THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE: The 8.30.26 Issue features Charles Homans on Democratic Socialists; Chien-Chi Chang on civil-defense drills in Taiwan; Jon Ronson on Greg Chism’s strange journey with YouTube; and more.

Rachel Cusk Tried to Caricature Natalie Portman. She Only Caricatured Herself.

Her latest novel appears to savage a celebrity. But Cusk has, once again, managed to turn herself into the victim.

In ‘9 to 5,’ Dolly Parton Put a Friendly Face on Feminism

In 1980, feminists were often stereotyped as man-hating or out of touch. Then Parton gave the movement a boost — and an anthem. By Susan Dominus

It’s One of Our Greatest and Most Controversial Novels. How Should It Be Taught?

I traveled around the country to find out if “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” still has a place in the classroom. By Ruth Franklin

‘Cult’ Used to Mean Something. Now It Applies to Taylor Swift and Trader Joe’s.

The word today applies to more than religious sects, but it says something about our worshipful attitude toward consumption. By Sophie Haigney

THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE: The 8.23.26 Issue features Christopher Cox on the fragility of American power grids; Christopher Payne’s images of transformers; Nicholas Casey on people who came to the U.S. and were deported to countries like Eswatini; and more.

What if America Went Completely Dark?

The power grid relies on thousands of aging, hand-built transformers. If enough fail, the blackout could last years. By Christopher Cox

Why Is It So Hard to Build the Thing Our Entire Power Supply Depends On?

Transformers are the linchpin of modern civilization. A single one can take five years to build. Photographs by Christopher Payne

Chatbots Are Pushing Us Toward a Post-Human Internet

In matters of work, school and even romance, we turn to A.I. chatbots. But what happens when the bots begin talking to one another? By Callie Holtermann

He Was Deported to a Country He’d Never Heard Of. He May Never Go Free.

As the Trump administration sends a growing number of immigrants to countries they have no connection to, some find themselves imprisoned with no way out. By Nicholas Casey

THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE: The 8.9.26 Issue features Kim Tingley on inflammation as a cause of disease; Heidi Julavits on predicting the weather; Aaron Timms on fans of Anthony Bourdain; and more.

The Gospel According to Anthony Bourdain

Fans of the late writer and chef are cultlike in their devotion. But have they misunderstood his message?

We Thought Tech Would Make War More Precise. We Were Wrong.

Until recently, attacking civilian energy infrastructure was unacceptable. The dynamics of modern war have changed that.

He’s the Most Accomplished Executive in Baseball. The Fans Want Him Gone.

Brian Cashman has presided over four titles and zero losing seasons. Yankees fans demand more.

THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE: The 8.2.26 Issue features Daniel Bergner on sibling therapy; Elisabeth Zerofsky on the Heritage Foundation crackup; Benoit Denizet-Lewis on Bill Maher; and more.

Larry Ellison Bet It All on the A.I. Boom. Will He Be the Face of the A.I. Bubble?

Inside the 81-year-old billionaire’s risky, debt-fueled scramble to transform his data empire into an A.I. juggernaut.

In Trump’s Economy, Job Gains Go to Women. That’s Not an Entirely Good Thing.

Despite the administration’s best attempts, the diminishing status of many American jobs is driving a spike in women’s employment. By Noam Scheiber

Inflammation Keeps Us Alive. It’s Also Making Us Sick.

The discovery that chronic inflammation is a cause of myriad illnesses could be this century’s biggest medical breakthrough. By Kim Tingley

Five Takeaways From the Times Investigation Into Larry Ellison’s A.I. Gamble

The billionaire’s company took on ominous loads of debt to build data centers around the world. The implications go far beyond Oracle. By Jonathan MahlerJim Rutenberg and Kirsten Grind