1. Illustration by Matt Chase

    First Words

    Have We Lost Sight of the Promise of Public Schools?

    The arguments over the confirmation of the new secretary of education were about something bigger: which government institutions benefit which citizens.

  2. Ian Maddox for The New York Times

    Talk

    John Legend Can’t Pretend Times Are Normal

    The singer and actor on the “La La Land” controversy, forms of resistance and playing the role of Frederick Douglass.

  3. Illustration by Christoph Niemann

    My Trip to the DMZ: A 360-Degree Sketchbook

    The demilitarized zone that separates North and South Korea isn’t just a geopolitical tinderbox — it’s also a tourist attraction.

  4. Photo illustration by Craig Cutler for The New York Times. Prop styling by Noemi Bonazzi.

    Feature

    Will Obamacare Really Go Under the Knife?

    Republicans spent almost seven years waging a battle to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Finally, they are set up for victory — or a new kind of disappointment.

  1. Feature

    Graeme Mitchell for The New York Times

    The Dirty Projectors Go Solo

    The band created one of indie rock’s most indelible sounds, built around the collaboration of David Longstreth and Amber Coffman. Now he’s reinventing their music without her.

  2. Eat

    Gentl and Hyers for The New York Times

    In Praise of the Prune

    A frangipane tart that showcases the pleasures of the dried fruit.

  3. Letter of Recommendation

    Cait Oppermann for The New York Times

    Letter of Recommendation: Presidential Biographies

    These books don’t tell you that everything is going to be O.K. but rather that nothing was ever really O.K. to begin with.

  5. Feature

    Photo illustration by Cristiana Couceiro

    The Age of Rudeness

    As the social contract frays, what does it mean to be polite?