CURRENT ISSUE

November 2006

Subscribe to Smithsonian magazine image Subscribe to Smithsonian magazine mobile image

Features

Truman

New Faces of 1946

An unpopular president. A war-weary people. In the midterm elections of 60 years ago, voters took aim at incumbents

marie antoinette and children

Marie Antoinette

The teenage queen was embraced by France in 1770. Twenty-three years later, she lost her head to the guillotine. (But she never said, "Let them eat cake")

Bonobos have a playful, gentle manner

The Smart and Swinging Bonobo

Civil war has threatened the existence of wild bonobos, while new research on the hypersexual primates challenges their peace-loving reputation

speakingbonobo388.jpg

Speaking Bonobo

Bonobos have an impressive vocabulary, especially when it comes to snacks

Erich Jarvis

Song and Dance Man

Erich Jarvis dreamed of becoming a ballet star. Now the scientist's studies of how birds learn to sing are forging a new understanding of the human brain

chile_heli.jpg

Chile's Driving Force

Once imprisoned by Pinochet, the new Socialist president Michelle Bachelet wants to spread the wealth initiated by the dictator's economic policies

The Pilgrims celebrated a harvest festival

Pilgrims' Progress

We retrace the travels of the ragtag group that founded Plymouth Colony and gave us Thanksgiving

Departments

Indelible Images

Passion Fruit

Edward Weston quested for the perfect pepper

Points of Interest

R.I.P., Mighty O

A fabled aircraft carrier sunk deliberately off the coast of Florida is the world's largest artificial reef

My Kind of Town

Watching Water Run

Uncomfortable in a world of privilege, a novelist headed for the hills

Presence of Mind

Sharp Pencils Shape Elections

How three pioneering reporters reshaped the way the press covers elections-and politics itself

From the Secretary

Ways of Seeing

Inviting artists to help showcase its collections is just one way the Hirshhorn Museum is expanding its vision

The Object at Hand

Sky Writer

Anne Morrow Lindbergh chronicled the flights made with her celebrated husband

Around the Mall

Q&A: Lucy Lawless

Lucy Lawless, star of Xena: Warrior Princess, which aired from 1995 to 2001, has given her signature costume to the Museum of American History

What's Up

What's Up

Topper, 1st Class and No Popcorn

Letters

November Letters

Readers respond to the September issue

Wild Things

Wild Things: Life as We Know It

Killer whales, trap-jaw ants and dinosaurs

Interview

Interview: David Galenson

Pondering the nature of artistic genius, a social scientist finds that creativity has a bottom line

This Month in History

November Anniversaries

Momentous or Merely Memorable

The Last Page

Last Page: Strings Attached

"You want the greatest guitar ever?" Dad asked