It’s Still Radical For a Woman to Be Alone
Why has the image of a solitary woman historically elicited a range of emotions, from sympathy to suspicion and fear?
Essay
The Golden State Killer in My Backyard
Reflecting on her childhood fear of the serial rapist-murderer, who was recently arrested in her hometown, the actress and writer wonders how her parents were able to ultimately make her feel safe.
Telling the Stories of the Unclaimed Dead
A longtime child welfare advocate uses her skills to locate next of kin for unsolved cases, bringing closure to grieving families, and making peace with her own painful past.
Can Relationships Kill Our Sense of Competence?
Many couples divide responsibilities along traditional gender roles. For this writer, following her divorce, that meant having to relearning the basics.
Why Do We Smoke?
A longtime smoker reflects on the cultural history, appeal, and vilification of the cigarette—and why so many of us still light up, whether publicly or in secret, despite knowing its risks.
Living in the Moment Is Overrated
A native New Yorker and author of 'An Abbreviated Life' searches for the type of mindfulness that doesn't require her to slow down.
I Survived an Amtrak Train Wreck
Just moments after escaping a tragic accident, the writer learns she's pregnant—and quickly discovers the razor-thin edge between love and loss.
“Whatever She’s Making, I Don’t Want Any”
In this exclusive excerpt from her poignant new memoir, TREYF, Elissa Altman's mother demonstrates over brunch with her in-laws that being difficult isn't the same thing as being wrong.
Simone Biles’s Story Reminds Us How Little We Understand About Adoption
Adoption tales aren’t about villains. They’re about real people making very difficult decisions—a fact this writer, whose background mirrors the Olympian's, knows well.
How I Became a New Orleanian
The writer, a Chicagoan with deep ties to the Seventh Ward as a veteran inner-city teacher, neighbor, and mother, was always regarded as a Yank. Until Katrina hit, and all the rules changed.