COVER
Jonathan Franzen: Great American Novelist (Cover)
At a time when the trend in fiction has been toward specialization, Jonathan Franzen, author of The Corrections and the new Freedom, is a devotee of the all-embracing, way-we-live-now novel
Franzen's Bookshelf
Jonathan Franzen offers his take on five novels that inspired him recently
ESSAY
Why the U.S. Must Make the Middle East Less Important (Commentary / Viewpoint)
Reducing our use of oil would make the region less significant. That would be good for everyone
The Kentucky Test: Is Rand Paul's Brew Too Strong? (Commentary / In the Arena)
How deeply will anti-Democrat sentiment affect November's elections? The race between Rand Paul and Jack Conway in Kentucky will reveal a lot
Bring On the Elites! (The Awesome Column)
Why I want experts sitting on the Supreme Court. And remodeling my kitchen
NATION
After Avandia: Does the FDA Have a Drug Problem? (The Well / Nation)
A TIME investigation of Avandia's journey from lab to pharmacy reveals serious flaws in the way the Food and Drug Administration protects consumers from harmful medicines
The World's Longest Yard Sale (The Well / Society)
At this flea market over six states, one person's junk is another's treasure
The World's Longest Yard Sale
Photos: At this flea market over six states, one person's junk is another's treasure
The 675-Mile-Long Yard Sale
The Highway 127 Yard Sale bills itself as the world's longest, stretching from Michigan down to Alabama along 675 miles of rural highway
WORLD
Cambodia's New Vacation Spot: A Khmer Rouge Bastion
Hoping to divert visitors from the well-worn temple-beach circuit, the Cambodian government is trying to turn a former Khmer Rouge stronghold into an unlikely tourist attraction
Cleaning Up Sumo (The Well / World)
Racked by scandal and an influx of foreign competitors, can Japan's most traditional sport keep up with the times?
The Changing Face of Sumo Wrestling
Racked by scandal and inundated with foreign competitors, the traditional Japanese sport struggles to keep up with the times
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Eat Pray Love — Happily Ever After? (Movies)
As a woman in search of herself in Eat Pray Love, the radiant Julia Roberts, as memoir author Elizabeth Gilbert, is second only to the food
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: a Fizzy Double Feature! (Movies)
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a fizzy double feature of rom-com sweetness and video-game fights
The Myth of Fact (Tuned In)
Despite all the evidence, many still believe Obama wasn't born in the U.S. Maybe the truth isn't what it used to be
Q&A Rosanne Cash
Short List
TIME'S PICKS FOR THE WEEK
SOCIETY
Weekday Vegetarians (Life / Going Green)
Yes, they're compromising a principle. But they still get to eat bacon!
Where's The Beet? (Life / Food)
How big-name chefs are shrinking their customers' carnivore quota
A Chef Vegges Out
Video: How big-name chefs — including LA's Quinn Hatfield — are shrinking their customers' carnivore quota
Veggie-Centric Recipes: Chefs Do More with Less Meat
Examples of how seven big-name chefs are shrinking their customers' carnivore quota
SCIENCE
Lake Invaders (The Well / Environment)
Flying, fearsome Asian carp have already taken over much of the Mississippi. Can electrical barriers keep them out of the Great Lakes--or do we need to block the waterways to keep the fish from spreading?
The Fish Are Flying
Photos: Make sure you bring protective gear to the annual event in Bath, Illinois, because these fish jumping, literally, out of the water
Holy Carp! Flying Fish in Illinois
Video: At the annual Redneck Fishing Tournament in Bath, Illinois, put down the pole and grab a net, because these fish will come to you...fast!
PEOPLE
10 Questions for Sylvester Stallone (10 Questions)
He wrote, directed and stars in The Expendables, out now. Sylvester Stallone will now take your questions
BRIEFING
The Moment
8|9|10: New York
The World
10 ESSENTIAL STORIES
The Real Winners and Losers of the Colorado Primaries (Washington The Politics Page)
After a confusing flurry of summer primaries leading up to November's midterms, the Aug. 10 Senate contests in Colorado provided some clarity about the mood of the electorate and the parties' prospects for the fall
How Will Obama Reshuffle His National-Security Team? (Washington The Politics Page)
One of the earliest to exit the White House after the midterms could be the National Security Adviser, Jim Jones, who from the start has been an awkward fit
Sarah Palin's Winning Seal of Approval — So Far (Washington The Politics Page)
Sarah Palin has made about 30 endorsements in GOP primaries this year — but her batting average is starting to flatten out.
Lab Report: Health, Science and Medicine
Verbatim
Brief History: Presidential Vacations
The Skimmer
Book Review: A World Without Islam by Graham E. Fuller