Magazine - The Boston Globe

May 9, 2021

“As a law enforcement officer, you go into a variety of situations, all the way from homicide to minor disturbances. When you go in there with education, you go in there with solutions available to you,” says Anthony Roberson, the new chief in Central Falls and former Providence police officer.

A teacher said he was destined for failure. Now he’s a police chief with a PhD

Anthony Roberson understands the power of positive relationships and wants his officers in Central Falls, Rhode Island, to forge them with the people they serve. By AMANDA MILKOVITS

Ervin Staub, a professor emeritus at UMass Amherst, is an expert on the science of intervention

Can police be taught to stop their own violence?

Boston’s department and others are adopting a peer-intervention training program. The ideas come from a UMass psychologist who survived the Holocaust, thanks to the help of others. BY DOUGLAS STARR

Senator Elizabeth Warren visits a California day care and preschool in December 2019, not long before the start of the pandemic.

Elizabeth Warren on why we need universal child care now

In an essay adapted from her new book, the senator says the pandemic made it clear: The economy depends on child care and caregivers.

The writer at age 3, with her mother.

Moving back home with my mom during the pandemic helped our relationship

Dinner With Cupid

This week's Cupid pairing: Olivia and Nick.

Blind date: ‘I went into it thinking I would have a nice conversation with someone’

Zucchini and Goat Cheese Omelet

Recipes: Goat cheese gives a tangy boost to omelets, pasta, and salad

The designer wallpaper seven rooms in this Wellesley house, including this nursery for the clients' second daughter.

Home design inspiration: Wallpaper in a nursery

She wants an open marriage, but she’s worried things won’t work out well

My friend started working for a home-sales party company. Do I have to buy something?

The kitchen of 1558 Centre Street #2, Roslindale.

For sale: Homes in Roslindale

Your Week Ahead
Five things to do, May 10-16
Glass Models of Plants, Interpreting the Past Through Comics, Bird-a-thon Weekend, and More.

Letters to the editor of the Globe Magazine

Readers weigh in on an essay about lawn care and a feature on how the ultra-wealthy can hide assets.

May 2, 2021 | Summer Travel

Illustration for vacation travel guide for summer. Image of summer vacation scenes, including beach umbrella, car towing a trailer, an amusement park, a plane, etc.

You’re vaccinated and ready to roam. Here’s how to make the most of your summer vacation

Wellfleet, MA- July 1, 2014- Globe Staff Photo by Stan Grossfeld- Damon Wolf, 13, New Paltz, N.Y. does a handstand as the sun sets into Cape Cod Bay in Wellfleet.

Pack patience along with your sunblock when heading to Cape Cod this summer

Massachusetts 54th Regiment reenactors in front of the Robert Gould Shaw and Massachusetts 54th Regiment Memorial in 2018.

The Black Heritage Trail: A walking tour deep into Boston history

April 25, 2021 | Top Spots to Live

Illustration of a house, key, and outdoor activities to go with a story about how the pandemic has affected the real estate market, causing people to want more space and outdoor space in particular.

Top Spots to Live in Greater Boston in 2021

Even amid a pandemic, these 24 communities saw the biggest leaps in house prices north, south, and west of Boston, plus in the city itself.

A gracious Victorian-era home in Dorchester, Boston’s largest neighborhood.

Top Spots to Live 2021: Boston neighborhoods

Springtime at Mass Audubon’s Drumlin Farm in Lincoln.

Top Spots to Live 2021: West of Boston

Rosebud American Kitchen & Bar in Somerville’s Davis Square.

Top Spots to Live 2021: North of Boston

A view of Buzzards Bay from Marion.

Top Spots to Live 2021: South of Boston

The Citizens Bank Opera House and Emerson Paramount are among the many performing arts spaces that have been closed because of the COVID pandemic.

City living lost some appeal for condo hunters during the pandemic

A laptop with images of vacation destinations around New England shown as photos representing people talking on a Zoom chat.

How remote working brought a real estate boom to the Cape and Berkshires

April 11, 2021 | College & COVID

An illustration of a student teetering on top of a group of books, which is being hit by a wrecking ball that looks like a coronavirus.

What college students like me have learned during the COVID year

For more than a year, we’ve been lurching through the seismic changes on campus and off. It’s been difficult, but there have been hopeful moments, too.

The writer logs into her Emerson classes from home in Chicago.

I’ve never set foot in the college that I attend 1,000 miles away

Zachary Steward had to leave school for financial reasons and is working two jobs to afford to return. (Photo by magazine co-op Jakob Menedez)

In a pandemic economy, the high costs of college are even higher

The Bunker Hill Community College food pantry.

How the pandemic worsened food insecurity among college students

Students gather, while giving one another distance, on the stairs of Emerson Hall at Harvard University.

Making friends while attending college classes on Zoom is tough

Two people share a moment near Berklee College of Music.

Dating in college is more difficult than ever. Students have found ways to keep romance alive

MassArt student Bobbi Colburn wearing a face mask she created.

‘There’s so much beautiful work that’s come out of this’: College art students in the COVID era

Clockwise from top left: Jack Clohisy, Tuft's men's track; Taylor Soule, BC women's basketball; Soren Colstrup (No. 14), Framingham State men's hockey; and Sophie Trachtenberg (No. 12), Brandeis women's basketball.

College athletes are getting a lot of practice — in disappointment

An illustration of a woman coping with stress, mental health.

It wasn’t supposed to be this way: The unrelenting stress of being in college during a pandemic

For graduating international students, a scramble to secure work visas

It isn’t only students experiencing burnout. Professors are tired of Zoom, too

Drawing of a young girl with a net trying to capture butterflies or something.

15 last-minute ideas for things to do with kids during April school vacation

For parents who’ve been swamped, we’ve put together a list of fun family adventures where they take COVID safety precautions. BY KARA BASKIN

April 4, 2021

Malcolm Cawthorne at Brookline High School.

The exhaustion of being a Black teacher in a school when you’re one of too few educators of color

As well-intentioned schools with mostly white staffs scramble to respond to a reckoning on racism, an “invisible tax” of work falls on too few teachers and administrators like Malcolm Cawthorne in Brookline.

Illustration of someone shoveling piles of money.

