Dark Waters
Some of the world’s largest, oldest fish live in Oregon. Why anyone would want to vandalize them, even abduct them, takes explaining.
sex
A collection of 79 issues
Playboy at War
With no more nudes in Playboy, an intimate approach toward sex is being lost—one longed for by soldiers in war zones.
What #Pobrezafilia Means for Mexico
Photos of poor, brown-skinned women, naked, in sexually suggestive poses, are flooding social-media networks.
Lo que #Pobrezafilia significa para México
Fotos de mujeres pobres, morenas, desnudas en posiciones sexualmente sugestivas están inundando las redes sociales en México.
How the Other Half Shares
When the media talks about social media, it’s always about young, white Americans. We spoke to a wider sample—including a sex worker, a pastor’s wife, a rapper—to see why people do what they do online.
The Low Road
Not everyone who breaks your heart is a monster. And not everyone who wounds you deserves to be wounded in return.
The Art and Science of Forgetting Everything
A conversation with Sarah Hepola, author of the bestselling Blackout, about investigating the worst kind of memories—those you never had.
Brush With Greatness
The TV trope where one character sees another character naked allows audiences to be pervy without taking responsibility. Only “The Simpsons” gets it right.
Ars Erotica
What one woman labels kinky, another person calls a crime against cake. Offering a taxonomy of erotic fixations.
My Date With Don Draper
The TV series Mad Men is set to begin its final season. Finally we’ll know how many women—and how much Proust—it takes to make Don Draper happy.
Crazy in Love With Kansas
Brief updates on important stories that have tumbled off the front page—“Carry That Weight,” Brownbackonomics, the ice bucket challenge, homophobia in Russia, and more.
All Happy Couples Are Alike
Better to have loved and lost—and best to have written an essay about it. Surviving the Russian melodrama of young love.
Turnip for Hugh
Brief updates to news stories that have slipped off the front page. This week: Smoking lounges at Reynolds American, Hugh Hefner’s hibernation, and the financial disasters that are Olympic Games.
Alternate Forms for Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18
The Bard’s most famous sonnet very nearly wasn’t a Shakespearean sonnet. Rejected pairings of content and form, from rondelet to an acrostic hiding his name.
The Jungle Look
The rear ends of black women appear to be pop culture’s current favorite commodity. But Nicki Minaj’s new video is anything but so simple.
Café de La Esquina
Between love and tacos, sometimes it's better to choose tacos. Our series continues where we ask novelists to dine out, then write us something that 1) is a restaurant review; 2) is not a restaurant review.
Mating Habits of the Asterisk
Living out of a van, without an address to pin you down, can be blissful and carefree, and occasionally miserable. But the same goes for love.
One Crazy Summer
Here comes summer, when the yoke of responsibility loosens. We all have our past indiscretions, but they’re too sordid to sign our names to—so we’ve removed the names and rearranged the text to protect the guilty.
Game Face
Even someone who writes erotica for a living has to find ways to get through moments of shame.
The Least Likely of Objects
Dreams of a Matalin-Carville romance tempt a young Washington journalist covering the death of a dictator to cross party lines in pursuit of love.
The Unofficial Roger Ebert Reader on Addiction
When Roger Ebert died, America was deprived of one of its finest critics. We also lost one of our best writers on addiction.
My Scummy Valentine
The only thing worse than Valentine's Day is a crappy Valentine's Day. A handful of TMN writers and editors dish (anonymously) on their worst dates—crying men, rugby brawls, and a dislocated sacroiliac joint.
Tale of the Transcription Tape
Sometimes a love scene calls for [WHIMPERS], sometimes it needs [YELPS], but knowing which one to use makes all the difference. The secret life of a professional closed captioner.
Dancer in the Dark
An American ballerina makes headlines when she says the Bolshoi Ballet wanted a bribe to let her perform. The company denies her accusation. But a small library in Virginia knew about it first.
Pope Fabulous
Pope Francis's recent remark that he would not judge gay priests was a revolutionary moment for the church—a moment, in fact, worth twerking into verse.
Existential Pornography
For a hopeful magazine editor stuck in the wrong career, when Playgirl comes a-calling, it looks like the answer to her prayers—but not everything is as it seems. An excerpt from the new memoir “How to Be a Playgirl.”
It’s Complicated
Though mothers may gnash their teeth at forgotten flowers and missing brunches, the poets still sing of the worst Mother’s Day ever: that of Oedipus and his bride.
