What The Catcher in the Rye Taught a Teenage Girl
J. D. Salinger’s classic novel of teen alienation made me feel more connected to the world.
Emma Sarappo
Emma Sarappo is a senior associate editor at The Atlantic.
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Stacey Bramhall / Getty Darwin’s Story Isn’t as Simple as It Seems
The best writing leads us to a more complex and more honest understanding of the past.
Will Matsuda for The Atlantic A Surprisingly Human Story About Aliens
This novel is nominally about an interstellar voyage. It’s actually about sex, love, God, and the problem of evil.
Peter Szumowski / Bridgeman Images A Book I Wish I’d Read at 22
I’m not alone in feeling regret over not having found the right book at just the right time.
Illustration by The Atlantic. Source: Getty. An Unexpected Type of Beach Read
Take pleasure in the mismatch between dangerous tales and leisurely environs.
Christopher Kimmel / Getty The Writers Who Can’t Let Go of the South
Southern experiences and traditions can be deeply compelling, even exotic, to Americans who live in other areas.
Underwood Archives / Getty Let a Book Annoy You
Sometimes, an angry note in the margin can be an expression of love.
H. Armstrong Roberts / Classicstock / Getty How Not to Recommend a Book
Even for those who make a career out of loving books, sharing the right ones with the right people can take years of practice.
Lawrence Alma-Tadema / Cincinnati Art Museum / Bridgeman Images How to Put Sex in a Novel
In a new book, intimate fantasies become a crucial vehicle for character development.
Peter Dench / Getty The Writer’s Magic Trick
Their job is to create living, three-dimensional people out of the ordinary stuff of ink and paper.
Pavel Tchelitchew / Bridgeman Images