The costs of a secretive ‘wealth defense industry’ of shell companies, offshore tax havens, and empty luxury condos

March 28, 2021

Your Home: The Guide

Illustration highlighting popular home renovation trends, including touchless faucets and backyard putting greens.

Most-wanted COVID-19 home renovations: More space, touchless faucets, and ... putting greens?

Dennis McCarthy, a self-taught scholar working from his dinner table, is challenging decades of scholarship on the origins of the Bard’s greatest work. BY MICHAEL BLANDING

When the pandemic brought new urgency to finding private space, Danielle and Andrew Robertson transformed their almost-finished basement into an appealing office with side-by-side desks, a sitting area, and a photo studio that doubles as a workout spot.

This DIY home office project came with a bonus: Escaping the kids

Since the homeowners love to entertain, a grown-up space seemed like a fun splurge for above the garage. Robins even carved out a powder room at the base of the stairs so guests needn’t traipse through the house. A glitzy bar area beckons guests to help themselves and get comfortable.

What to do with space above the garage? How about a Vegas-style lounge?

An original oil painting by Irish artist Therese O’Keeffe, purchased online at Saatchi Art, hangs above the homeowner’s bed. “I always do custom beds so the mattress sits on a platform instead of below the sideboards, and that’s hard to find,” says designer Annie Hall. “This design makes it much easier to change the sheets.” She chose the zigzag table by Eric Pfeiffer for Corral because of its architectural shape and small scale.

A home style refresh in Medford, finished just in time for the pandemic lockdown

In the living room, designer Erica Palm created a single gathering space with two long parts of a sectional around an RH coffee table that can take wear and tear.

How a 1970s deck house was restored to its mid-century modern-style glory

March 21, 2021

An illustration of William Shakespeare peeking through writing quills.

How a college dropout in New Hampshire found a Shakespeare secret all the PhDs missed

Dennis McCarthy, a self-taught scholar working from his dinner table, is challenging decades of scholarship on the origins of the Bard’s greatest work. BY MICHAEL BLANDING

Stacey Kokaram, the clinic manager for a vaccination site at the Reggie Lewis center, checks on the booths where the shots are given.

Inside the effort to build trust in COVID vaccines

How Dr. Simone Wildes and her colleagues are working to ensure vaccination in communities of color that are too often let down by the medical field. BY LINDSAY KALTER

The author has been keeping a pandemic diary, starting on Day 1 with a photo of the family pets. She has posted everyday, including a photo of her son's baseball game on Day 132 and flowers on Day 358.

I’m keeping an Instagram pandemic diary. When should I stop?

The ritual brings me comfort, even though it’s a reminder of a terrible time. BY JOANNA WEISS

March 14, 2021

Boston, MA -- 3/1/21 -- Lisa Loughlin, a chaplain who is part of 'Common Cathedral' an organization which has ecumenical services on Boston Common embraces Carlito Ortiz (R) after she ministered to him inside Back Bay station. (Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff)

Chaplains and the rise of on-demand spiritual support

As traditional religious practice recedes, many New Englanders are increasingly turning to a different kind of pastor when and where they're needed.

Threads of Memory

02/07/2021 BOSTON, MA Lesyslie Rackard (cq) poses for a portrait at her home in Boston. Rackard is a member of the quilting group “Sisters in Stitches Joined by the Cloth.” Her 2019 work “The Laundress” is on display behind her. (Aram Boghosian for The Boston Globe)

Quilters are weaving personal histories of the Black experience: ‘We’re a people with a lot of stories to tell’

March 7, 2021 | Back to Nature

Illustration of a family camping in the woods by a lake.

‘A shortcut to mindfulness’: Finding a way back to the great outdoors

After a winter like no other it’s time to get out and rediscover the healing powers of the natural world.

Illustration of a bird in a tree

Eight great places for bird-watching in New England

Not a birder? Or new to the flock? These serene Northeast destinations will delight even those who merely enjoy a lovely walk in the woods.

Illustration of a couple walking along a beach on Cape Cod with a lighthouse in the foreground.

30,000 steps on Cape Cod: A three-day walking tour

Enjoy a change of scenery on these standout trails during an escape built around walking 10,000 steps daily through the Cape’s rich blend of geography, history, and culture.

Illustration of a family walking through a garden.

A plant lover’s guide to 16 gorgeous gardens and arboretums around New England

Illustration of a person fly-fishing in a river.

Professional guides reveal the best fly-fishing spots in New England

Even if you don’t catch a thing take solace in the old saying: Trout don’t live in ugly places.

February 28, 2021 | The year of pandemic parenting

Illustration of a family gathered around a backyard firepit toasting marshmallows.

4 ways families can find silver linings from this terrible pandemic year

School supplies of blank lined notebook paper with eraser marks and erased pencil writing, surrounded by balled up paper and a sharp pencil. Studying or writing mistakes concept.

Parents can care about education and still be OK writing this school year off

At left: Meredith Gonzalez (front center) and family. Top right: Amy Reichbach. Bottom Right: Sara Altukhaim and family.

‘Being forgiving of ourselves is probably the biggest.’ 9 parents on getting through the pandemic

Illustration of six kids at camp

What should kids expect at summer camps this year?

February 21, 2021 | My Boston History

Julia Mejia lifts up the hand of her daughter, Annaliese Cooper, as they celebrate at her inaugural party in Roxbury in January 2020.

I was the little girl running to her mom because the neighbor boy couldn’t see past the color of her skin

Dart Adams.

Why New Edition’s breakout success meant so much to kids like me growing up in Roxbury

Phillip Martin.

I first came to Boston in the summer of 1975, a time of firebombs and violence

Porsha Olayiwola

Boston, MA. 08/26/09 Scenes from the No. 1 bus taking passengers from Dudley Station in Roxbury down Massachusetts Avenue to to Harvard University in Cambridge on Wednesday, August 26, 2009. A mural in Roxbury.

I was born on the South Side of Chicago. Boston is where I came of age

Linda Chavers
The place I became a Black woman scholar. And a Black woman with an invisible illness
Boston is where I received the most devastating news of my life, but also where I received the most elite care and support.

Kirsten Greenidge

NATIONAL CENTER OF AFRO-AMERICAN ARTISTS production of "BLACK NATIVITY."

