The "Things They Carry," issue of American Athenaeum takes readers through a variety of stories and essays that deal with answering the question: what do we carry? This issue will take you from the gardens of a Vietnamese farmer, to a WWII concentration camp, to Wounded Knee in the Black Hills, to the handcrafted dolls made by a grandmother's hand, to a department store to buy a daughter her first bra, to the homeless in San Francisco, to a once-in-a-lifetime dance of the moon swallows, to India where a blind woman guides the roots of a tree over water to construct a bridge, and then on to Oxfordshire to visit the Rollright Witch and the latest installation designed by UK artist David Goslin. These are just a few places on this museum-like journey through American Athenaeum. By seeing what others carry, we inevitably learn what we are also capable of carrying. Won't you join us. Join us as we celebrate a diverse group of writers, past and present, to create this museum of words.

The Front Porch Issue It wasn't so long ago when the front porch was the main feature of a home. Connected to the sidewalk, to the neighborhood, to the world-at-large, the front porch was an important destination. Families gathered to discuss big ideas, to share heartache and joy, to greet neighbors with news. But then something changed and the community-centered feature become replaced. (Any guess with what? You'll have to read the issue to find out the answer.) This issue is a tribute to the long-lost artifact, the once-centerpiece of the family and community. We've recreated a front porch especially for you, complete with a museum-like experience for the everyday reader. Some writers you'll encounter: J. Patrick Lewis (US Children's Poet Laureate 2011-13), Paula Brackston author of The Witch's Daughter, Richie Swanson, Claude Clayton Smith, Carmen Welsh, Red Haircrow, Robert, Kingett, Nandini Pandya, Desmond Kon Zhicheng-Mingde, Mary Buchinger, Steven Ray Smith, and many more. Cover photo by Christopher Woods.

About Us: American Athenaeum takes its name from the first literary journal published in London in 1798 by August Wilhelm and Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel called Athenaeum. We strive to offer a kaleidoscope of voices, not by publishing the best or most literary, but through providing a diverse web of voices that represents the common person. Whether writers know it out not, they are influenced by the world around them. Each shares a slightly different worldview and experience into their writing. And just as we can know, understand, and learn through the voices of the past, it is our hope that through this publication, each of our smaller worlds will grow a little bigger. American Athenaeum is a cultural magazine that features fiction, poetry, essays, opinion, author book reviews, and other literary contributions. Each journal explores the world of words like a patron explores a museum-by offering a view of the past, right up until the present. We consider this journal to be a museum of artistic endeavors, filled with cultural appreciation and stories that not only teach, but demonstrate the frailty of the human condition.

The Front Porch Issue It wasn't so long ago when the front porch was the main feature of a home. Connected to the sidewalk, to the neighborhood, to the world-at-large, the front porch was a destination. Families gathered to discuss big ideas, to share heartache and joy, to greet neighbors with news. But then something changed and the community-centered feature become replaced. (Any guess with what? You'll have to read the issue to find out the answer.) This issue is a tribute to the long-lost artifact, the once-centerpiece of the family and community. We've recreated a front porch especially for you, complete with a museum-like experience for the everyday reader. Some writers you'll encounter: J. Patrick Lewis (US Children's Poet Laureate 2011-13), Paula Brackston author of The Witch's Daughter, Richie Swanson, Claude Clayton Smith, Carmen Welsh, Red Haircrow, Robert, Kingett, Nandini Pandya, Desmond Kon Zhicheng-Mingde, Mary Buchinger, Steven Ray Smith, and many more. Cover photo by Christopher Woods. **Bonus issue contains an exclusive copy Swords & Sagas, Vol. 1, our speculative collection, featuring stories that take us to visit fierce dragons, talking fish, and love-lost troubadour. Plus two author book reviews, and more

The Understander Issue. Are you an Understander? When T. S. Eliot hit the scene with his rare and unique poetry, he faced mounds of criticism. But despite the critics, Eliot stayed true to his art and believed in it, even when others didn't. His response was that he wasn't writing for the average person, but rather for the Understanders, readers that were intelligent and exceptional, the rare crowd that would take the time to savor his work. So are you an Understander? If so, then this issue is dedicated to you. It is also dedicated to every artist who stays true to their art and vision amid the naysayers. If you're new to American Athenaeum, then get ready for a museum-like adventure. Our issues are designed to feel like you've stepped into an athenaeum, connecting you to writers from the past, as well as the present. Along the way, you'll make stops through our unique departments: America Talks, Compassion City, Voices of Endangered Species, Author Book Reviews, and more. There is something for everyone here. Some writers you'll encounter: Carol Alexander, Steven Cramer, Pat Lowery Collins, Donald Dewey, Meredith Doench, Nora L. Jamieson, William Lychack, Ed Tasca, Jacqueline West, and many more. Cover photo by Harun Mehmedinovic.