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| 2008 DECEMBER
Dec. 23, 2008
Nature of Community Is Changing in the Internet Age
Essayist Clarence Page reflects on the evolving role of community organizers in an age where the Internet is changing the very nature of community itself.
 
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| Dec. 22, 2008
Holiday Season Brings Solemn Reflections
Essayist Nancy Gibbs takes a look at the challenges at hand during a holiday season marked by economic recession.
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| Dec. 11, 2008
Navigating New Definitions of a Multiracial Identity
Essayist Richard Rodriguez reflects on how Americans view multiracial and multicultural identities in the wake of Barack Obama's election to the presidency.
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| Dec. 10, 2008
World's 'Lost' Boys Follow Tragic Path of Violence
From Virginia Tech to Mumbai, young men have tragically searched for meaning in random acts of violence. Richard Rodriguez reflects on the world's "lost boys" in an essay.
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| Dec. 4, 2008
'Wired' Americans Wrestle With Sleepless Nights
Guest essayist Julia Keller from the Chicago Tribune reflects on why Americans have so much trouble getting a good night's sleep.
 
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| NOVEMBER
Nov. 18, 2008
Young Breast Cancer Patient Finds Outlet in Activism
After Dikla Benzeevi was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer at 32, she formed a network of young cancer survivors. Essayist Anne Taylor Fleming reflects on her story of strength and achievement.
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| Nov. 12, 2008
Economic Slump Hits Residents of 'The Last Best Place'
Twenty years ago, Montana offered sprawling landscapes and inexpensive living, but the economic meltdown is changing life in "the last best place." Guest essayist Scott McMillion of the Montana Quarterly reflects on the changes, including job losses, poverty and tight budgets.
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| OCTOBER
Oct. 17, 2008
Economic Crisis Takes Toll on Pursuit of American Dream
NewsHour Essayist Richard Rodriguez reflects on the impact of the global financial meltdown on the value of wealth in the U.S. and how greed and envy devalued the American dream.
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| SEPTEMBER
Sept. 30, 2008
Mexico's Violent Drug War Wreaks Havoc on Innocent Lives
Just south of the U.S. in Mexico, a ruthless drug war is taking a heavy toll on residents' lives on both sides of the border. Essayist Richard Rodriguez reflects on the increasingly unmanageable conflict.
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| AUGUST
Aug. 7, 2008
Loyal LA Times Readers Lament Cuts at Paper
NewsHour Essayist Anne Taylor Fleming laments the newsroom cuts and budget woes of her hometown newspaper, the Los Angeles Times.
 
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| JULY
July 15, 2008
Small Cars Make a Comeback Amid High Gas Prices
Soaring gas prices have led many U.S. drivers to forgo large vehicles like SUVS for smaller cars. Essayist Anne Taylor Fleming examines the shift in consumer preference.
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| July 4, 2008
Columnist Values the Right to Pursue Happiness
Chicago Tribune columnist Clarence Page measures the importance of happiness and its part in one of the most famous phrases of the Declaration of Independence as the United States turns another year older.
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| JUNE
June 25, 2008
Summertime Memories Revived in Road Trip
Julia Keller of the Chicago Tribune reflects on old memories relived and new ones made during summertime family road trips.
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| MAY
May 30, 2008
Reflections on Voting in Montana's Big Sky Country
Guest essayist Scott McMillion of the Bozeman Daily Chronicle and the Montana Quarterly reflects on voting in Montana.
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| May 28, 2008
Reflecting on 'Miracle Worker' Teachers
As the beginning of May heralds the end of the academic year, Time Magazine essayist Nancy Gibbs praises great teachers.
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| MARCH
March 14, 2008
Silda Spitzer Steps Onto a Well-worn Path
As her husband, New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, faces public disgrace over revelations that he frequented a prostitution ring, Silda Spitzer now shoulders a burden familiar to political wives throughout history. Essayist Anne Taylor Fleming reflects on this role.
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| March 13, 2008
In Internet Age, Libraries Still Draw a Crowd
A survey by the Pew Internet and American Life Project found that young adults aged 18 to 30 frequent public libraries more regularly than older people, despite the advance of personal computers and the Internet. Guest essayist Julia Keller of the Chicago Tribune reflects on the road ahead for public libraries in the modern era.
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| FEBRUARY
Feb. 28, 2008
'Juno' Raises Questions About Teen Pregnancy
"Juno" -- a popular film about a teenage girl who gets pregnant and gives her baby away -- won the 2008 Oscar for best original screenplay. Essayist Anne Taylor Fleming reflects on how teen pregnancy is portrayed in popular media.
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| Feb. 26, 2008
Election Renews Focus on Definition of Race
With a popular African-American presidential candidate and the increasing influence of Hispanic voters, the 2008 presidential election has brought new attention to minority groups in the U.S. Essayist Clarence Page of the Chicago Tribune reflects on how we define race.
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| JANUARY
Jan. 25, 2008
Surnames Reflect Changing Face of America
The shifting balance of surnames in America reflects its rapidly changing demographics. Essayist Richard Rodriguez ruminates on the increasing occurrence of his own last name.
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