Stephanie Bai

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In the early hours of July 4, the Guadalupe River flooded. Heavy rainfall, enhanced by atmospheric moisture leftover from a recent tropical storm, dumped water across parts of central Texas. By 6:10 a.m., a gauge in Hunt, a community in Kerr County, measured that the river had become a 37.

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A hard day is helped along by a few creature comforts: a good meal, a few friends, the right show to unwind with.

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Conventional housing wisdom dictates that if you can’t afford Los Angeles or New York City, try Austin or Atlanta. For years, astronomical prices, labyrinthine zoning laws, and dwindling square footage have driven renters and homeowners out of big coastal cities in droves.

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In the death chambers of the Mississippi Delta, on a rainy night in an Indiana penitentiary, and in the early hours at an Alabama prison, Elizabeth Bruenig has seen three men die. She watched them thrash, draw labored breaths, close their eyes.

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Welcome back to The Daily’s Sunday culture edition.
Not all movies are meant to be watched twice. Some leave a glancing effect; others emanate so much intensity that the idea of sitting through them again feels unbearable.

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This Memorial Day, catch up on Atlantic stories about an AncestryDNA test that revealed a medical secret, why public pools are in decline, 24 books to get lost in this summer, and more.

This is an edition of The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture. Sign up for it here.
Welcome back to The Daily’s Sunday culture edition, in which one Atlantic writer or editor reveals what’s keeping them entertained.

This is an edition of The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture. Sign up for it here.
Updated at 3:34 p.m. ET on May 18, 2025.
Many analogies have been made of friendship—it’s like shifting seasons, or a plant, or a really good bra—but I picture friendship most clearly as a house, jointly occupied.

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Our editors compiled seven great reads. Spend time with stories about the risks of trying to raise successful kids, an alarming trend affecting the job market, the top goal of Project 2025, and more.
Stop Trying to Raise Successful Kids
And start raising kind ones.

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Maxwell Cohen knew the tariffs were coming. President Donald Trump had openly threatened a trade war on the campaign trail, and Cohen, an entrepreneur, heeded his words.

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Our editors compiled six stories to serve as your weekend reads. Spend time with articles about why grandparents are reaching their limit, an “impossible” disease outbreak in the Alps, the Trump administration’s many conflicts of interest, and more.

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The world we live in has been molded by the porn we watch—and you don’t have to look too hard to find it. Instagram models hawk their OnlyFans subscriptions, sex workers post “Day in My Life” vlogs, and the market for erotic romance novels is a gold mine.

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Welcome back to The Daily’s Sunday culture edition, in which one Atlantic writer or editor reveals what’s keeping them entertained. Today’s special guest is Allegra Frank, a senior editor who works on stories about the changing trends in film, television, and culture.

This is an edition of Time-Travel Thursdays, a journey through The Atlantic’s archives to contextualize the present. Sign up here.
Many people who contract measles don’t know right away that they have it. Days after infection, the symptoms can feel like the flu, until the tell-tale blotchy red rash emerges—usually near the hairline at first, later traveling down the biceps, abdomen, thighs, feet, hands.

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Welcome back to The Daily’s Sunday culture edition.
The internet is a choose-your-own-adventure place, but it can sometimes feel like too many roads lead to doomscrolling.

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Welcome back to The Daily’s Sunday culture edition, in which one Atlantic writer or editor reveals what’s keeping them entertained.

This is an edition of The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture. Sign up for it here.
In America, the chaotic first few months of Donald Trump’s term have featured roiling stock markets, mass deportations, and a Tesla showroom on the White House lawn. But if you look north, it has unified Canadians against a common threat: a country once considered a friend.

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Welcome back to The Daily’s Sunday culture edition.
Some films impart a message that lasts, especially if they offer another way to see the world. The Atlantic’s writers and editors answer the question: What is a movie that changed your mind?
The following contains spoilers for the films mentioned.

This is an edition of The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture. Sign up for it here.
Welcome back to The Daily’s Sunday culture edition, in which one Atlantic writer or editor reveals what’s keeping them entertained.

This is an edition of The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture. Sign up for it here.
Welcome back to The Daily’s Sunday culture edition.
The critics don’t always get it right. Some viewers are adamant that certain polarizing or panned shows deserve their flowers, while others think particular acclaimed series can be overindulged with praise.

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Our editors compiled six stories about elite schools and the issues they face. Today’s reading list examines how the Ivy League broke America, the problem with college admissions, and more.

This is an edition of The Wonder Reader, a newsletter in which our editors recommend a set of stories to spark your curiosity and fill you with delight. Sign up here to get it every Saturday morning.
To stay in or to go out, that is the question. It’s the dance we do while checking the time before we’re supposed to meet up with friends after a long day at work.

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When the Panama Canal was unveiled by the United States in 1914, the roughly 50-mile-long waterway symbolized American power and technological advancement. But the glow of progress soon faded.

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Welcome to The Daily’s culture edition, in which one Atlantic writer or editor reveals what’s keeping them entertained.

This is an edition of Time-Travel Thursdays, a journey through The Atlantic’s archives to contextualize the present and surface delightful treasures. Sign up here.
Donald Trump is now the second president to return to the White House after losing a bid for reelection. The first was Grover Cleveland, who ran a successful campaign in 1884 and 1892.

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Welcome back to The Daily’s Sunday culture edition.
Few things are more satisfying than watching a show pull off a clever and high-octane episode.

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Welcome back to The Daily’s Sunday culture edition, in which one Atlantic writer or editor reveals what’s keeping them entertained. Today’s special guest is Kristen V.

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I have two names, but only one exists on paper. When I was born, my parents put my name down as Stephanie, inspired by the Full House character.

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I have two names, but only one exists on paper. When I was born, my parents put my name down as Stephanie, inspired by the Full House character.

This is an edition of The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture. Sign up for it here.
Welcome back to The Daily’s Sunday culture edition.
Few things are better than staying in on a Sunday afternoon and putting on a good movie—or two, or three.