Pictured: Drumming to African beats, an array of talented artists, beautiful costumes, songs and dance illuminate the stage for Boston audiences at this years Black Nativity.

We loved ‘The Nutcracker.’ We rejoiced at ‘Black Nativity’

While I understood all spaces should be open to all, this space was created to expand a sense of belonging to more.

Danielle Legros Georges
Greeted by slurs and stones, we forged a community of Haitian immigrants
Our new home was not ruled by dictators, yet we quickly understood the proposed limits and informal surveillance of our movements.

February 14, 2021

The Ultimate Takeout Guide

Containers of takeout food

100 top restaurants for takeout in Boston and beyond

Globe food writers reveal where to pick up some of the very best meals from local, independent restaurants.

Top restaurants for takeout west of the cityTop restaurants for takeout north of the cityTop restaurants for takeout south of the city

February 7, 2021

The oil painting is by Maine artist Cooper Dragonette from Portland Art Gallery. The hand-knotted rug is from Williams Sonoma Home and the drapes are fashioned from Schumacher
Khilana Floral fabric. The upholstered ceiling makes the room feel extra cozy.

A family aims for a cozy and inviting inn feel in their home redesign

The homeowners' son, Mo, shows off his jumping skills while daughter, Maggie, reads at the dining table. The vintage hutch was a Brooklyn flea market find and designer Sisa Suriel calls the Risom rocker “Katherine’s aesthetic to a T.” The rug came with the house.

Can you combine a log cabin with a contemporary addition?

Tabarka hand-painted tiles lighten the mood in the living room, painted Benjamin Moore Beau Green. The portrait of New Hampshire statesman Daniel Webster (top right) nods to owner Justin Burkardt’s home state.

Reworking a century-old home for modern day, while respecting its past

January 31, 2021

Yo-Yo Ma visited Paranal Observatory in northern Chile in 2019 to perform a concert.

Music’s first responder: How Yo-Yo Ma answered the pandemic’s call and consoled a reeling nation

After a lifetime of preparation, the iconic cellist is once more proving classical music’s power to honor grief, catalyze hope, and connect us across isolation. BY JEREMY EICHLER

Ariel Brown, cofounder of The Emotional PPE Project, understands firsthand the value of resilience.

How do you help the healers? The Emotional PPE Project covers what masks and face shields don’t

January 24, 2021

Medford, MA - 10/7/20 - Maureen Ronayne sits with her son, Daniel, as he reads aloud in the family's backyard. Daniel has struggled with reading since preschool, when he couldn't pick up on the letters of the alphabet, or learn to pronounce his name. Over six long years, his parents battled slowly to get Daniel the support he needed, including a spot at the Medford public school with the most reading specialists, a separate class at the school dedicated to reading remediation, and a private tutor funded partially by the district. But when schools shut down in March, all of the 10 year-old's extra supports came to an abrupt halt. So, too, did his progress learning to read. "I got him to read a couple of times over the spring," says his mother, Maureen Ronayne. "He was literally tripping over every word. I was like, What just happened here? We had worked so hard to get him where he was at and we're seeing a complete regression." (Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff)

For schoolchildren struggling to read, COVID-19 has been a wrecking ball

Kids in need of remedial reading support were already vulnerable before the pandemic. Now they’re facing educational ruin.

Photo illustration of people doing every-day things like reading, carrying groceries. They are all wearing face masks due to the pandemic.

Everything about the pandemic has been bad, except this...

At the end of 2020, the Globe Magazine’s Miss Conduct invited readers to share their hard-won lessons from a pandemic year. This is what they had to say.

January 10, 2021

Jujubee prepares for a better year ahead.

Jujubee’s fierce optimism is what we all need right now

2020 was the biggest year yet for the breakout star of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race,’ but it wasn’t easy. Here’s what got her through.

To help make 2021 a good year, Airline Inthyrath suggests pampering yourself a little.

Jujubee’s guide to making 2021 just a little brighter

Exclusive excerpt

Illustration of Billy Baker with a butterfly net surrounded by people who are on his friend list.

How many friends do we really need to be happy?

On my quest for more meaningful friendships, I took a hard look at the people in my life. Then things got a little weird.

January 3, 2021

Photos of the Year

The Globe photographers’ best photos of 2020

Discover the stories behind some of the most memorable images from a long year.

December 27, 2020

Brothers Leo, 14, (left) and Mateo Goldman share a deep bond. This year, Mateo, 12, returned from the hospital just in time for Thanksgiving.

Diagnosed with cancer at age 8, Mateo Goldman needed something like a miracle. He got two

A German stranger’s stem cells became the Massachusetts boy’s first bridge to life. But when his body rejected the treatment, where could he turn?

A photo illustration for Dave Barry's year in review story featuring images of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a protester holding a Black Lives Matter sign, President Trump, Joe Biden, a toilet paper roll, and Rudy Giuliani.

Dave Barry’s year in review: 2020, what can we say . . .

Murder hornets wound up as a bright spot. It was that kind of year.

December 13, 2020

2020 BOSTONIANS OF THE YEAR

The Front Line

The Front Line

In 2020, they stood up to fight the twin pandemics of COVID-19 and racial injustice. Meet the people leading us through a harrowing year.

THE COVID SCIENTISTS

Stacey Gabriel and the Broad Institute, plus Galit Alter, Lindsey Baden, and Ashish Jha

THE SOCIAL JUSTICE ADVOCATES

Monica Cannon-Grant, Queen-Cheyenne Wade, Segun Idowu, and Sofia Meadows

SOCIAL JUSTICE ADVOCATES

THE COMMUNITY LEADERS

Gladys Vega and La Colaborativa

THE ESSENTIAL WORKERS

Health care workers, grocery store employees, delivery drivers, and so many more

ESSENTIAL WORKERS

THE HUNGER FIGHTERS

Erin McAleer and Project Bread

THE ROLE MODEL

Jaylen Brown, activist and athlete

Galit Alter: Connecting scientists to speed up the COVID-19 fight
By encouraging other researchers to share their work, Alter opened doors to new kinds of collaboration.

Lindsey Baden: Taking action on multiple fronts against COVID-19
Baden helped organize efforts to test treatments, co-led the development of a potential vaccine, and opened the floodgates to getting cutting-edge research published.

