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The Family Issue

A weeklong exploration of what
family means today.

This special digital issue is presented with support from MassMutual.

Illustration of suitcases falling from a car roof.

A Recipe for Forgiveness

Helen Longstrethhow an ailing, intense father sought redemption in the kitchen. Read more.

Illustration of an emptied dinner plate.
Illustration by Hokyoung Kim
Illustration of a crucifix on a chain, against a red velvet background.
Illustration by Nicholas Konrad / The New Yorker

Is Abortion Sacred?

Jia Tolentinoon the history of Christian thinking about abortion, and the moral complexity of pregnancy. Read more.

Illustration of a family looking at a map.

Proving That the State Killed Your Son

Jennifer Gonnermanon Lonnie Hamilton, a father who sued New York to find out how his son died in prison. Read more.

Photograph of a man with his back turned toward the viewer, holding a basketball.
Photograph by Adeline Lulo for The New Yorker
Dept. of Heirlooms

Vinson Cunninghamon finding faith, and family, through a book of songs. Read more.

Illustration of a hymnal.

The Bizarre Bird That’s Breaking the Tree of Life

Ben Crairon the hoatzin, a creature that’s changing how we visualize genetic relation. Read more.

Illustration of a hoatzin perching on a branch.
Illustration by Jaedoo Lee
Illustration of a family chasing their belongings on a windy beach.
A photo collage of family portraits.
Photographs by Jamel Shabazz / Courtesy powerHouse Books

The Secret Art of the Family Photo

Michael Johnstonon the strange, elusive qualities of the pictures that mean the most to us. Read more.

Dept. of Heirlooms

Claire-Louise Bennetton a cowbell that could have been meaningful, if things weren’t so hard to hold on to. Read more.

Illustration of a cowbell.
Illustration of a family under a starry night.

My Father’s Bad Seats at the Opera

Janet Malcolmremembers the terrible tickets that inspired a lifelong passion. Read more.

Illustration of an audience watching a theatrical production.
Illustration by Ilya Milstein
Photograph of a teen-ager wearing a blue sweatshirt.
Photographs by Alice Proujansky for The New Yorker

The Kids Who Lost Parents to COVID

Eliza Griswoldon two teens bound by grief, and the estimated two hundred thousand American children like them. Read more.

Illustration of a family standing on a bed to escape two snakes on the floor.

Parenting Advice I Was Given (And Didn’t Take)

Liana Finckon the things to ignore—and the things no one tells you. Read more.

Dept. of Heirlooms

Rachel Symeon a precious chess set that has passed through—and loomed over—three generations. Read more.

Illustration of a chessboard.

Prenups Aren’t Just for Rich People Anymore

Michael Waterson the young, working-class couples finding a new use for prenups: protecting themselves from the worst impulses of the American debt-collection system. Read more.

Illustration by Jonathan Djob Nkondo
Illustration of a family at an art museum, about to knock over a statue.

An Old Dog That Found a New Best Friend

Susan Orleanon a misfit mutt, a Colorado accountant, and an unlikely refuge for abandoned animals. Read more.

Photograph of a dog in a bicycle basket.
Photographs by David Williams for The New Yorker
Photograph of a man holding and kissing a dog.
Photograph of a man walking several dogs.
Dept. of Heirlooms

Jill Leporeon the lost and found portrait of a matriarch. Read more.

Illustration of a portrait of a woman.
Illustration of a campsite, where a family is hiding in trees from a bear.

A Hookup App for the Emotionally Mature

Emily Witton the app Feeld, which allowed her to become a new kind of person when her fantasy of family dissolved. Read more.

Illustration by Benedikt Luft
Illustration of a book depicted as a lighter.
Illustration by Gracia Lam

What Should a Queer Children’s Book Do?

Jessica Winteron how a vital, burgeoning genre of kid lit is being threatened across the country. Read more.

Illustration of a family arguing in a car.

Life Lessons from Laura Wasser, Divorce Lawyer to the Stars

Naomi Frytalks with the so-called disso queen, whose clients have included Kim Kardashian and Johnny Depp, about the state of our unions. Read more.

Photograph of Laura Wasser.
Photographs by Ilona Szwarc for The New Yorker
Dept. of Heirlooms

Hua Hsuon how “Peanuts” captured his parents’ imagination. Read more.

Illustration of a cutout of Snoopy.

Opening illustration by Jun Cen; heirloom illustrations by Isabel Seliger; spot illustrations by Rose Wong

Read More
Dept. of Medicine
How to Die in Good Health
The average American celebrates just one healthy birthday after the age of sixty-five. Peter Attia argues that it doesn’t have to be this way.
Daily Cartoon
Daily Cartoon: Wednesday, April 17th
“As a juror, do you think you could be impartial to my client? And if so—how?”
Daily Cartoon
Daily Cartoon: Tuesday, April 16th
“First, Goldilocks said the interest rates were too high. Then, Goldilocks said they were too low. Then, in agreement with the Federal Reserve Board, she finally said they were just right.”
Elements
The Highest Tree House in the Amazon
In 2023, conservationists and carpenters converged on Peru to build luxury accommodations in the rain-forest canopy.