The Time is Right for a ‘Great Books’ Revival
To build a better world in the age of AI, students need grounding in indispensable ideas.
Books
Introducing The Atlantic’s expanded books coverage: essays, criticism, fiction, poetry, and recommendations from our writers and editors
He Was Hugely Influential. He Also Had a Foolish Streak.
A recent biography of the writer John Berger reminds us about his hefty influence—and how he could be blinkered by his convictions.
Forget Grit
Even the luminaries of the self-help genre have begun to recognize how little in life we can actually control.
How American Girl Doll Lost Its Way
At 40, the brand faces a midlife crisis.
Democrats Are Sounding More Like Republicans
Why politicians are betting on ever more moralizing language
What To Read
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50 Unforgettable Love Stories
Centuries of joyous, tragic, tantalizing, enduring fiction
Six Hard-to-Find Books Worth Reading
These titles are no longer fashionable, if they ever were—but should you manage to read one, you might love it.
What to Read to Wake Up Your Brain
These books can ease readers into a season of work and hard thinking.
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Six Books That Take You to Space
You won’t even have to leave your couch.
Newsletter
The Books Briefing
Our culture editors’ weekly guide to the best in books.
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Fiction
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The Guardians
A short story
Disunion
A short story
I Heard You Singing
A short story
The Wisdom of Holden Caulfield
Beneath all the alienation, The Catcher in the Rye, which turns 75 this year, has a surprisingly hopeful—and ethical—outlook.
Memories of Green
A poem
A Book I Wish I’d Read at 22
I’m not alone in feeling regret over not having found the right book at just the right time.
Read These Books by the Time You Graduate
“Figuring things out” is a lifelong endeavor, but these titles offer inspiration for young adults finding their way.
The Burden They Carry
A poem
The Kardashians Explain It All
They came. They posed. They conquered.
The Surprising Lesson of the Granta Controversy
Literary organizations might need to get more familiar with AI if they want to protect against its encroachment.
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This Literary AI Scandal Changes Everything
A magazine’s response to accusations of publishing AI-generated fiction points to a new phase in the struggle to keep literature human.
The Book That Plunges You Into Messy American History
In her new novel, Karen Tei Yamashita challenges readers to join her in deciphering a shameful moment from the nation’s past.
How Cuban History Broke a Family
The historian Ada Ferrer’s new memoir retells the story of the island through the “utterly ordinary people” who matter most to her.
A Perfect Gilded Age Confection
How America celebrated its 100th birthday