Ashish Jha: Speaking out for science and for public health in the pandemic
He didn’t want to be a TV personality, but Jha wanted Americans to be well-informed about COVID-19.

December 6, 2020 | Winter Travel Preview

Illustration of a dog sled out on the snow in a mountain setting.

Family fun on our dog-sledding adventure in the forests of New Hampshire

We ventured up north in search of the quiet magic that only falling snow can conjure.

A nighttime photograph of the slopes at The Lodge at Spruce Peak in Vermont.

What to expect on New England’s ski slopes this season of COVID

With new safety guidelines in place, resorts are ready for a winter of social distancing for skiers and snowboarders.

Corona virus outbreaking. Travel at pandemic time concept. Photo illustration of a starfish on a beach wearing a polka dot face mask to protect against coronavirus.

How to have a great (and safe) time in Florida if you’re considering a trip this winter

Drive or fly? Stay in a hotel or house rental? Answering questions south-bound travelers have about the Sunshine State.

November 29, 2020

19 September 2020, Bavaria, Munich: Guests sit at tables in front of the Munich City Hall at Marienplatz. Normally, the world's largest folk festival would have opened on 19.09.2020 on the Theresienwiese. Despite the cancellation of the Wiesn due to the corona, events and activities will take place in the state capital. Photo: Felix Horhager/dpa (Photo by Felix Horhager/picture alliance via Getty Images)

Germany has lessons about containing the damage of COVID-19. It’s not too late for us to start listening

To most German people and politicians, a mask is still just a mask, not a fraught symbol. And that’s making an enormous difference.

Exclusive Excerpt

Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce were being called the Big Three even before playing their first game together.

The origin story of the 2008 Boston Celtics’ Big Three

In an exclusive excerpt from his new book, Michael Holley reveals what it took for Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen to come together as champions.

November 22, 2020 | Top Places to Work

Illustration of six workers on a Zoom video conference. One with a child on his lap and another with a dog peeking over his shoulder.

The 2020 Top Places to Work in Massachusetts

In a year when the pandemic upended, well, everything, these organizations put their employees first.

HubSpot: No. 1 on list of largest companies in Massachusetts in 2020

Enterprise Bank: No 1 on the list of large employers in Massachusetts for 2020

Aqueduct Technologies: No. 1 on the list of medium-size companies in Massachusetts

P.J. Spillane Co.: No. 1 on the list of small companies in Massachusetts for 2020

How these companies are digging deep to address racial inequity at work — and beyond

Life preserver illustration

When forced to furlough employees, these companies had one goal: Bring everyone back

Illustration of animals, kids, and other chaos going on in a home during a Zoom conference meeting.

A funny thing happened while I was working from home

The Phia Group’s human resources manager, Linda Pestana (right), has been bringing her 17-year-old son to the office to log on to school.

Getting creative to help workers whose kids are stuck at home

Photo illustration of a smiley face on the screen of a laptop computer for list of TOp Places to Work.

Explore the special issue

November 15, 2020 | Holiday Style

Light-up, winter lawn ornaments.

20 ideas to rescue the holiday spirit with family and friends in 2020

Salted caramel nut tartlets

Recipes: 5 home-baked treats designed to travel

Counterclockwise, from top left: Mariana earrings, Wicked Good boot moc slippers, locomotive and fish figure kit, Kazi bread basket, 5 Rhodium RI Red vodka, 6 Skin balancing set, "We Are the Change: Words of Inspiration from Civil Rights Leaders" by Harry Belafonte, ski hat, and waxed canvas bag.

28 gift ideas from New England stores and makers

November 8, 2020

The Top 100 Women-Led Businesses in Massachusetts

Meet the female power players of the Bay State.

November 1, 2020 | The Medical Issue

Tom Keane and Laurie Farrell in 1984, not long before they married.

I wrote about losing my wife to younger-onset Alzheimer’s. This is what helped me feel less alone

People who had also lost loved ones to dementia wrote to me in droves, showing me the importance of community.

Why are Black Americans twice as likely to have Alzheimer’s or other dementias as white Americans?
New research into a “silent epidemic” suggests experiencing racism may damage the brain.

A DNA mystery: A woman was supposed to get Alzheimer’s by 50. Why didn’t she?
Mass. General’s Yakeel Quiroz led the search for what was protecting a Colombian woman into her early 70s — and if it might hold promise for others.

These lifestyle changes may protect your brain from Alzheimer’s and dementia

5 advances in Alzheimer’s research and treatment that could make a difference
Improved diagnostics, new ideas for prevention, and perhaps finally a drug for the disease.

October 25, 2020

Jane Britton.

An unsolved 1969 murder of a Harvard grad student. My decade-long quest for answers

After an initial investigation, the mysterious case of Jane Britton’s murder went cold. I heard the story as an undergrad and couldn’t shake it until I learned the truth.

Jojo Sandonato, 19, pops a wheelie on Tremont Street in downtown Boston.

‘In Bikelife, if you know how to ride it doesn’t matter how you look, there’s no discrimination’

Photo illustration of American flag in step formation with female entrepreneur walking up them.

Supporting underrepresented entrepreneurs is our best hope for jump-starting the economy

October 18, 2020

Babe Ruth in 1919, during what would be his last season with the Red Sox.

Why the Broadway showman who dumped Babe Ruth from the Red Sox was smarter than we think

Your Home | KItchens & Baths

Glass privacy panels separate the toilet and shower from the soaking tub in the primary bath.

They wanted to fix a chilly bathroom, but wound up updating the house

An eat-in kitchen under the stairs in a Charlestown town house.

Carving out room for a bathroom in the attic and family dining space

Cement tiles by Eskayel for Cle bring color to a powder room; the pendants by Kelly Wearstler for Visual Comfort are from Newburyport Lighting; and the concrete sink ties to the lower level floor.

A supersized kitchen island fit for a family's busy lifestyle

The large-scale veining of the 26-by-46-inch porcelain tiles used on the floor and shower walls mimics that of Calacatta marble, yet the tiles were cheaper and more practical. The shower floor in this South Boston condo is done with 2-by-2-inch hex-shaped tiles.
And a new niche provides convenient storage.

A bathroom goes from locker room feel to bright showpiece

October 4, 2020 | The Education Issue

A METCO school bus outside Bedford High School on the first day of school in September.

