Why Are Young People Having So Little Sex?
Despite the easing of taboos and the rise of hookup apps, Americans are in the midst of a sex recession.
December 2018
In This Issue
The inside story of the Clinton impeachment, why exorcisms are on the rise, and will the American left go too far? Plus an open letter to Elena Ferrante, the Democrats’ white-people problem, misinterpreting Frederick Douglass, Jack Reacher’s latest novel, addictive language apps, and more.
Cover Story
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The Clinton Impeachment, as Told by the People Who Lived It
Twenty years ago, Bill Clinton became the first president to be impeached since Andrew Johnson, in 1868. We offer a recounting by people who played a role.
Will the Left Go Too Far?
For the third time in a century, leftists are driving the Democratic Party’s agenda. Will they succeed in making America more equitable, or overplay their hand?
American Exorcism
Priests are fielding more requests than ever for help with demonic possession, and a centuries-old practice is finding new footing in the modern world.
An Open Letter to Elena Ferrante—Whoever You Are
The pseudonymous author has said all along that her identity lies in her writing. I’ve followed the literary clues. Here’s where they’ve led me.
Dispatches
Edmon De Haro The Democrats’ White-People Problem
Donald Trump likes to pit elite and non-elite white people against each other. Why do white liberals play into his trap?
Luci Gutiérrez The Benefits of a Short Attention Span
Chronic distraction has its upsides.
John Cuneo The One Direction Fan-Fiction Novel That Became a Literary Sensation
Anna Todd started writing her first book, After, on her phone. Five years later, her stories are making millions of dollars around the world.
James Graham The Great Virginia Grape Heist
And other tales of agricultural banditry
Matthieu Bourel The ‘Madman’ Behind Trump’s Trade Theory
Peter Navarro—a business-school professor, a get-rich guru, a former Peace Corps member, and a former Democrat—is among the most important generals in Trump’s trade war.
Tiago Galo How to Almost Learn Italian
Language apps like Duolingo are addictive—but not particularly effective.
Joe McKendry The Heart Can Keep Beating After Death
A very short book excerpt
The Culture File
Rune Fisker Jack Reacher Still Won’t Quit, 23 Books Later
The literary hero’s coffee-chugging, cigarette-devouring creator, Lee Child, just released his latest novel. He shows no signs of slowing down.
Angelica Alzona The Queer Coming-of-Age Movie Arrives
Movies like Boy Erased and Love, Simon show gay teens undergoing rites of passages that upend the classic Breakfast Club script.
Arsh Raziuddin The Confounding Truth About Frederick Douglass
His champions now span the ideological spectrum, but left and right miss the tensions in his views.
Illustration: Celina Pereira; Nationaal Archief / Wikimedia Lucia Berlin’s Harrowing, Radiant Fiction
Having lived a hard life, the late author refused to erase her female characters—or the brutality that deranges them.
Graywolf Everything Under Is a Dark and Mesmerizing Story About Fate
The 27-year-old author, Daisy Johnson, pulls off several marvels at once in her debut novel, which made the Man Booker Prize shortlist.
Departments
The Conversation: Is Democracy Dying?
Readers respond to our October 2018 cover stories and more.
Graham Roumieu Who Is the Most Underrated Superhero?
A big question
Poetry
Melinda Josie
