COVER

How to Save Afghanistan (Cover Story)

Violence has dipped in Iraq, but surges in Afghanistan. A veteran diplomat explains why more troops won't help

NATION

85% of US Unhappy with Economy (The Well / Economy)

An exclusive TIME / Rockefeller Foundation poll shows unprecedented dissatisfaction — and very little optimism

Frenemies: The McCain-Bush Dance (The Well / Campaign '08)

McCain has defied the President more than any other Republican, yet he can't escape Bush's shadow. A close look at the political relationship that could cost McCain the election

ESSAY

That's Not Funny! (Tuned In)

The flap over the New Yorker's Obama cover shows why our body politic needs to lighten up

The New Social Contract (Viewpoint)

Innovative products and policies are needed to give Americans a modern economic safety net

Throw the Bums Out!

And bring in some new bums. Why 2008 is a great time to be a political outsider

WORLD

Beijing's Revolution (Olympic Preview)

On the eve of the Summer Games, China's capital is buzzing with a hot cultural scene, creative entrepreneurs and a collection of new buildings

Postcard: London

A mysterious bug found in a museum garden has entomologists wondering what might have prompted its sudden appearance. A scientific detective story

BRIEFING

Confidence Game. (The Moment: Pasadena, Calif.)

Economic anxiety may be all in our heads. But our heads may be right

HEALTH & MEDICINE

Rash Redux (Health / Health)

Why chicken pox strikes some adults a second time--as shingles--and how to avoid the repeat

TECHNOLOGY

Warming to the Kindle (Life / User's Guide)

How Josh Quittner learned to love Amazon's digital book-reading device despite its imperfections

SOCIETY

The Pursuit of Teen Girl Purity (The Well / Society)

Striking back against a Girls Gone Wild culture, many fathers and daughters are choosing a much different path

BUSINESS

Crisis? What Crisis? (The Curious Capitalist)

Another month, another emergency resolved. But Washington can't bail us out forever

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Take a Chance on Mamma Mia? (Movies)

The film of the hit musical Mamma Mia! is either awful or irresistible. It all depends on how much you like Abba

Giving Up the Fight (Viewpoint)

What kept the U.S. from liking Abba for three decades? One longtime fan has the answer

A Fan's Notes (Books)

A new book teaches us how to read novels. But wait--didn't we already know how to do that?

TO OUR READERS

The Service Agenda

TIME is helping to lead a major push to make national service a priority in Washington. And we want you to get involved

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

Karachi Dreams Big (Global Business / Megacities)

Its ambitious mayor has visions of Dubai, but there are grittier issues to resolve first

String Theory (Global Business / Small Business)

Sharon Rowe saw the green wave in reusable shopping bags. She was just a couple of decades early

Business Books

Globalization's next chapter. The corporate code--minority division. Why one irate customer might be one too many

LETTERS