METCO schools are at the intersection of the pandemic and racism

Illustration of parents trying to help their kids learn remotely from home.

Five ways you can help kids learn better in online school right now

Illustration about how teaching pods could hurt schools.

Why learning pods could be worse for public schools than the pandemic

Photo illustration of young boy studying on laptop computer to go with story on myths and facts about school during the time of coronavirus.

Will my kid learn anything this school year?

September 27, 2020

Mark Shanahan

I knew getting prostate cancer at 48 would change me. I had no idea how much.

A deeply personal, sometimes harrowing, and often funny tale about a disease that affects millions of men, whether they want to talk about it or not.

Plus: Listen to the new podcast miniseries "Mr. 80 Percent"Check out more stories and resources about prostate cancerJoin the discussion in our new Facebook group

September 20, 2020

Your Home | Relaxing Retreats

A retractable glass door disappears into the wall, making the kitchen and three-season sunroom into a single, continuous space. The stone fireplace surround informed the gray cabinetry in the kitchen, where interior designer Kim Macumber added a runner from Dover Rug for warmth.

Optimizing a home for serenity doesn’t mean it has to be boring

Blush velvet chairs from Room & Board add a feminine touch to the moody tone-on-tone living room. Gus Modern sofas from Lekker Home are different styles, but upholstered in the same fabric for consistency.

Stay-at-home design: Bright gathering spaces and moody nooks for study and work

The living room furniture layout makes the area feel self-contained even though it is open to the dining space and kitchen. The cabinetry was retrofitted with wood tops for warmth and the framed textile from St. Frank adds drama.

Interior design tricks that brought calm to a chaotic open floor plan

guide

Your Home | Guide

How the pandemic is changing what Boston-area home buyers want

After spending months in quarantine, almost every buyer is chasing the same basic criteria.

September 13, 2020 | Fall Travel

The view from the top of Cathedral Ledge.

A socially distanced father-daughter adventure in New Hampshire’s White Mountains

Visitors on the grounds of the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum.

Ten (mostly) outdoor museums to take in some art and history this fall

Illustration of bike path.

Seven easy New England bicycle trails that the whole family will love

August 30, 2020

One thing is clear about the COVID-19 financial storm: Survival will require more than just cutting back on lattes.

Your Financial Future

Six smart ways to manage your money through the pandemic economy

What to do if you’re feeling too squeezed to save, how to negotiate with creditors, where to find help, and more advice for navigating frightening times.

PLUS

How do you find a financial coach who fits into your budget?

How to find the right kind of financial coach for you (even if you’re on a budget)

Spending your golden years in the Bay State comes at a steep price.

Can anyone afford to retire in Massachusetts?

Coronavirus is threatening the financial health of retirees and workers approaching retirement age.

The looming economic crisis for America’s seniors

Advice for steering retirement accounts through turbulent times.

Five tips for managing a 401(k) during the pandemic’s turbulence

August 23, 2020

Sarah Cooper decided to speak out about how a sexual predator exploited her online.

As an underage teen, she was exploited by a sexual predator online. Then he came after her in the real world

Sarah Cooper's road map to keeping kids safe from online predators

Mathematician Lisa Piccirillo at MIT, where she is now an assistant professor.

A math problem stumped experts for 50 years. This grad student from Maine solved it in days

August 16, 2020

A logging truck travels through Jay, Maine, on April 16, the day after a mill explosion that is still shaking the town’s economy.

The paper mill was everything to the people of Jay, Maine. Then it exploded

Three of the family's chickens outside their new coop.

‘Wouldn’t backyard chickens be fun?’ you say. Be careful what you wish for

August 9, 2020

Drug-resistant antibiotics. Superbugs.

Racing the clock to stop drug-resistant superbugs

If something isn't done now, antibiotic-resistant bacteria could kill as many as 10 million people a year by 2050. A little-known Boston nonprofit could be our best hope.

Thomas Atkins, president of the Boston NAACP, speaks with police officers.

Photo essay: The 1975 battle for civil rights on Carson Beach

July 26, 2020

Your Home | Design Refresher

Landscape designer Soren deNiord created multiple outdoor “rooms” in the backyard of this home in a dense neighborhood in Provincetown.

‘I can’t believe this came out of it’: A Provincetown guesthouse gets reinvented as a single-family

The family stores their vinyl record collection under the bench of the new bump-out bay in the living room.

Transforming an old Berkshires barn into a contemporary home

Rather than sticking with white windows like those used in the front of the house, Kelly McGuill specified black frames for the doors and windows at the back. “They’re separate enough to work and provide great contrast to the white, brass, and wood,” the designer says.

Dressing down a stuffy formal home to be bright, light, and easy

July 19, 2020

How a suspicious fire saved America’s first homeless shelter for women
In 1984, in Boston's swiftly gentrifying South End, a blaze tore through Rosie's Place. If it was meant to destroy the shelter, it only made it stronger.

‘Daddy, I’m bored.’ If you’re a parent, you’re hearing that a lot these days. It’s a good thing

Growing up Black in all the wrong places

I grew up in New Hampshire, one of the nation’s whitest states. Returning to my childhood home during the pandemic has led me to a reckoning.

July 12, 2020

Advocates say the Massachusetts parole system suffers from a “trail ’em, nail ’em, and jail ’em” culture, focusing on snaring individuals for minor missteps.

They’ve been granted parole. So why can it take years for them to get out of prison?

The Department of Corrections sometimes doesn’t release prisoners for years after they’re approved for parole. Many then are sent back for minor missteps.

After being rebuked by his colleagues in December 1954, Senator Joseph McCarthy confers with former aide Bobby Kennedy, who had become chief minority counsel for the investigations subcommittee.

How Joe McCarthy (yes, that McCarthy) helped launch the Kennedy dynasty

Without assists from the best-known conservative firebrand of their day, JFK and RFK might never have become progressive icons.

Why words aren’t enough from companies claiming to support Black Lives Matter

The bar for public reckoning has been set low in the United States. But real change is possible if companies examine their own past failures.

June 28, 2020

Before COVID-19, the bar at Eastern Standard was crowded most nights, like this one (in 2008) when Cannon was mixing cocktails.

How can Boston’s bar scene possibly recover from the COVID-19 shutdown?

