Winter 2022

Cover Story

The Art of Losing

The end of the war in Afghanistan shows the danger of our commitment to perpetual optimism

by Elizabeth D. Samet

Articles

Portrait of a Marriage in Six Homes

The places that sheltered my life with Shirley

by Witold Rybczynski

Never Take Hope From the Patient

Sometimes the best treatment includes a healthy dose of optimism, even when it’s not warranted

by Patrick Tripp

From Murderpan to Mattapan

A writer’s traumatic experiences lead him to travel in time to the places where he was hurt

by Quentin Lucas

Lessons From an Unwritten Autobiography

From doubt and despair to faith and love

by Jack Miles

Why So Many Kids Struggle to Learn

Teachers continue to be trained in ways that ignore the findings of cognitive science

by Natalie Wexler

Departments

Book Reviews

Hoping for Recovery

Hoping for Recovery

The long struggle to explain and treat drug dependency

Charlotte Bismuth
The Burden of Guilt

The Burden of Guilt

A plea for grace and forgiveness after a terrible crime

Lara Bazelon
Tales of Mercy and Sacrifice

Tales of Mercy and Sacrifice

An Italian scholar’s exploration of the Hebrew Bible

Randy Rosenthal
New York Was Very Heaven

New York Was Very Heaven

The midcentury newcomers who reshaped the art world

Andy Grundberg
Mightier Than the Sword

Mightier Than the Sword

A celebrated cartoonist looks back on his singular life and career

Jerome Charyn
A World Weird and Wondrous

A World Weird and Wondrous

A classical music star offers a peek behind the curtain

Wynne Delacoma