New York Times reporters and editors are highlighting great stories from around the web. You can receive What We’re Reading by email, and let us know how you like it at wwr@nytimes.com.
Clearing the Air
From Rolling Stone: A thorough investigation of sexual harassment on yet another front: what women in country music face from gatekeepers at radio stations. — Jon Pareles, chief pop music critic
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Open-and-shut
From The New York Times: Neither the right nor the left had positive reviews for the Democrats’ performance during the government shutdown over the weekend. Writers on the right and center argued that most Americans don’t like shutdowns, even for political causes they nominally support. Writers on the left pointed out that liberal immigration activists were furious with Democratic leadership, and regarded the move as a squandered political opportunity. — Anna Dubenko, senior digital strategist
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An Illustrated History
From The Nib: If you’ve ever wondered how Arlington National Cemetery became a national monument to our war dead — and what it was before it was a cemetery — this comic does a beautiful job describing the circumstances behind its history. Learn about who actually built it, and the scarce honors they receive today. — Alan Henry, Smarter Living editor
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What Happened to Women in Power
From The New York Review of Books: Even for those who readily acknowledge the role gender played in Hillary Clinton’s defeat, that single-factor explanation can occasionally seem insubstantial. It’s worthwhile, then, to read this review of Mrs. Clinton’s memoir, “What Happened,” by the historian Annette Gordon-Reed. Ms. Reed takes a long view of the difficulties that women have had being elected to or chosen for political office in the United States since its founding, reintroducing us to pivotal progressive figures like Albert Gallatin and Jeannette Rankin (the first woman elected to national office and still the only congresswoman ever to represent Montana). — Jonah Engel Bromwich, reporter, Express Team
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You Can’t Take It With You
From T.S.A. on Instagram: Whatever your feelings about the Transportation Security Administration, it’s hard not to like the agency’s entertaining Instagram feed, whose blend of education, wit and humor garnered a Webby Award nomination in 2017. Recent T.S.A. posts involve confiscated weapons, a (live) kitten found in checked luggage, a query about a boom box, a lost bowling ball and a visit with a retired T.S.A. canine officer. — Gina Lamb, senior staff editor, special sections
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Two (Words) for Tea
From Quartz: There are, for the most part, only two ways to say tea. And those two ways can give some insight into a country’s trading relationship with China dating back hundreds, even thousands, of years. The map here shows some ancient globalization in action. — Amie Tsang, Business reporter and DealBook writer
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The Party’s Over
From Wired: Relieved to hear that teenagers aren’t partying as much as you did when you were young? According to Jean Twenge, we probably shouldn’t be. Less partying means fewer opportunities to build social skills, negotiate relationships and navigate emotions — and not more productivity. That time goes right to the screens. — KJ Dell’Antonia, regular contributor
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