hamas return to power in Gaza, it must act immediately.

Older Americans Are About to Lose a Lot of Weight

People over 65 make up a sizable portion of Americans on GLP-1 drugs. That might be trouble.

What I Wish More People Knew About American Evangelicalism

For all the bad that’s come out of this movement, there are still countless stories of personal transformation leading people to live better lives.

Happiness

A poem for Wednesday

How Seven Companies Took Over the Stock Market

The Magnificent Seven have been buoying the S&P 500 lately, but the stocks’ outsize impact on the market may not necessarily be a good thing.