CURRENT ISSUE
November 2009
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Features
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Looting Mali
A growing appetite for West African treasures—from Neolithic pottery to 14th-century wood carvings—drives an illegal trade that's depleting the nation's heritage
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Invasion of the Longhorns
In leafy Worcester, Massachusetts, authorities are battling to contain an invasion beetle that is poised to devastate the great hardwood forests of New England
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The Battle of Arlington
The Union seized Gen. Robert E. Lee's home without firing a shot—then fought for decades to hold what would become the nation's most hallowed ground
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Decoding Jackson Pollock
Did the Abstract Expressionist hide his name amid the swirls and torrents of a legendary 1943 mural? An art historian makes the case for a signature gesture
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The Great Wide Open
A land of silvery light and cherished silences, astonishing peaks and local drollery, gold rush saloons and sealskin tumblers, Alaska perpetuates the belief that anything is possible
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Shades of Ansel Adams
The photographer once likened taking pictures in color to playing an out-of-tune piano. But a new book shows he still had perfect pitch
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The Rescue of Henry Clay
An all-but-forgotten portrait of the Great Compromiser restored after decades of neglect takes pride of place at the U.S. Capitol
Departments
Saigon Requiem
The death of Hugh Van Es, whose rooftop photograph symbolized the Vietnam War's end, launched a "reunion" of those who covered the conflict
Historical Laughter
Those who don't have power tend to make fun of those who do. But what happens when power shifts?
Wild Things: Life as We Know It
Geckos, tiny dinosaurs, cave man couture, and more
Priceless
Now keeping company with the Magna Carta, the John Marshall archive documents a way of life
Drawn From Life
Artist Janice Lowry's illustrated diaries record her history—and ours