Issue 59 / Spring 2016
59 / Marriage
Get ready for a new world
This issue surveys the contemporary landscape of matrimony, as writers recall walking down the aisle for the first or third or fifth time; vow never to wed again, except in the role of officiant; dissect the first year of marriage; brave city hall; and realize what it means to bind yourself, for better or for worse, to another person. There’s no one way to get or to be married, and when it comes to the ties that bind, it’s a new world.
Plus, a profile of New York Times obituary writer Margalit Fox; why divorce memoirs are flourishing; and a special single-author collection of Tiny Truths.
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What’s the Story #59
"These days, we’re free—for better or for worse, as the traditional ceremony puts it—to pick and choose rather than relying on tradition"A Story We Tell Ourselves and Others
Finding inspiration in marriage memoirsSplitsville: On the Rise of Divorce Memoirs
A writer wonders why divorce memoirs are flourishingThe Math of Marriage
One simple equation compels the author to take a fifth trip down the aisleStealth
A nontraditional couple struggles with keeping part of their life together private while undertaking the public act of filing for marriageThe Marrying Kind
Married for twenty years, happily divorced for six, the author vowed never to wed again—except in the role of officiantThat Night: Fifty Years Later
A sudden change in the draft deferment rules motivates a young couple to plan and carry out a wedding within six hoursAlphabet for the First Year
26 ways of looking at marriageEconomy Class
In every relationship, there is a spender and a saverHow You Know
Sometimes, with Christmas gifts, it really is the thought that countsWhat We Cannot See
A third-time bride realizes she's having a wedding for all the wrong reasonsThe Currency of Moons
A husband's broken ankle derails a "save your marriage" vacationFalse Intimacy: A Cautionary Perspective
Marriage can provide a unique entry point into another culture—but it's not a substitute for immersion reportingAfterlife
New York Times obituary writer Margalit Fox is a master of the "fiendishly difficult" task of obituary writingNobody Ever Sees It Coming
The suicide memoir balances grief and curiosity[Family Secret]
Sometimes grandmas tell you things they shouldn'tTiny Truths
We’re sorry; we’re currently unable to make this work available online.Navigating the Current
The husband and wife duo behind Tugboat Printshop talk open up about their process, collaboration, and inspirationWe Can Only Navigate With What We Know
An interview with the winner of the $1,000 "Marriage" essay contest