I helped build Eastern Standard and more of the city's most popular spots for cocktails and celebration. Now, I'm struggling to envision the road ahead.

Heather Hsu, who has a 12-year-old daughter and a 9-year-old son, is usually a pediatric hospitalist and epidemiologist, but when the pandemic hit, she was enlisted to work 12-plus hour shifts in one of BMC’s adult inpatient COVID units.

‘I cried in private’: The stress of being a doctor and parent working in a COVID-19 unit

The ways medical professionals try to protect their own families at home, while treating patients at work.

Pep Bachier’s homing pigeons often fly hundreds of miles back to their coops in Boston.

Inside the world of New England pigeon racing, where a win can bring $100,000

“The racing part is nice, but the joy of seeing that bird come home, it’s amazing."

your home: summer living

Schumacher’s iconic print “Lemon Garden,” designed by Josef Frank, was the starting point for the “long” porch. A contemporary print for the bench cushion keeps the ensemble from feeling fusty. The floor is painted Benjamin Moore “Nantucket Fog” and the coffee table came from The Antique and Artisan Gallery in Stamford.

A century-old Rhode Island cottage updated to look original

The existing concrete foundation wall was retained, while four new concrete posts replaced twice as many older ones at this home overlooking Maine’s Casco Bay. New stone walls and stairways lead from the street level to a patio off the master bedroom and down to the rocks.

The challenge of building a dramatic home on Maine’s rocky coast

The painting over the sofa is by Martha’s Vineyard-based artist Cindy Kane, who is represented by Granary Gallery in West Tisbury. Over the fireplace, artwork is displayed on the framed Samsung television.

A traditional farmhouse on Martha’s Vineyard, with a very modern twist

June 21, 2020

THANK YOU

To those striving to save lives. To those keeping us going. To those fighting for a better future.

Health care workers at St. Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford photographed as part of #thefrontstepsproject.

Ayanna Pressley speaks from home during the UMass Amherst 2020 online commencement ceremony.

I Find Hope Because of You

By Ayanna Pressley

Staff in the special pathogen unit at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

Health Care Workers Saving Lives

A research technician at the Ragon Institute in Cambridge, where COVID-19 research is being conducted.

Scientists Searching for a Treatment

By Dr. WIlliam G. Kaelin Jr.

Staff at work at Porto, a restaurant in Boston.

The Heart of Our Restaurants

By Joanne Chang and Christopher Myers

Activists participate in a “die-in,” co-organized by Violence in Boston, on June 2 on Blue Hill Avenue.

Protesters Are Essential Workers

By Monica Cannon-Grant

See the full list from the Gratitude Issue →

June 14, 2020 | What About Summer?

From left: Daiquiri Ave Moi, El Cantante, and the Sweet Peach.

Boston area bartenders share cocktail recipes you can make at home

5 Greater Boston ice cream shops that deliver

How to plan a perfect picnic

Chinatown’s Uncle Frank & Auntie Kay Chin Park.

Explore these less-traveled spaces at 8 Boston area parks and open spaces

Seven tips for planting a flourishing container garden

Summer vacation plans fall through? Don’t forget camping or renting an RV

June 7, 2020 | Healthy Living

Welcome to Burnout Nation, where stress makes everything not OK

The Japanese art of tidying up is nice. But what we need in a pandemic is the Japanese way of finding balance

I could really use a robot companion right about now

How to recognize the signs of burnout from stress

May 31, 2020 | Summer Travel

Escape to these hidden lakes of New England

This summer, some travelers will be avoiding the most popular freshwater destinations. Here are some gems off the beaten path.

Here’s how New England hotels and resorts are getting ready for summer travelers

Eight free apps for modern-day naturalistsA few ways New Englanders have tried to ward off bugs

Cutoff Mountain, in the Northern Absaroka Range, towers over the historic Slough Creek Meadows of northeast Yellowstone National Park.

Yellowstone is doing just fine without us, thank you very much

May 17, 2020

The ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ author has a message for the Class of 2020

The 5 scariest ways scammers try to rip us off

How to report a scam

Margaret and Thomas Huang were inseparable for 60 years of marriage.

I lost both my parents in the COVID-19 era. How do I reopen my own life?

May 10, 2020

Caroline Brinkert with her daughter in April, not long after giving birth.

The ‘fourth trimester’ and plight of new mothers during a pandemic

Life in the coronavirus era

celebrating the class of 2020

12 ideas to honor a special 2020 graduate in your life

Scott Harney in the early 1980s.

He long dreamed of publishing a poetry book. A year after his death, he is.

May 3, 2020

The Great Divide

Over the past nine months, Globe reporters followed sixth-graders Ryah St. Brice (left), Izzi Connelly-Dow, and Luis Ramos Soto as they vied for seats at one of Boston's three elite exam schools.

Boston Latin and the biggest test of their young lives

The future of these sixth-graders is on the line as they compete for a spot at one of the country’s best schools. But the playing field is far from level.

Impossible coronavirus decisions and the price tag on human life

Assigning value to human life isn’t as rare as you think. The coronavirus pandemic just makes it more obvious.

April 26, 2020

Jubilee Jim Fisk and the great Civil War score

In 1865, a failed stockbroker tries to pull off one of the boldest financial schemes in American history: the original big short.

Is the coronavirus pandemic Mother Nature’s revenge?

Parents, you can't replace teachers. But you can do this to help your kids

April 19, 2020 | Top Spots to Live

Top spots to live in Greater Boston in 2020

The 24 communities seeing the biggest leaps in house prices north, south, and west of Boston, plus in the city itself.

By region

Top spots to live 2020: Boston neighborhoods

Top spots to live 2020: North of Boston

Top Spots to Live 2020: West of Boston

Top spots to live 2020: South of Boston

At left: Ezekiel Wheeler (front row, far right) and some of the crew from Intelligent Labor and Moving, before the need for social distancing. At right: Linda O’Koniewski of Leading Edge Real Estate (top); Sofia Travayiakis of Mortgage Network (middle); and Doron Bracha of Accent Home Inspection.

Real estate professionals on how coronavirus has changed what they do

Yes, people are still buying and selling homes during coronavirus. Here’s how.

April 5, 2020

75+ things to do while coronavirus has you stuck at home

If cabin fever is setting in, try these options for fun, self-improvement, and some stress relief.

