I would caution you a bit against the Atlantic - not in the sense that you shouldn't read it but in the sense that, like the NYT, it is almost two publications, one that produces excellent long-form journalism, and another that produces the most brain-dead reactionary centrist punditry you'll see outside, well, the NYT.
It is notably the home of David Frum, George W. Bush's speechwriter and father of Iraq War apologia, and Jonathan "Why Liberals Should Support a Trump Republican Nomination" Chait, a legendarily wrong man. I would absolutely not read any conflict journalism from it; it is the last mainstream neocon bastion.
It is a few cuts below the New Yorker even at its best. Still, a few gems stand out.
What I Saw in the Darien Gap is a harrowing account of the stories of people crossing the Darien Gap. It is genuinely fantastic journalism highlighting the plight of those who would cross one of the world's most uninhabitable regions.
Inside America's Death Chambers is an equally harrowing account of Elizabeth Bruenig's time as a death penalty witness, the stories she encountered, and her moral reckoning with the concept.
On a lighter note - it hired Caity Weaver. I love Caity Weaver; she is the best comic writer outside of maybe Sam Kriss; she could write about going insane inside a TGI Fridays for 24 hours and I would and have read it. Read about her and free restaurant bread and the war on pennies.
Finally, someone has recommended you My President was Black, so I have to also recommend a good rebuttal to it - also published in the Atlantic, about Obama and the foreclosure crisis.
That’s an extremely apt description of The Atlantic. I was a subscriber for years, and then in the run-up to the 2024 election they had so many pieces that basically had the attitude of “you foolish readers worried about the consequences of the election, we wise editorialists of The Atlantic know that nothing real ever happens.” I unsubscribed and switched to the New Yorker and haven’t looked back.
Also they have a couple writers like Helen Lewis who are basically bigots in sheep’s clothing.
What? They dedicated a full issue in 2024 called "If Trump Wins" that was entirely about all the ways in which a second Trump term would be a catastrophe for this country. I don't know what pieces you had in mind here, but I've always perceived the Atlantic as pretty clear-eyed in their analysis of this moment.
I’m 2024 they also brought on Jonathan Chait. Everything Conor Friedersdorf writes is dripping with contrarian condescension. Jeffrey Goldberg is infected with that attitude, and of course he’s the editor in chief. Caitlin Flanagan was getting worse and worse and now surprise she’s at the Free Press. Plus the aforementioned Helen Lewis who is also exactly that. Oh and now they brought on fucking Thomas Chatterton Williams, who is also an embarrassingly bad writer on top of the reactionary centrism and condescension.
I just don’t want to read a magazine that’s 50% reactionary centrist condescension, even if the other 50% is interesting long form and smart culture writing.
I swear you get whiplash from some of the articles. The title gives nothing away and it'll be normal for the first bit and then you get smacked in the face with a hard turn to the far right.
My uncle has a subscription. Sometimes I pick it up just to get a load of the, uhh, Radical Centrism on display. Do these types of people even exist outside of punditry/consulting circles?
Caitlin Flanagan's piece on the college admissions scandal is masterful. I reread it a couple times a year and recommend it to friends all the time. I think it's called "They Had it Coming."
This takes the cake for me, on par with the best science writing from the New Yorker https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/12/the-last-children-of-down-syndrome/616928/
elegant_solution21 | 20 hours ago
Anything by William Langewiesche is a good start
mollybawn | 19 hours ago
Agreed. A Sea Story is my personal favorite: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2004/05/a-sea-story/302940/
Self-ReferentialName | 15 hours ago
I would caution you a bit against the Atlantic - not in the sense that you shouldn't read it but in the sense that, like the NYT, it is almost two publications, one that produces excellent long-form journalism, and another that produces the most brain-dead reactionary centrist punditry you'll see outside, well, the NYT.
It is notably the home of David Frum, George W. Bush's speechwriter and father of Iraq War apologia, and Jonathan "Why Liberals Should Support a Trump Republican Nomination" Chait, a legendarily wrong man. I would absolutely not read any conflict journalism from it; it is the last mainstream neocon bastion.
It is a few cuts below the New Yorker even at its best. Still, a few gems stand out.
What I Saw in the Darien Gap is a harrowing account of the stories of people crossing the Darien Gap. It is genuinely fantastic journalism highlighting the plight of those who would cross one of the world's most uninhabitable regions.
