What do we want from the books we take with us when we travel? They can be a destination, a guide — or the tether that restores us to ourselves.

Vacation Reading, Unpacked

The onetime ‘manager of the century’ paved the way for C.E.O.s to moonlight as internet trolls.

How Jack Welch’s Reign at G.E. Gave Us Elon Musk’s Twitter Feed

Thanks to Beyoncé, Ralph Lauren and hit shows like “All American: Homecoming,” depictions of Black campus life have moved from “A Different World” to center stage.

H.B.C.U.s Have a Spirit All Their Own. Pop Culture Is Paying Attention.

Patriarch Kirill I has provided spiritual cover for the invasion of Ukraine, reaping vast resources for his church in return. Now, in an extraordinary step, the E.U. is threatening him with sanctions.

The Russian Orthodox Leader at the Core of Putin’s Ambitions

David Perdue challenged Gov. Brian Kemp because of Donald Trump’s fury over his 2020 loss. Thoroughly outflanked and failing to gain traction, he is now staring down defeat.

Perdue Had Trump. In Georgia, Kemp Had Everything Else.

Under current New York State law, landlords are not required to offer new leases to market-rate tenants. That could soon change.

What Is ‘Good Cause Eviction,’ and What Does It Mean for Renters?

Quotation of the Day for Saturday, May 21, 2022.

Quotation of the Day: Covid Deaths Left Big Holes in the Hearts of Loved Ones. All That Grief Is Taking a Toll.

Millions of Americans take aspirin to prevent a first heart attack or stroke. Now, doctors are advising against it — especially for people over 70.

A Daily Aspirin Regimen May Hurt More Than Help, Experts Warn

Erin Beatty, of the upcycling brand Rentrayage, explains how she handcrafts her line from discarded fabrics.

The Designer Turning Two Used T-Shirts Into High Fashion

Traumatized by war and sexual assaults, some U.S. veterans and veterans’ spouses are seeking help in a Mexican clinic that treats depression and addiction with potent hallucinogens like toad poison.

‘I Want to Reset My Brain’: Female Veterans Turn to Psychedelic Therapy

There is no universal definition of the complex condition, but clues about causes and potential treatments are beginning to emerge.

What We Know About Long Covid So Far

Wasn’t this supposed to be the summer of big plans? Inflation, Covid-19 and instability have some travelers putting away their passports and grabbing their weekender bags: The close-to-home vacation isn’t dead yet.

Staycation, Again?

Extreme weather was also felt elsewhere in Europe as heat waves threatened Spain and parts of southern France.

1 Dead and Dozens Injured After 3 Tornadoes Strike Western Germany

But a diplomatic resolution to the war still looks remote, amid searing questions about what would constitute a “victory” for Kyiv.

As Biden Signs $40 Billion Aid Package for Ukraine, Calls Grow for a Cease-Fire

The role-playing game has never been more popular, and players seem to be getting more out of it than ever before.

Who’s Playing Dungeons & Dragons These Days? The Usual Fans, and Then Some.

In other words, yes, the director has made a movie about Elvis.

Baz Luhrmann Is Ready for Rhinestones, Cadillacs, Dr. Feelgood and a Svengali

President Biden said he would consider expanding joint exercises with South Korea’s military that were scaled back during the Trump administration.

Rejecting ‘Love Letters’ to North Korea, Biden Offers Carrots and Sticks Instead

Readers react to an essay about praying to a pretend God.

Dear God, Even if You Don’t Exist

In a long career onstage (including Broadway), in movies and on television, he ranged across genres, from sketch comedy to science fiction.

Kenneth Welsh, Memorable as a Villain on ‘Twin Peaks,’ Dies at 80

His company took a lighthearted approach to its products, with a wisecracking stork as its mascot, and became the market leader.

Robert J. Vlasic Dies at 96; Made a Fortune by Making Pickles Funny

Plundering our attention and poisoning us with lies.

Johnny Depp and Other Pirates

He fought to spare Grand Central Terminal from the fate that befell Penn Station. He also helped draft a landmarks preservation law that became a model across the country.

Frank Gilbert, Preservationist in New York and Beyond, Dies at 91

Why a reasonable fear of chronic illness isn’t a case against normal living.

Long Covid Is Dangerous. The Fear of It Still Shouldn’t Rule Your Life.

The militant group in charge of the country is aggressively enforcing a decree requiring coverings from head to toe and crushing rare public protests against the order.

The Taliban Pressure Women in Afghanistan to Cover Up

Like Biden before him, Anthony Albanese enters office more on the back of disgust at the conservative incumbent than enthusiasm for his leadership.

May 21, 2022

Headlines from May 21, 2022

Vacation Reading, Unpacked

How Jack Welch’s Reign at G.E. Gave Us Elon Musk’s Twitter Feed

H.B.C.U.s Have a Spirit All Their Own. Pop Culture Is Paying Attention.

The Russian Orthodox Leader at the Core of Putin’s Ambitions

Perdue Had Trump. In Georgia, Kemp Had Everything Else.

Billboard 200

Un Verano Sin Ti

I Never Liked You

Come Home The Kids Miss You

Dangerous: The Double Album

Sour

Historical Context for May 21, 2022