When Children Say They’re Trans
Hormones? Surgery? The choices are fraught—and there are no easy answers.
July/August 2018
In This Issue
The Health Report: America isn’t prepared for the next plague, the life-expectancy gap between black and white Americans, and when children say they’re trans. Plus William Langewiesche on a B-2 stealth raid, the formula for team chemistry, the dangers of distracted parenting, Jean-Michel Basquiat, weird DNA, and more.
Cover Story
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An Extraordinarily Expensive Way to Fight ISIS
The tale of a bombing raid in the Libyan desert, pitting stealth bombers and 500-pound bombs against 70 ragtag fighters
Chasing the ‘Holy Grail’ of Baseball Performance
Inside the wide-ranging search—led by economists and psychologists—for the elixir that turns good squads into great ones
The Next Plague Is Coming. Is America Ready?
The epidemics of the early 21st century revealed a world unprepared, even as the risks continue to multiply. Much worse is coming.
Being Black in America Can Be Hazardous to Your Health
In Baltimore and other segregated cities, the life-expectancy gap between African Americans and whites is as much as 20 years. One young woman’s struggle shows why.
The Enigma of the Man Behind the $110 Million Painting
Thirty years after his death, Jean-Michel Basquiat defies easy categories. Was he an artist, an art star, or just a celebrity?
Dispatches
Edmon de Haro The Dangers of Distracted Parenting
When it comes to children’s development, parents should worry less about kids’ screen time—and more about their own.
Christopher DeLorenzo Gossiping Is Good
The surprising virtues of talking behind people’s backs
Tim Tomkinson How to Fight Amazon (Before You Turn 29)
Lina Khan has a novel theory about monopolies—and her sights are set squarely on the company.
Josh Cochran What Petty Nextdoor Posts Reveal About America
The hyperlocal social-media platform highlights small grievances—and proves that neighbors have more in common than they think.
Rebekka Dunlap The Demise of Toys ‘R’ Us Is a Warning
The private-equity companies swooping in to buy floundering retailers may ultimately be hastening their demise.
Rami Niemi Pregnancy Suits and the Single Guy
In Japan, men are taking parenting classes to become more marriageable.
Joe McKendry Castro’s Ice-Cream Headache
A very short book excerpt
The Culture File
Ryan Olbrysh The Wisdom of Russell Brand
The comedian-actor’s interview podcast, Under the Skin, is a fascinating listen that channels its host’s energy and interests in surprisingly productive ways
Chloe Scheffe The Changing Sound of Male Rage in Rock Music
Linkin Park introduced new ways of expressing male angst into the mainstream—an evolution that continues today.
Jonathan Bartlett How Not to Scout for Soccer Talent
Two new books raise interesting questions about the ethics and effectiveness of the sport’s selection system, with its early and intense winnowing process for aspiring players.
Mayuko Fujino The Weird, Ever-Evolving Story of DNA
Carl Zimmer’s sprawling new book, She Has Her Mother’s Laugh, forces readers to reconsider what they think they know about genetics and heredity.
Graywolf Mirror, Shoulder, Signal and the Struggle of Changing Gears
Dorthe Nors’s newest novel, about a 40-something woman in Copenhagen learning to drive for the first time, is more profound than its premise suggests.
Departments
The Conversation: The Hardest Job in the World
Readers respond to our May 2018 cover story and more.
Graham Roumieu
Poetry
Melinda Josie
