COVER

The Electrifying Edison (Thomas Edison)

Thomas Edison helped create the American way of innovation--but today the U.S. is in danger of losing its pre-eminence in science and technology

Let There Be Light (Thomas Edison)

Edison perfected the incandescent bulb and devised a system of electrical current to serve homes and businesses. Then came the hard part

The Incredible Talking Machine (Thomas Edison)

The invention of the phonograph made Edison world-famous--but it took him years to understand what it did best

Lights, Camera ... Edison! (Thomas Edison)

He and his talented team didn't just invent machinery for the movies--they invented the magic

ESSAY

Good Neighbors (Commentary)

The world suddenly has warm, fuzzy feelings for the U.S.; so what's goodwill worth to us?

My Own Private India (Commentary)

How the Jersey town named for Thomas Edison became home to the all-American Guindian

NATION

Judging Elena (The Well / Profile)

She's known for her keen intellect and her ability to reach across the aisle. Are those enough to confirm her as the next Supreme Court Justice?

WORLD

Turning to the East (The Well / World)

Feeling betrayed by Israel and snubbed by Europe, Turkey is forging a new identity as an independent regional power. Will the country be able to court multiple alliances, or will the West lose one of its closest friends?

TO OUR READERS

The Inventor

For our ninth annual history issue, we profile Thomas Edison, whose genius has shaped not only our lives but how we think about ourselves

LETTERS

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

BUSINESS

How Goldman Trashed a Town (The Well / Business)

When Wall Street's most profitable bank teamed up with a billionaire hedge-fund manager, the people of Cedar Rapids paid the price

SOCIETY

Death or Taxes (Life / Cash Crunch)

A legal quirk makes 2010 a great year to bequeath wealth. Can resting in peace be incentivized?

Power of One (Life)

A childhood surgery made Ben Sater want to help his hospital. Almost $1 million later, the teen is still on his game

SPECIAL SECTION

China's New Continent (Global Business / Africa)

Pouring investment into African nations, China finds fertile territory for its rising influence

Business Books (Global Business)

How the recession will help you find inner peace, save the planet and learn how to sew. An upside to the downturn

PEOPLE

BRIEFING

Mark Halperin's Take: A Rose Garden 10-Strike

President Obama turned what could have been a crippling blow — losing General Stanley McChrystal in Afghanistan — into one of the strongest moments of his presidency to date