The Hidden Cost of Gardens
What everyday plants can teach us about history
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Millennium Images / Gallery Stock Will Publishing’s Diversity Gains Last?
Published works of fiction by nonwhite authors more than doubled from 2019 to 2023—but we may now be seeing a reversal in this trend.
Francis G. Mayer / Corbis / Getty A Different Kind of Female Protagonist
Two new literary works from Colombe Schneck and R. O. Kwon feature fascinating, flawed women.
Alecio Ferrari / Connected Archives Poetry Is an Act of Hope
Through verse, we can perhaps come closest to capturing events that exist beyond our capacity to describe.
Illustration by The Atlantic Reading as a Sensory Experience
In this novel, the act of seeing is an art in itself.
Illustration by The Atlantic. Source: Ashmolean Museum / Heritage Images / Getty. What to Read to Understand Russia
Anastasia Edel, a Russian-born American social historian, recommends books about the country as the war in Ukraine continues.
Dimitar Dilkoff / AFP / Getty A Manual for Surviving History
For the Shanghai-born writer Eileen Chang, observation was a way of life.
Pictures From History / Universal Images Group / Getty The Empty Promise of Good Intentions
Even when motives are pure, altruism is too often insufficient: Your weekly guide to the best in books
Illustration by Matt Chase / The Atlantic. Source: Getty. What California Means to Writers
Writers have long found inspiration in the Golden State: Your weekly guide to the best in books
Bruce Davidson / Magnum What Politicians’ Libraries Tell Us
What, and whether, our world leaders read provides crucial insight into their minds and priorities.
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