The Last Word
(Corbis)
The last word: The philosopher with a wrench
As white-collar opportunities dry up, people need to consider other career paths. For former scholar Matthew Crawford, that meant becoming a motorcycle mechanic.
The last word: Where’s Pepper? 
Pets were once routinely snatched from America’s streets and slain in the name of science. In 1965, says Daniel Engber in Slate.com, one family’s heartbreak roused the nation’s conscience.
The last word: America’s Stonehenge
A mammoth monument that sits on a rural Georgia hilltop contains instructions for survivors of the apocalypse, says Wired magazine’s Randall Sullivan. Who would build such a thing?
The last word: A death in the top of the ninth
The dream of getting to the big leagues brought Mike Coolbaugh and Tino Sanchez together, says author S.L. Price. Their blossoming friendship turned into tragedy with a single swing of the bat.
The last word: A boxcar romance
They were two troubled kids running away from ordinary life, reports Christopher Goffard. They found freedom and adventure on America’s rails, until the dangers of train-hopping caught up with them.
The last word: My father, the icon
To the end, William F. Buckley was recklessly willful and effortlessly eloquent. During his final days, writes son Christopher Buckley, the performance was both maddening and inspiring.
The last word: Advice from ‘America’s worst mom’
A year ago, journalist Lenore Skenazy caused a media sensation when she let her 9-year-old ride New York City’s subway by himself. In a new book, she explains why she has no regrets.
The last word: Growing up with the Unabomber
Ted Kaczynski was an admired older brother before he became a notorious terrorist. In a new book, David Kaczynski describes his complex bond with the man he would later turn in to the FBI.
The last word: Hooked on mug shots
Arrest photos are a growing source of entertainment in wired America, says Greg Beato in Reason. But when was it decided that we’re all okay with publicly shaming those who are presumed innocent?
The last word: The online market for ‘kept’ women
The ‘sugar daddies’ and ‘sugar babies’ at SeekingArrangement.com deny they’re engaging in prostitution. At the very least, says Ruth Padawer, their relationships are more complicated than that.
The last word: The man who erased himself
A restless American chucks his identity and reinvents himself as English royalty. Writer Bruce Falconer was envious—until he met the imposter and discovered how he really lived.
The last word: The true nature of mourning
When her mother died, Slate.com’s Meghan O’Rourke heard from plenty of friends who tried to say the right thing. But only by wandering outdoors alone did she find the solace she needed.
The last word: Forgotten baby syndrome
Every year, at least a dozen children die in overheated cars in the U.S. because parents forgot they were there. Don’t assume, says The Washington Post’s Gene Weingarten, that it couldn’t happen to you.
The last word: Hey, is that George W. Bush?
Nope, it’s a Bush look-alike named Brent Mendenhall—whose services are suddenly far less in demand. Writer David Roth explores a strange corner of show business where looks really are everything.
The last word: Céline Dion and me
Music critic Carl Wilson was always baffled by the French-Canadian singer’s massive popularity—until he started to examine his own assumptions about sentimentality and taste.
The last word: Solo to the South Pole
Todd Carmichael was aiming for a world record when he set off on a 700-mile trek across Antarctica. His skis failed him, says Jacob H. Fries, before reason did.
The last word: When numbers deceive
Our understanding of the world around us is profoundly influenced by statistics. Unfortunately, say authors Michael Blastland and Andrew Dilnot, we often have no idea what they really mean.
The last word: They lived to tell the tale
Escaping from a plane crash or shipwreck, says author Ben Sherwood, requires skill as well as luck. What can we learn about survival from those who made it out alive?
The last word: Addicted to shoplifting
A 31-year-old mom confronts an uncomfortable possibility after her third arrest. Maybe, says author Benoit Denizet-Lewis, some crimes really can be blamed on a bad childhood.
The last word: The truth about ‘Cheeta’
Supposedly the oldest chimp in the world, he had hung with Tarzan, mugged for Ronald Reagan, even spoken to Dr. Dolittle. Then R.D. Rosen, his would-be biographer, started asking questions.