Plus

R65NJH Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History rotunda elephant

5 of the world's best museums you can visit from your phone

10 virtual adventures that will take you around the world

6 easy ways to get kids involved with cooking while they're at home

Activities for kids: Tell a silly story, play games, and learn new jokes

March 29, 2020

dispatches from the edge

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11 — A man crosses a deserted Congress Street in downtown Boston.

A week that coronavirus changed everything, too fast and too slow

Dispatches from the Edge

A man wears a plastic bubble for protection from the coronavirus as he walks down William J. Day Boulevard in Boston.

Apocalypse preppers, survivalists, and homesteaders aren't that worried

The latest COVID-19 coverage from The Boston Globe

Green Hospitals

Curing hospitals’ addiction to the fossil fuels that make people sick

More dispatches from the edge

Clockwise from top left: Dani Ruelas-Jones, Emily Taylor, S. Jason Katz, Tony Davis, and Joe Phillips.

12 small business owners on how coronavirus has affected them

Thursday, March 12 — A quiet gallery in the Museum of Fine Arts, the day it would close.

Why we closed: The MFA, ICA, and Gardner Museum directors on their difficult coronavirus decision

From left to right: The Rev. Thomas Conway, Shaykh Yasir Fahmy, and Rabbi Keith Stern.

How religious leaders are keeping faith during coronavirus, even from a social distance

I have clinical anxiety. If the coronavirus scares you, this might help

My 46-hour hunt for toilet paper

Mee-ok has been worried about the coronavirus since January.

At risk populations: ‘What helps is feeling like you’re not going it alone’

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18 — BU student Joel Lau walks down a hallway of his nearly-empty dorm before the university ordered dormitories closed.

6 voices from college: Alone in a dorm, what a coronavirus diagnosis feels like, and more

‘I have literally lost 11 pounds in the last week’: Trying to keep restaurants afloat during coronavirus

Kuldeep Singh Rajput, the founder and CEO of Boston startup Biofourmis.

Can AI predict a coronavirus infection before doctors even do a test?

8 songs to wash your hands by (that aren’t Happy Birthday)

Elisha Farris previews her wedding dress. She is unsure if she will be able to hold her wedding in Italy due to the coronavirus pandemic.

I don’t know if I can get married there now

Rachel Barney, genomic technologist at DHMC’s laboratory for Clinical Genomics and Advanced Technology, preparing patient samples for SarS-CoV-2 testing.

The race to develop a coronavirus test in a New Hampshire hospital

Your Home | Smart Solutions

A magnet wall and bookshelves create a nook for the kitchen pantry. The bookshelves, which ease the transition from the living space to the bedrooms, appear to float. The unit doesn’t quite reach the ceiling and a white baseboard underneath holds it off the floor. The island’s walnut niches tie to a bench in the living room.

Ideas to reinvigorate a ranch-style house

The relocated decorative mantel provides a subtle separation and focal point. Serendipitously, it fit in the new space within a quarter inch. New sconces by Barbara Barry for Visual Comfort flank the Western Mass. landscape painted by the husband’s mother. Baskets on the Pottery Barn shelves offer hidden storage.

Check out life in a 520-square-foot condo

Portsmouth, N.H.

Walnut warms up a white scheme (as does family dog Truckee), while Ikea pendant lights tie to the black windows.

Bringing modern sensibility to a vintage house

March 22, 2020

‘You don’t understand, Captain. He has a gun’: The hijacking of Flight 1320

March 15, 2020 | Spring Travel

Woodstock Inn & Resort in Woodstock, Vermont.

Big deals at 8 top New England resorts and inns

Need a change of scenery? Spring mud season is the time to score a bit of luxury for a lot less.

Saguaro cactus with mountain range in the background,cacti set against the Santa Catalina Mountains in Tucson, Arizona.

A Tucson local’s guide to Arizona’s hippest city

The dusty western town of old has metamorphosed into a sophisticated urban destination. And the culinary scene is on fire.

Hikers along the Urubamba River in Peru’s Sacred Valley.

A women-only adventure tour through the Andes

What was I looking for? Muscle-burning hiking, good conversation with new friends, and a great steak at the end.

March 8, 2020 | Spring Arts Preview

Muralist and mentor Rob “Problak” Gibbs is transforming how Boston sees itself, one can of spray paint at a time.

Problak paints the Boston we often don’t see

Greta Gerwig’s ‘Little Women’ is turning Concord into a must-see destination

Reggie Wilson/Fist and Heel Performance Group's acclaimed "POWER" is among the performances scheduled for the Bates Dance Festival.

40+ arts events around New England (some free!) you won’t want to miss

March 1, 2020

Tom “Rick Vaughn” Reynolds throws a ball for his team, B.E.E.R.

How a rollicking Portland league is leading the nationwide comeback of bowling. Yes, bowling.

Joan Lunden with her mother, nicknamed Glitzy Glady for her sparkling personality.

Joan Lunden: I was in my 50s buying strollers for twins and a wheelchair for my mom

Check out our 2019 archive to catch up on features you may have missed

The 2019 Top Places to Work in Mass.

Help was just a few feet away

How could a woman be left to die outside an emergency room?

Top Spots to Live

What are the top places around Greater Boston to buy a home?

February 23, 2020 | The Parenting Issue

How much can parents really control how their kids turn out?

To raise healthy eaters, break those rules you learned as a kid

Six reasons to send kids to overnight summer camp (that are good for parents)

Parents’ obsession with raising happy kids is a big problem

February 9, 2020

Miss Conduct's first column, 15 years ago.

What I’ve learned about how we treat each other from 15 years as Miss Conduct

A political cartoon depicts American relief arriving for people suffering from the Irish famine of 1879-1880, several decades after the Jamestown embarked on its humanitarian voyage.

Amid Irish potato famine, a ship from Boston embarked on history’s first humanitarian mission

Your Home | Makeovers

Homeowner Ann Ackil and two of her grandsons, ages 2 and 4, in the entry of the Canton home where she and her husband, Albert, raised their four sons.

A Canton couple remakes their home to make way for grandkids

A painting by Fort Point-based artist Jennifer K. Moses hangs above the fireplace in the living room. The abstract work between the windows is by Richard Roblin from Galerie d’Orsay on Newbury Street. The drapery fabric is by Zak+Fox.

