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.
What To Read
Books
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The Toll
A poem
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.
An Adaptation That’s Both ‘Excellent’ and ‘Bizarre’
Lincoln in the Bardo is a bold novel that has rightfully inspired inventive adaptations.
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.
The Books 20 Years in the Making
Highly anticipated novels from authors who waited decades to return: Your weekly guide to the best in books
Eight Ghost Stories in Which the Dead Won’t Go Quietly
Literature has a long tradition of using the genre to address unsettled pasts and forgotten traumas.
The Books Briefing: Five Short Stories to Read This Weekend
Exploring the diversity of The Atlantic’s original fiction: Your weekly guide to the best in books
Five of the Best Books of 2021
The novels, nonfiction, and memoirs that stood out most: Your weekly guide to the best in books
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The 20 Best Books of 2021
The novels, nonfiction, and memoirs that stood out most
The Books Briefing: The Quiet Skill of Mass-Market Novels
Many popular authors are compelling storytellers who sharply analyze power dynamics and offer vivid portraits of daily life. They are also frequently dismissed by the literary establishment.
Truth Is Stranger Than Autofiction
Works that reveal or revise the lives of their authors: Your weekly guide to the best in books
How Outfits Define Those Who Wear Them
In many works of art, clothes are more than mere decoration; they are vital elements of story: Your weekly guide to the best in books
Rewriting the History of American Food
Our national cuisine has roots much deeper than the contributions of any individual icon: Your weekly guide to the best in books
The Literary Politician
When political figures make art, the resulting works usually reveal more about their creators than they do about our government: Your weekly guide to the best in books