“The Yellow Birds,” by Kevin Powers, should be required reading. The debut novel tells the story of two young American soldiers fighting their way through Al Tafar province in Iraq in 2004. more

On May 25, 1972, when Etan Patz disappeared on his way to school in lower Manhattan, I was just beginning my life as a mother. more

A brilliant beam of moonlight came through the window, waking me. The clock said 4:15 a.m., but a sense of mystery afoot propelled me out of bed. more

We have had crueler months than April 2013, but this one singed the soul. more

It took 18 years to track down and capture Ted Kaczynski, a.k.a. the Unabomber. more

There hasn’t been much news coverage of the deadly H7N9 bird flu, but recent reports trickling out of Beijing demand attention. more

It’s no country for old men, or old women, either. The screens and ’zines idealize smooth skin and supple muscles, strong bones and clear minds. more

Good for CVS! The mega drugstore chain, with retail outlets on every corner, is requiring employees to disclose their weight to the company’s insurance carrier or pay a $600-a-year penalty. more

I don’t know how they do it, but the prognosticators at the Farmers’ Almanac were right again this winter. more

My question is: Doesn’t the NYPD require a psychiatric screening for prospective police officers? more