
The Apparition
Milford did not want to draw too close to Lorena. At his age, he preferred to observe at a safe distance.
Stories by John Updike, Tobias Wolff, Marjorie Kemper, Constance Squires, Sana Krasikov, and Bradford Tice; Edward J. Delaney assesses America's top writing programs; poems by Brendan Galvin, Linda Pastan, and others; Ann Patchett on writing, friendship, and censorship; our 2007 student poetry contest winners; and much more.

Milford did not want to draw too close to Lorena. At his age, he preferred to observe at a safe distance.
Father Timothy’s generosity had caused money problems. How much would he give up to solve them?
Lucinda felt like a spy, trading dangerous information with Private Nately that could end the Cold War in one fell swoop—and she really wanted that Rolling Stones album.
Her abductor didn’t want money or sex. So what was he after?
It was hard to be alone, so far away from her son. Could she bear to deny him this one thing?
Elder Case wanted to win enough converts to make district leader. Elder Joseph was … confused.
Are good books bad for you?
Assessing America’s top graduate writing programs
A winner of the Atlantic's 2007 Student Poetry Contest
A winner of the Atlantic's 2007 Student Poetry Contest
A winner of the Atlantic's 2007 Student Poetry Contest