The Rise of CliffsNotes Cinema
Oversimplified literary remakes miss the point of the works they are adapting.
Culture
Why Justin Bieber Played YouTube Onstage for Thousands of People
The pop star transformed the normal act of browsing your laptop into something interesting—and unsettling.
The New Age of Performance Anxiety
With the rise of screen culture, all the world has stage fright.
Where Did ‘Let Them’ Come From?
Years before Mel Robbins published her best-selling self-help book, a struggling writer posted a poem with a similar message.
Cher Has a History Lesson for Us All
The singer has long stood for a brassy, strutting kind of survival. Her new account of her early life explains how that came to be.
The Most Coveted Screenshot in the Literary World
It’s what proves you’re a “real” writer.
What the Men of the Internet Are Trying to Prove
Jake Paul is an emblem of a generation starving for purpose while gorging on spectacle.
What to Read If You’re Angry About the Election
These seven books aren’t a cure for rage and despair. Think of them instead as a prescription.
I Used to Have Friends. Then They Had Kids.
How do I rebuild my broken social life?
Say Nothing Goes Beyond Good vs. Evil
A terrific drama captures the struggle of separating who you are from what you fight for.
The Atlantic Gift Guide
The Atlantic has chosen 65 gifts for bringing more merriment, adventure, and wonder to the ones you love.
Why Are Dogs So Obsessed With Lamb Chop?
In a market with thousands of toys, somehow the 1960s puppet has become ubiquitous.
The Thin Line Between Biopic and Propaganda
The success of Reagan reflects the market demands of a more fragmented moviegoing public—and reality.
How Jimmy O. Yang Became a Main Character
The actor spent years stuck in small, clichéd roles. Now, starring in Interior Chinatown, he’s figuring out who he wants to be.