Putting off a move to the suburbs, a young family remakes a Back Bay condo

Floor-to-ceiling kitchen cabinets are easily accessible from the dining and living rooms. “Slab-front doors with vertical joints help the ceiling appear higher and the space less cluttered,” says architect Jason LaGorga. The multifaceted metal pendant over the island is from Vermont Modern by Hubbardton Forge. The oak countertop calls for oiling every six months.

A gut rehab transforms a Somerville single-family

For the dining room walls, designer Nina Seed used Sherwin-Williams Big Chill at 130 percent to deepen the color; the adjacent entry is painted in the color’s original strength. “The percentage change of the same paint color makes for an uninterrupted flow that still defines the rooms,” she says. The table, chairs, and chandelier are all from RH.

Renovating a Westwood home, guided by simplicity

February 2, 2020

Success is killing San Francisco. Is Boston next?

As I have entered my new life living as a man over the last few years, I have learned that male drivers behave differently when interacting with other male drivers, writes P. Carl (above), the author.

Driving in Boston as a man, after my gender transition

The stories we tell ourselves about homeless people

January 26, 2020

Black cod wrapped in hoba leaf at Zuma.

The 29 best new restaurants in Boston and the suburbs

Louis C.K. wants to stage a comeback. Does he deserve one?

Where will my son’s journey take him?

January 19, 2020

08/01/2016 BEVERLY, MA COVER The Wile and Horvitz properties as seen from the air in Beverly. **Photo taken with drone.** (Aram Boghosian for The Boston Globe)

After 17 lawsuits, 27 years in court, a judge rules in Beverly neighbors’ feud

The Worcester Art Museum.

8 historical Mass. wedding venues for your big day

10 questions you should ask before committing to a wedding venue

To learn to care for real babies, earlier generations of high school students were given eggs or sacks of flour. This generation gets a frighteningly realistic upgrade: the RealCare Baby 3 infant simulator.

My teen brought an 'infant simulator' home from school. Am I a grandma now?

January 12, 2020

Tom Keane and Laurie Farrell in 1984, not long before they married.

How could my wife have Alzheimer’s? She was only 56.

She was the wittiest, smartest, and most talkative person I had ever met. And now all of that was fading away.

Signs of early-onset Alzheimer's: When not to worry, and when to see a doctor

Resolutions You Can Keep

New Year’s resolutions already wavering? Stick to them with these 8 easy ideas

Six ways to be a better friend in 2020

Four realistic steps to eating healthier in 2020

Exercise made easy: The hidden power of taking a walk

How to set a goal to save more money this year

What’s more important than a barbell for exercise? A pencil

Waste less time on your phone with this simple trick

How to be kinder in Boston, America’s fifth rudest city

If you want to read more, you don’t need to start with Shakespeare

January 5, 2020

JANUARY 1 / SOUTH BOSTON — I cover the L Street Brownies Polar Plunge ever year. There’s no better way to start the new year than to have a hundred people charging at you, even if you do get soaked. I’ve gotten smart — I wear chest-high waders. When I snapped this photo, I was up to my elbows in water. Most people run in full speed, hit the water, freak out, and run back. Peter Regan was out further, just hanging out. He went under, but held his hat and noisemaker above his head. I remember laughing, it felt like such a careful thing to do, given the circumstances.

The best Boston Globe photos of 2019

The Globe's most memorable pictures of the past year and the stories behind them.

For 010520magazine Perspective column on gun control. Photo from Adobe Stock.

We have a law that could reduce gun violence — if only more knew about it

Recommended reading

Officials and rescuers survey the aftermath of the flood of molasses the day after Purity Distilling Company’s tank collapsed in January 1919. Twenty-one people were killed and dozens more were injured.

The Great Molasses Flood of 1919 was Boston’s strangest disaster

Dennis Eckersley at Fenway Park before a game last month.

‘I got lucky, man.’ Dennis Eckersley on surviving his tough times

Dr. Rees Cosgrove and some of his team during a noninvasive focused ultrasound procedure at Brigham and Women's Hospital. The thalamus is the white circle in the center of Cosgrove’s screen.

A cutting-edge brain surgery for tremor, without the cutting

Why are kids today so rude?

2019 Bostonians of the Year

EMBARGOED. Andrew Lelling and Rachael Rollins. For magazine's 2019 Bostonians of the Year issue. Don't use until photo appears in print 12/15/19.

Meet the 2019 Bostonians of the Year: Andrew Lelling and Rachael Rollins

honorable mention

Hero crop for BAT to go w/ mag's 2019 Bostonians of the Year story. The sneakers of Boston Celtics center Enes Kanter are seen against the Brooklyn Nets during the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Nov. 29, 2019, in New York. The Nets won 112-107. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

The Celtics’ Enes Kanter stands tall for human rights

honorable mention

EMBARGOED UNTIL WEDS., Dec. 11, 2019. For magazine's 2019 Bostonians of the Year issue. Samantha Savitz sits on her father Raphael’s lap, next to her mother, Glenda, as they and and more than two dozen neighbors sign the word “friend.”

This neighborhood learned signed language for one little girl

honorable mention

EMBARGOED UNTIL WEDS., DEC. 11, 2019. For Bostonians of the Year 2019. From left: Economists Michael Kremer, Esther Duflo, and Abhijit Banerjee developed methods that changed the global fight against poverty.

These economists are finding new ways to fight global poverty

2019 Women & Power

The 2019 Top 100 Women-Led Businesses in Massachusetts

Senator Elizabeth Warren and US Representatives Ayanna Pressley and Katherine Clark.

Massachusetts isn’t always as progressive as it seems. Our female leaders are fighting to change that

How every woman can protect her financial future (and why she needs to)

Lakshmi Balachandra of Babson College studies the challenges faced by female entrepreneurs.

How successful female entrepreneurs beat the odds

Six things successful female entrepreneurs do

Clockwise from top left: Laurie Leshin, president of WPI; Myechia Minter-Jordan, former CEO of The Dimock Center; Mindy S. Lubber, CEO of Ceres; and Sheila Lirio Marcelo, founder of Care.com.

What I wish I knew then: 11 tips for success from powerful female executives

The problem isn’t that women lack confidence — it’s that men have too much of it