A Supposedly Fun Thing I Will Probably Do Again
Yesterday morning, a plane landed at an airport. A man who was or was not a famous actor, and a writer who was or was not in love with him, stood on the verge of finally meeting. A Valentine's Day story for the romantic and/or foolish at heart.
Twilight on the Tundra
How do you see what mushers see? You mush. An adventure on the Beringia, a dog sled race stretching over Russia’s easternmost tundra. If in the process you see more than you ever expected—more of humanity, more of yourself—then thank the people of 685 miles of snow.
Fifty States of Grey
A trilogy of erotic novels are sweeping America, scheduled to sell 20 million copies this week. Here, a state-by-state guide on how the books are being adapted for local markets.
Entertainment for Women
When it launched, Playboy was a literary power, nude photos or not. Its offices also happened to be an interesting place to work—for women.
Therapist, Know Thyself
For psychotherapists, maintaining a stable, flawless public image is critical. But when a marriage and family counselor actually goes through a mid-life crisis herself, all bets are off and here come the tattoos, affairs, and professional infidelities.
Humans Playing Humans
As “Mad Men” enters its much-anticipated fifth season, the New York psychotherapist who consulted on the show’s development explains why its characters and storylines feel so ineffably real.
Diary of a Post-Adrenaline Junkie
Some decisions are best made heedlessly, based on the chance for an epic story—and some people think like that all the time. A report on what it’s like to slide down a volcano on a piece of sheet metal at 55 mph.
The Truth Will Set You Free
I knew when I was in trouble—like the time I was 13 and was caught watching porn on my dad’s computer—and I knew I couldn’t escape my fate. Nor would I have wanted to.
Cape Fear
A small portion of the Massachusetts coastline is home to America’s biggest witch-hunt, a history of savage wife mobs, the occasional 400 percent increase of unlucky pregnancies, and the world’s largest deposits of black crystals.
Hard Up
When you’re feeling perky as a teenager but the doctor says your prostate is basically a Chinchorro mummy, a little erectile dysfunction can be suffered on the path to wellness. Oh, but the sex drive...
Sex Lives of the Saints
Once you begin imagining yourself as the romantic lead in a novel—and convince others of it as well—you won’t want to stop.
Nipples at the State Fair
The state fair puts on display the usual cornucopia of wonders both natural and synthetic, all ready for your sampling. A young man gets in touch with his appetite.
Your Third Nipple
All your life, you thought you just had an odd-looking little mole. From 2011, what it’s like when a doctor says that you belong in the ranks of Marky Mark, centuries of witches, and Krusty the Clown.
The Sex Trade in Northwest Wisconsin
In a small town with a withering economy, rebellion is choosing college over your job at the X-rated drive-in.
The Age of Mechanical Reproduction
When it comes to in-vitro fertilization, nothing is normal. Your world is upside-down. Your doctor compliments your wife on her monkeys. Then, when every dollar and exertion has gone toward a single hour of hope, it begins to snow.
How to Make Celebrities Fall in Love With You
If you tell Johnny Depp he’s hideous looking, he’ll think you’re the first person he’s met who sees past his physical appearance—and other lessons.
You Don’t Want to Do This
You walk in to your bedroom and find your girlfriend in bed with another man. Blood boils. Violence is imminent. Wait, what's that he's saying?
Mama’s Boy
After the dust settles from their own stormy relationship—and their torrid relationships with others—a daughter learns her mother’s big secret.
True Story
A pause in the action, as the Golem recounts important moments in the brothels and strip clubs from his past, both recent and not-so-recent.
Privacy Settings for Bigamists
If anyone feels the pain of Facebook’s constant privacy updates, it’s marital philanderers. But take the time to calibrate your profile, and you can put all that worry behind you.
Justice With a Tagline
When your publisher won't pay you for translating a popular German guide to anal sex, don't take the law into your own hands--take 'em to court. But which one?
I’m Your Man
Ruth catches up on the blog, and a reader entreats The Golem to explain the intricacies of his relationship.
The Dinner Party
Your roommate, your girlfriend, and her (and your) boss: It’s a tough table, and they’ll scrutinize your food—and your dwindling frame.
Melancholy Whores’ Memories of Gabriel García Márquez
All the magical realism in the world won't make you good in bed, or so recall the Nobel Prize winner's escorts.
Come On, Sugar, Let Me Know
Experts answer what they know. The Non-Expert answers anything. This week, we reach out to the masses on Chatroulette for advice on sexiness, with horrifying consequences.
From Cover to Cover
Music connects to memories, and so do album sleeves. From ELO’s spaceship to Róisín Murphy’s see-through top, the covers that made one writer a fan.
