COVER

Blue Truth Red Truth (Election 2012 The Race)

Both candidates say White House hopefuls should talk straight with voters. Here's why neither man is ready to take his own advice

EDITOR'S DESK

FEATURES

Mr. Serious (Profile)

A decade ago, Ben Affleck was a tabloid fixture. Five years ago, a fledgling filmmaker. Today, he's the force behind one of the year's best movies

Ready, Set, Disrupt (Ideas)

Eight ideas that are changing the way we live, eat, work, shop and play--again

BRIEFING

LETTERS

COMMENTARY

A Tea Party Test Case (In the Arena)

A headstrong conservative faces an Iraq-war heroine in a pivotal House race

BUSINESS

Local Food Grows Up (Small Business)

High energy prices and changing tastes are pushing farms to sell their produce closer to home. Can the movement to eat locally reshape the food-supply chain?

None of the Above (New Energy)

Does either candidate really believe in an "all of the above" energy policy?

THE CULTURE

10 Questions for Ty Burrell (10 Questions)

Modern Family's Ty Burrell on playing jerks, life in Salt Lake City and what sank his action-hero career

Founding Father (The Awesome Column)

In getting a charter school started, I learned how to make people really angry

Storyville (Fall Reading)

WELCOME TO AUTUMN BOOKS TERRITORY, WHERE NEIGHBORS INCLUDE CHEFS, WONKS, CON WOMEN AND, PER USUAL, VAMPIRES

Scary Monsters (Fall Reading)

PARANORMAL NOVELS BUILT ON PROVEN FORMULAS

Indulge-o-Meter (Fall Reading)

Cookbooks that range from health-conscious to hedonistic

Nate Silver (Fall Reading)

A CRYSTAL BALL FILLED WITH STATS

David Quammen (Fall Reading)

LIFE ON THE FRONT LINES OF VIROLOGY

Dark Days (Fall Reading)

TWO WRITERS ESCHEW THE BRIGHT SIDE