The Thrill of the Quest
A roundup of essays in which Atlantic writers travel near and far to find what’s missing
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“The quest” is a well-worn literary trope: Characters travel long distances and face obstacles in hopes of finding justice, or revenge, or forgiveness. But when real people go on quests, their goals can be a little more eclectic. The writer Gary Shteyngart traversed three continents to achieve his dream of “a perfect suit, made by an expert tailor out of superlative fabric”—a suit that he believed “would do nothing less than transform me.” Meanwhile, our staff writer Olga Khazan went on an internal quest, giving herself three months to change her personality. (She ultimately found that “being slightly different is still being different—the same you but with better armor.”)
Today’s newsletter rounds up some Atlantic quests. In many of these journeys, the writer ends up finding something very different from what they were looking for.
On Quests
The Man in the Midnight-Blue Six-Ply Italian-Milled Wool Suit
By Gary Shteyngart
A perfect suit, made by an expert tailor out of superlative fabric, would do nothing less than transform me.
Joan Didion’s Magic Trick
By Caitlin Flanagan
What was it that gave her such power?
I Gave Myself Three Months to Change My Personality
By Olga Khazan
The results were mixed.
Still Curious?
- “I Gooped myself”: “I spent $1,279 of The Atlantic’s money on creams, crystals, and a vibrator from Gwyneth Paltrow’s wellness empire,” Amanda Mull wrote in 2019. “Things got weird.”
- Inside the dangerous, secretive world of extreme fishing: Tyler Austin Harper wrote last year about why he swims out into rough seas 80 nights a year to hunt for striped bass.
Other Diversions
- Bridget Jones never gets old.
- The last days of American orange juice
- 10 indie films you should watch for in 2025
P.S.
I recently asked readers to share a photo of something that sparks their sense of awe in the world. “I took these photos on an afternoon visit to Pacaya National Park in Guatemala,” Peter van Dorsten, 71, from Raleigh, North Carolina, writes. “Upon reaching the top of the active volcano, we roasted marshmallows from the heat rising from the ground.”
I’ll continue to feature your responses in the coming weeks. If you’d like to share, reply to this email with a photo and a short description so we can share your wonder with fellow readers in a future edition of this newsletter or on our website. Please include your name (initials are okay), age, and location. By doing so, you agree that The Atlantic has permission to publish your photo and publicly attribute the response to you, including your first name and last initial, age, and/or location that you share with your submission.
— Isabel
