Are “Helpful” Strangers Endangering Our Children?
Like Salon’s Kim Brooks, this writer knows well how an unnecessary 911 call can disrupt a family. But she is a bit less forgiving of these “good Samaritans.”
First Person
My Mother Always Told Me Not to Cry
The acclaimed author of "Heather Has Two Mommies" reflects on her relationship with her late mother, whose no-crying-allowed policy was enforced until the very end.
My Autistic Son Turned Me Into a Prolific Essayist
When her child was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, the author worried she’d forever lost her ability to write. But he helped her realize that she had more to say than ever.
Must-Reads: What Hillary’s Race Means + Telling the World You Have Herpes
The most compelling stories from our favorite sources.
I Took Fashion Advice From Louisa May Alcott
The writer dressed like her favorite lit heroines until her younger sister gave her a Meg March–like makeover, and brought some va-va-voom to her life.
Must-Read Links: Food Babe Blogger is B.S., Sarah Silverman on Equal Pay
The most compelling stories from our favorite sources.
Keurig and Me: A Coffee Lover’s Confession
For decades, the writer has been as enamored of coffee for its flavor and aroma as she is hooked on its caffeine. So how did she go from being a bean snob to a K-Cup addict?
You’d Be Such a Good Mother. If Only You Weren’t You
From Meghan Daum's anthology, SELFISH, SHALLOW, AND SELF-ABSORBED, memoirist M.G. Lord's brutally honest essay about her blindingly agonizing decision not to have kids.
New Yorkers Are Nicer Than I Thought
In the wake of last week's explosion in NYC's East Village, an anxiety-ridden writer reflects on the random act of kindness that dispelled for her the myth of the brash, unfeeling New Yorker.