Love, Lies, and Online Dating
Either you've done it or you know someone who has: online dating, the scourge and savior of contemporary romance. A panel of experts discusses love 2.0.
Ask the Sexpert
Among India's treasures, the Mumbai Mirror’s Sexpert column stands apart, advising modern Indians on the confusing sexual issues of our time, like why the foot lacks the vagina’s power.
The Secret Journal of Levi Johnston
In just a few short weeks, vice-presidential hopeful Sarah Palin's future son-in-law has traveled from the hockey rink to the political arena. What happened in between?
M4W: Surrogate Mother
About us: A childless couple who pines for the pitter-patter of little feet around the house. About you: Fertile, with an athletic build, and maybe a tattoo.
Hooking It Up
Experts answer what they know. The Non-Expert answers anything. This week we apply cold logic to a hot topic: How can pre-adolescent hockey players become sexually active?
Gleesome Threesome
Experts answer what they know. The Non-Expert answers anything. This week we help a confused young woman make the best of a beast with three backs.
I Slept With Osama bin Laden
A journey halfway around the world culminates in a cave with surprisingly romantic lighting. Spending a night with the world’s most wanted man.
Run for the Hills
The world MTV depicts is anything but real. But we don't watch to escape, we watch because we can't look away.
You Sexy Atheist, You
Who says non-believers can’t get frisky like the faithful? Secular countries may be suffering declining populations, but atheists still have all the fun.
My First Time With Toots and the Maytals
When you’re young and in love, it’s not so easy to tell the difference between songs of love and songs of protest. A tale of passion and seriously critical misreadings.
Virginity Pledge 2.0
With more and more kids reneging on their signed virginity vows, it’s time for swift action. An updated pledge from LifeTime Ministry that explains all you really need to know to keep your ticket to salvation intact.
In the Arms of Il Divo
Taking your mom to see male opera singers belt out contemporary pop may not sound all that appealing. But did we mention that they’re totally hot? An evening watching the boy band for baby boomers.
Bret Easton Ellis
While the publishing world freaks out over false memoirs, who better to speak about truth in writing than an author with the same name as his protagonist?
Bra Mitzvah: Becoming a Man Through Lingerie
Those afraid of flying get on a plane to somewhere, while acrophobes take elevators to the tops of skyscrapers. Confronting your deepest fear with a journey through a Parisian lingerie shop.
Sex Education Gets a Makeover
In our ongoing coverage of the moments that defined our writer's life, kids are talking about sex--and what they're saying may shock you.
How James Yeh Is Celebrating Christmas in San Francisco
Sometimes you can't make it home for the holidays: Just ask our writer, who recently moved away from his hometown in rural South Carolina. We asked people from his high school what they thought he was up to; here's what we learned.
How the World Scores
Though people around the world may measure success in slightly different ways, there is a single scale that is universally accepted. Because, in the end, it’s all about how you made out.
I’m Not Gay, but My Boyfriend Sure Is
It’s hard to be an average American male when all the guys around you are extremely hot. A report from inside the chambers of the Men in Love With Gay Men support group.
Ramadan and Firecrackers
What happens when a normally mad city decides to stop eating during daylight hours, stop smoking and drinking and sexing while it’s light out? A report from Cairo, a vibrant city alternately united and crazed by hunger.
Take the Downtown Train
If more men know what’s under the hood of a car than the hood of a clitoris, surely a revolution is needed. Enthusiast Paul Ford interviews Ian Kerner, sex therapist and author of She Comes First: The Thinking Man’s Guide to Pleasuring a Woman.
TiVo’d
Technology can be a scary thing, in the wrong hands. Luckily, there’s help. A visit with an analyst about a personal video problem.
Threesomes
Experts answer what they know. The Non-Expert answers anything. This week we provide the 12-step program for a satisfying threesome.
Love in the Time of Smallpox
Terror warnings be damned! This Valentine’s Day you can hug with your honey without fear of attack—with these handy tips.
Nothing’s Shocking
Once upon a time, music idols were evil enough for your parents to hate them. So what do we have left, now that our demons are as safe as pie?
Man and the Lad Mag
Today's man has some very real problems, and the magazines he's reading may be a big reason why.
Easy Like Drinking Water
Wallace was clean and freshly showered. He adjusted the speed on the cruise control to an even sixty and stared out the window at the rows of cattails growing on the side of the turnpike. Through their tawny, rowed communities he could see New York approach from the east, a