September 2023

by Justin E. H. Smith,

[Prose]

Waiting for the Lights

The life of an Iranian exile

by Amir Ahmadi Arian,

Harper’s Magazine welcomes reader response.

Email us about articles in the magazine.

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage change in net income at the largest U.S. entertainment companies since 2013 : −89

[Harper’s Index]

Number of years by which the median American’s age has increased since 1980 : 9

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage decrease since 2000 in the average global fertility rate : 15

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Americans 65 and older who believe their life advice should be compiled into a book : 41

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of Americans 65 and older who have used a dating app : 1/4

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which people who are frequently lonely are at greater risk of premature death : 60

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which Europeans report less engagement at work than Americans : 62

[Harper’s Index]

By which Europeans report less stress than Americans : 26

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of American adults who claim they have no secrets : 11

[Harper’s Index]

Factor by which those 65 and older are more likely than those under 30 to claim this : 3

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of Gen Z-ers who support the government installation of surveillance cameras in households to prevent crime : 3/10

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage change since 1995 in support for the FBI among Republicans : −65

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of first-time U.S. gun buyers during the pandemic who were women : 1/2

[Harper’s Index]

Minimum number of children newly exposed to guns at home since the start of the pandemic : 3,000,000

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of Americans who apologize for something out of their control at least once a day : 1/4

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which those who attend religious services weekly are more likely to do so : 72

[Harper’s Index]

Estimated percentage decrease this year in U.S. sales of engagement rings : 9

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of physicians and surgeons who marry partners with the same profession : 19

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of firefighters who are married to registered nurses : 1/10

[Harper’s Index]

Minimum number of Americans who donate their bodies to science each year : 11,045

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Americans who die in a manner that allows for organ donation : 0.3

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which women are more likely than men to be registered as organ donors : 22

[Harper’s Index]

By which Republicans are more likely than Democrats : 24

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of patient advocacy groups that receive funding from pharmaceutical companies : 83

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of patient advocacy groups that have a pharmaceutical executive on their board : 1/3

[Harper’s Index]

Date on which the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved the production and sale of lab-grown poultry : 6/21/23

[Harper’s Index]

Number of other countries worldwide that have approved the sale of lab-grown meat : 1

[Harper’s Index]

Estimated value of the lab-grown meat industry in the United States : $247,000,000

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which full-service restaurants are operating with fewer hourly employees than in 2019 : 7

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of consumers who say they are frustrated by the lack of staff : 42

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Americans who are comfortable with AI helping restaurants take orders : 60

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage change in net income at the largest U.S. entertainment companies since 2013 : −89

[Harper’s Index]

Number of years by which the median American’s age has increased since 1980 : 9

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage decrease since 2000 in the average global fertility rate : 15

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Americans 65 and older who believe their life advice should be compiled into a book : 41

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of Americans 65 and older who have used a dating app : 1/4

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which people who are frequently lonely are at greater risk of premature death : 60

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which Europeans report less engagement at work than Americans : 62

[Harper’s Index]

By which Europeans report less stress than Americans : 26

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of American adults who claim they have no secrets : 11

[Harper’s Index]

Factor by which those 65 and older are more likely than those under 30 to claim this : 3

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of Gen Z-ers who support the government installation of surveillance cameras in households to prevent crime : 3/10

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage change since 1995 in support for the FBI among Republicans : −65

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of first-time U.S. gun buyers during the pandemic who were women : 1/2

[Harper’s Index]

Minimum number of children newly exposed to guns at home since the start of the pandemic : 3,000,000

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of Americans who apologize for something out of their control at least once a day : 1/4

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which those who attend religious services weekly are more likely to do so : 72

[Harper’s Index]

Estimated percentage decrease this year in U.S. sales of engagement rings : 9

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of physicians and surgeons who marry partners with the same profession : 19

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of firefighters who are married to registered nurses : 1/10

[Harper’s Index]

Minimum number of Americans who donate their bodies to science each year : 11,045

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Americans who die in a manner that allows for organ donation : 0.3

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which women are more likely than men to be registered as organ donors : 22

[Harper’s Index]

By which Republicans are more likely than Democrats : 24

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of patient advocacy groups that receive funding from pharmaceutical companies : 83

[Harper’s Index]

Portion of patient advocacy groups that have a pharmaceutical executive on their board : 1/3

[Harper’s Index]

Date on which the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved the production and sale of lab-grown poultry : 6/21/23

[Harper’s Index]

Number of other countries worldwide that have approved the sale of lab-grown meat : 1

[Harper’s Index]

Estimated value of the lab-grown meat industry in the United States : $247,000,000

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage by which full-service restaurants are operating with fewer hourly employees than in 2019 : 7

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of consumers who say they are frustrated by the lack of staff : 42

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage of Americans who are comfortable with AI helping restaurants take orders : 60

[Harper’s Index]

Percentage change in net income at the largest U.S. entertainment companies since 2013 : −89

Readings

[Essay]

Nip & Luck

by Alessandra Colaianni,

[Belles Lettres]

The Thin Veil

by Bonny Cassidy,

[Literary Criticism]

Read It and Sleep

by Marie Darrieussecq,Translated by Penny Hueston,

[Q&A]

Dreams of My Father

by Karl Ove Knausgaard,Translated by Martin Aitken,

[Poem]

Führian Slip

The Treachery of Narrative, a painting by Elijah River Dion, whose work was on view in July at Steven Zevitas Gallery, in Boston.

“A table tennis table at a public housing estate, Hong Kong,” a photograph by Wong Chung-Wai, whose book Hong Kong After Hong Kong was published in August by GOST Books.

A photograph by Matthew Finn, whose work is included in the book Pictures from the Garden, which was published in May by Dewi Lewis Publishing.

The Harvester, a painting by Chris Ofili, whose work was on view in July as part of the exhibition The Seven Deadly Sins at Victoria Miro, in London. An accompanying book features this artwork alongside an essay by Hilton Als.

“Rukmesh Kumari IV,” a unique photographic transfer print on khaddar fabric with phulkari silk thread embroidery, by Spandita Malik, whose work is on view this month at Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, in Kansas City, Missouri.

The Treachery of Narrative, a painting by Elijah River Dion, whose work was on view in July at Steven Zevitas Gallery, in Boston.

“A table tennis table at a public housing estate, Hong Kong,” a photograph by Wong Chung-Wai, whose book Hong Kong After Hong Kong was published in August by GOST Books.