The Atlantic Out Loud

Suppressing democracy and extracting resources at the expense of its people By Anne Applebaum From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠December 2026 issue⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://theatlantic.com/...

Proponents of the peptide say it can treat gingivitis, runner’s knee, even dementia. By Tom Bartlett From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠December 2026 issue⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://theatlant...

Hunger. Sickness. Blackouts. Abandoned streets. The withering of the state is shocking to behold. By Robert F. Worth From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠December 2026 issue⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

Why Buffalo Bills fans are convinced this is finally their year By Kaitlyn Tiffany From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠December 2026 issue⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://theatlantic.com/listen Learn mor...

We are truly sorry for our delayed response. By Julie Beck From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠November 2026 issue⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://theatlantic.com/listen Learn more about your ad choices....

Janet Malcolm policed the literary ruses of others, but wasn’t afraid to deploy them herself. By Thomas Mallon From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠November 2026 issue⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://thea...

In the Pale of Settlement, the writer S. An-Sky made an ecstatic, obsessive attempt to wrap his arms around an entire people just as it was disappearing. By Gal Beckerman From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠November 2026 issue⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed...

I thought my father was unique. Then I started meeting other people just like me. By Tom Junod From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠November 2026 issue⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://theatlantic.com/list...

Those Books of Smut and Wonder How Sarah J. Maas became the queen of romantasy By Honor Jones From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠November 2026 issue⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://theatlantic.com/liste...

Samuel Alito’s efforts to revamp the conservative legal philosophy reveal that a new movement is ascendant. By Jack Goldsmith From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠November 2026 issue⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

Musk vs. Bezos By Josh Tyrangiel From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠November 2026 issue⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://theatlantic.com/listen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/...

How the ancient pharaohs attempted to preserve their legacies for eternity By Susan Tallman From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠November 2026 issue⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://theatlantic.com/listen...

A teenage boy went into surgery for a broken arm and emerged with brain damage. His mother was determined to figure out what had happened. By Sarah Zhang From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠November 2026 issue⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and ins...

Fishermen have always exaggerated the size of their catches. But AI has taken the practice to a different level. By Tyler Austin Harper From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠November 2026 issue⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking n...

When Durkee Famous Sauce disappeared from grocery-store shelves, I mourned a piece of my childhood. By Wright Thompson From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠November 2026 issue⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠htt...

Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia are readying themselves to fend off a Russian attack—with the help of the United States, or without it. By Isaac Stanley-Becker From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠November 2026 issue⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis an...

Could a new populist movement help save American democracy? By George Packer From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠November 2026 issue⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://theatlantic.com/listen Learn more abou...

The United States is deporting parents without their children, creating a whole new family-separation crisis. By Caitlin Dickerson From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠November 2026 issue⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news:...

To make sense of my deepest experiences, I needed a new way of talking about the soul. By Ayad Akhtar From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠November 2026 issue⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://theatlantic.com/li...

Emily St. John Mandel’s latest work of science fiction considers the tenuousness of any possible future. By Adam Begley From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠October 2026 issue⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://t...

My mother devoted her life to teaching writers. Becoming one meant escaping the story she had written for me. By George Packer From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠October 2026 issue⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠h...

Inside the Star Wars creator’s temple to storytelling By James Parker From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠October 2026 issue⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://theatlantic.com/listen Learn more about your ad cho...

Far-right ideologues have transformed American foreign policy into a tool of private gain and antidemocratic reaction. By Anne Applebaum From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠October 2026 issue⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news:...

Heading west at 40 transformed his writing—and American literature. By Michael O’Donnell From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠October 2026 issue⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://theatlantic.com/listen Learn mor...

Right-wing activists have slowly taken control of a significant part of America’s local election apparatus. The country isn’t prepared for what they might do. By Toluse Olorunnipa From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠October 2026 issue⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-...