Contents
March-April 2009
Giving When It Hurts
Rethinking charity in the midst of an economic crisis
by Keith Goetzman
Ladling Soup, Raising Hell
Nonprofit insider Robert Egger is out to reform charities from within
interview by Keith Goetzman
The Revolution Will Not Be Funded
It’s time to liberate activists from the nonprofit industrial complex
from the book The Revolution Will Not Be Funded
Tips for Practical Giving
Where to give, what to ask, and the lowdown on emerging philanthropic trends
The Lonely American
Choosing to reconnect in the 21st century
by Jacqueline Olds and Richard S. Schwartz, from the book The Lonely American
The Art of a Lively Conversation
Be real. Be brave. Be bold. (And learn some manners.)
by Alain de Botton, from Standpoint
All in the Neighborhood
Want to see the world? Start by staying home.
by Rebecca Wecks, from the Sun
One Nation, Indivisible
Reconnecting the public with its public servants
by Julie Hanus
The Life and Lonely Death of Noah Pierce
A small-town soldier loses his soul in Iraq. He is not alone. He thinks he is.
text and photos by Ashley Gilbertson, from the Virginia Quarterly Review
In Search of Silence
One man’s quest to find the quietest places on earth and keep them that way
by Kathleen Dean Moore, from Orion
photos by Gordon Hempton
Emerging Ideas
Making the News
A guide to getting the media’s attention
by Symon Hill, from Red Pepper
Can’t We All Just … Go for a Bike Ride?
Conservative cyclists transcend cultural stereotypes
by Jake Mohan
Lullabies Behind Bars
In a few innovative prisons, babies find a safe haven with their moms
by Beth Schwartzapfel, from Ms.
Mixed Media
Way Off the Grid
A photographer documents the primitive lives of “rewilders”
by Joseph Hart, photos by Lucas Foglia
Reeling on the Right
A liberal-bashing film festival puts this conservative critic to sleep
by Michael Brendan Dougherty, from the American Conservative
Eat, Drink, and Stage a New Play
10 things theaters must do to save themselves
by Brendan Kiley, from the Stranger
Plus: Film Reviews, Book Reviews, Music Reviews
Mindful Living
Breathing Queasy
Indoor air is a toxic brew. Here’s what to do.
by Laura Sevier, from the Ecologist
Leafy Clean
NASA-sanctioned houseplants purify indoor air
by Darcy Maulsby, from Radish
Secondhand Syndicate
That concert T-shirt you “donated” was more valuable than you thought
by Sacha Evans, from Polite
Spent
New research explores why sadness makes us splurge
by Jason Marsh, from Greater Good
Gleanings
A Hint of BS
Can it be that wine snobs are even worse than art snobs? Yes, it can.
by Matthew Valdini, from Canteen
A School Bus from Nowhere
Connecting with “at risk” kids requires crazy and crucial hope
by Robin Cody, from Portland
Chance of a Lifetime
A cancer-stricken theologian realizes that beating the odds has nothing to do with mortality
by Forrest Church, from the book Love & Death
Editor’s Note: The Enemy Within
Letters
Shelf Life: The Invisible Irais
Forward: Let's Get On With It