Graydon Carter

1 month ago | theatlantic.com | Graydon Carter

Decades ago, and probably extending well before that, there was a custom among middle-class Canadian families to send their sons out West to work on the railroad for a spell. The parents’ intention was not only to get the boys out of their hair for a while but also to toughen them up and introduce them to the ways of the world well beyond what would now be called their comfort zones.

Jan 22, 2025 | newsini.com | Graydon Carter |Emily Callaci |Liz Pelly |Laurence Leamer

Put these new releases on your 2025 reading this. If reading more was your New Year’s resolution, but you haven’t cracked open a single book, look no further than our must-read non-fiction picks for 2025. These are some of the best new releases—a list that includes a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer’s reimagining of contemporary criticism and a kaleidoscopic retelling of Princess Diana’s real life and enduring legacy.

Nov 8, 2024 | airmail.news | Graydon Carter |Alessandra Stanley

We suspect the American flag is flying at half-mast in some areas of the country, if only metaphorically. The most unlikely candidate in history for the nation’s highest office has staged a sweeping comeback victory that almost half the country believes will kill or cripple American democracy—and the other half thinks will save it. How interesting that there wasn’t so much as a whisper of election fraud from the winning party.

Nov 1, 2024 | airmail.news | Graydon Carter |Alessandra Stanley

The generation that started out with so many opportunities and so much promise has failed in almost every respect. The post–World War II baby-boomers—born between 1946 and 1964—vowed to change the world. Instead, we shopped and then Botoxed ourselves crazy. From yippies to yuppies in a single decade. The generation that a half-century ago embraced saving the environment has left the world in a much sorrier place than it was when we inherited it.

Jul 5, 2024 | airmail.news | Graydon Carter

This past June 27, the trim octogenarian took the spotlight. And against all medical odds, he moved through the evening like a teen in heat. Crisp as a hundred-dollar bill, he was nimble on his feet and never missed a beat or a word. He’s been doing this for decades, and he’s as strong and as vibrant as he’s ever been. Alas, this wasn’t at the CNN studios in Atlanta; it was at Chicago’s Soldier Field. The man was Mick Jagger. And he will be the same age as Joe Biden at the end of this month.