The Atlantic Out Loud

The Centennial Exhibition of 1876 promised a glorious industrial future. Outside its gates, the country seethed with violence and corruption. By Jake Lundberg From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠June 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 ne...

Did Karl Lagerfeld really leave millions to his blue-cream Birman, Choupette? By Chris Heath From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠June 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...

And I wish Robert F. Kennedy Jr. did too. By Fran Moreland Johns From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠June 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 megaphone.fm/adchoice...

The organization is best known for its dance numbers and trick plays. Now it’s reviving one of the most entertaining—and controversial—franchises in baseball history. By Josh Levin From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠June 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 insi...

A virulent form of misogyny has become the single most important force holding together the American right. By Helen Lewis From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠June 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...

Denyce Graves is retiring from performing after a career as one of opera’s leading women. But there’s more work for her to do. By Soraya Nadia McDonald From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠June 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...

How she writes best sellers that are also critical darlings By Adam Begley From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠June 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 megaphone.f...

How David Sacks and the new tech right went full MAGA and captured Washington By George Packer From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠June 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 choice...

The genre of Bob Seger and John Mellencamp reached across the ideological spectrum in a way that seems unimaginable today. By Jack Hamilton From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠June 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.co...

In 2007, he and Merce Cunningham put a new twist on a famous 1981 sculpture. By Amy Weiss-Meyer From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠May 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. Vi...

The people we were died at the exact moment our child did. By Danielle Crittenden From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠May 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 megaphone....

For the richest men on Earth, everything is free and nothing matters. By Noah Hawley From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠May 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 megapho...

Pastor John Mark Comer has won a massive audience by encouraging his followers to free themselves from the gnawing sense that there is always more to do. By Nancy Walecki From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠May 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...

Why reactionaries are taking over the world By David Brooks From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠May 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 megaphone.fm/adchoices

Humankind has devised a new form of debasement. By James Parker From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠May 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 megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thirteen thousand miles. Infinite contenders. One beautiful loaf. By Caity Weaver From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠May 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 megaphone....

How elderly Americans amassed disproportionate wealth and power By Idrees Kahloon From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠May 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 megaphone....

Critics wrote the work off as kitsch for the masses. But a set of murals celebrating Social Security—now threatened with destruction—show that such sweeping judgments went too far. By Judith Shulevitz From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠May 2026 issue⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you ⁠⁠subscribe⁠⁠. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed an...

A new book is nostalgic for the ’90s. But the era of crossover success was not necessarily the pinnacle of Black comedic achievement. By K. Austin Collins From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠May 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://...

In Ben Lerner’s new novel, technology divides us further from one another, and ourselves. By Nicholas Dames From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠May 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...

The heartbreak of hoping for a democratic Iran By Laura Secor From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠May 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 megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Mexican athlete said he was kidnapped and forced to compete for his life in a tournament of gangs. But was he actually playing a different game? By McKay Coppins From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠May 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...

The danger of almost-perfect tech By Raffi Krikorian From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠April 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 megaphone.fm/adchoices

Searching for the Nobel laureate in Cape Town, the city he left behind. By Gary Shteyngart From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠April 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 megaph...

The WASPs risked their lives flying for the Army. But for decades, the U.S. government refused to recognize their military service. By Ellen Cushing From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠April 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...