Inside America's Death Chambers is an equally harrowing account of Elizabeth Bruenig's time as a death penalty witness, the stories she encountered, and her moral reckoning with the concept.
On a lighter note - it hired Caity Weaver. I love Caity Weaver; she is the best comic writer outside of maybe Sam Kriss; she could write about going insane inside a TGI Fridays for 24 hours and I would and have read it. Read about her and free restaurant bread and the war on pennies.
Finally, someone has recommended you My President was Black, so I have to also recommend a good rebuttal to it - also published in the Atlantic, about Obama and the foreclosure crisis.
butter_milk | 12 hours ago
That’s an extremely apt description of The Atlantic. I was a subscriber for years, and then in the run-up to the 2024 election they had so many pieces that basically had the attitude of “you foolish readers worried about the consequences of the election, we wise editorialists of The Atlantic know that nothing real ever happens.” I unsubscribed and switched to the New Yorker and haven’t looked back.
Also they have a couple writers like Helen Lewis who are basically bigots in sheep’s clothing.
dr_sassypants | 11 hours ago
What? They dedicated a full issue in 2024 called "If Trump Wins" that was entirely about all the ways in which a second Trump term would be a catastrophe for this country. I don't know what pieces you had in mind here, but I've always perceived the Atlantic as pretty clear-eyed in their analysis of this moment.
butter_milk | 8 hours ago
I’m 2024 they also brought on Jonathan Chait. Everything Conor Friedersdorf writes is dripping with contrarian condescension. Jeffrey Goldberg is infected with that attitude, and of course he’s the editor in chief. Caitlin Flanagan was getting worse and worse and now surprise she’s at the Free Press. Plus the aforementioned Helen Lewis who is also exactly that. Oh and now they brought on fucking Thomas Chatterton Williams, who is also an embarrassingly bad writer on top of the reactionary centrism and condescension.
I just don’t want to read a magazine that’s 50% reactionary centrist condescension, even if the other 50% is interesting long form and smart culture writing.
tiragooen | 14 hours ago
I swear you get whiplash from some of the articles. The title gives nothing away and it'll be normal for the first bit and then you get smacked in the face with a hard turn to the far right.
probs_notme | 7 hours ago
My uncle has a subscription. Sometimes I pick it up just to get a load of the, uhh, Radical Centrism on display. Do these types of people even exist outside of punditry/consulting circles?
Due_Plantain204 | 18 hours ago
My Family’s Slave by Alex Tizon
Ta-Nehisi Coates, especially The Case for Reparations or My President Was Black
WHAT BOBBY MCILVAINE LEFT BEHIND
by Jennifer Senior
The Shame of College Sports by Taylor Branch
The Dark Power of Fraternities by Caitlin Flanagan
positronic_robot | 17 hours ago
Also, private schools have become truly obscene by Caitlin Flanagan
signsaysapplesauce | 10 hours ago
Caitlin Flanagan's piece on the college admissions scandal is masterful. I reread it a couple times a year and recommend it to friends all the time. I think it's called "They Had it Coming."
animabot | 16 hours ago
This takes the cake for me, on par with the best science writing from the New Yorker https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/12/the-last-children-of-down-syndrome/616928/
HechicerosOrb | 11 hours ago
I think about this article all the time since reading it: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2004/05/a-sea-story/302940/
previousinnovation | 18 hours ago
Why the Past 10 Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid - By Jonathan Haidt https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2022/05/social-media-democracy-trust-babel/629369/?utm_medium=social&utm_term=2022-04-11T10%3A01%3A57&utm_campaign=the-atlantic&utm_source=facebook&utm_content=edit-promo
Most of their best coverage is commentary on domestic culture and politics, but they also do some great true crime long reads, like this one: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/2025/12/wisconsin-kayaker-ryan-borgwardt-death/684631/
DevonSwede | 18 hours ago
The Wrong Man, about the Anthrax attacks after 9/11
AdFew4765 | 8 hours ago
What Really Happened to Malaysia’s Missing Airplane by William Langewiesche
Haveyounodecorum | 10 hours ago
I love Helen Lewis in the Atlantic…look up her work!
BrevitysLazyCousin | 7 hours ago
This article was a great read which had a great twist.