The Saturday Evening Post

Publisher Joan SerVaas Associate Publisher and Editorial Director Steven Slon Executive Editor Patrick Perry, M.P.H. Managing Editor Andy Hollandbeck Health Editor Wendy Braun, R.N. West Coast Editor Jeanne Wolf Staff Writers Troy Brownfield, Nichola

I’m dedicating this column to my mother, Cory SerVaas, M.D., who passed away on March 6, 2020. She was the Post’s editor and guiding force for 33 years — and the author of our readers’ favorite sections, “Medical Mailbox” and “Ask Dr. Cory.” The phys

“Over the years, my grandmother and I spent many happy hours searching for treasures at garage sales, flea markets, and thrift stores,” says the veteran recycling journalist. In “The Good Stuff” (page 42), Minter takes us on an unexpected adventure i

My good friend is having a birthday party, and, knowing her, there will be lots of people I don’t know. How do I politely decline? I am uncomfortable in crowds and hate small talk. I—Introverted in Illinois f she’s a true friend, she will surely und

Movies about painters and paintings are a tough sell these days — the artist’s creative process is so laborious filmmakers seem to have trouble moving their stories along at the pace modern audiences crave. But first-time director Dan Friedkin succee

1. Which place could be described as empyreal? a. A deep, dark cave b. A barren desert c. An idyllic paradise 2. Water spilled through a _ _ _ _ _ _ in the dam. a. breach b. breech c. brioche 3. What nine-letter word referring to a common time peri

The statement below has been encoded using a simple substitution cipher: Each letter has been replaced with a different one, and the substitutions remain constant throughout. Can you decode it? “UO INE VFYS SN CUOS EQ INETJZCO, CUOS EQ JNGZNYZ ZCJZ.”

Patricia Heaton has relived moments from her own life as a mother playing a TV mom on the hugely popular sitcoms Everybody Loves Raymond and The Middle. Now the Emmy and SAG Award winner is imitating aspects of her life again in the CBS comedy Carol’

Four years ago, Khloe Thompson, then 8, of California, noticed that a homeless woman had been standing outside her school every day. It was a wake-up call. With help from her mom, Khloe started to sew and distribute tote bags, which she filled with b

Use your phone’s built-in camera and microphone to learn about what’s around you with these free apps. Shazam. Name music, movies, and television shows. Vivino. Check wine rating, price, and the nearest place to buy. Seek by iNaturalist. Discover

A gallimaufry of fanciful facts and figures Kleenex tissue was originally developed for use as a filter in WWI gas masks. The technical name for the infinity symbol is the lemniscate. On a clear day, you can see both the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean fr

If you’re a fan of TV’s Auction Hunters and Storage Wars, do we have an adventure for you! The Unclaimed Baggage Center in Scottsboro, Alabama (unclaimedbaggage.com) sells the contents of lost luggage. Unlike in Storage Wars, you’re not buying anybod

Third-party hotel booking sites touting rock-bottom rates to help properties sell out room inventories are as old as the internet itself. But, of late, hoteliers have discovered that these types of bookings are not helping them build brand loyalty an

When we were preparing this issue, concerns about COVID-19 were on the distant horizon, but as we went to press, it was increasingly clear that most Americans will not be able to travel for some time. We stand by our information; please save for futu

Q: How can I get my adopted cat, Sally, to take her pills? A: Perhaps my technique will work for you. While my cat is eating yummy canned food, I tip her head up, open her mouth, and drop the pill on the back of her tongue. Then I praise her and let

Unscramble the words below and then place each letter above the corresponding number at the bottom to reveal a quip by Robert Frost: See answers on page 89 Hint for page 28: The phrase “lift up” appears twice in the answer. ■

It seems to be a quality of the Roosevelt character either to inspire a mad devotion that can see no flaw, or to kindle a hatred of an intensity that will admit of no virtue. To those of us who followed the late Theodore Roosevelt, there seems nothin

Equine therapy has been successfully integrated into treatment programs for adults and teens who are being treated for substance abuse, addiction, behavior disorders, mood disorders, eating disorders, learning differences, ADD/ADHD, autism, Asperger’

The 2021 Great American Fiction Contest is now underway. Due to the success of the 2020 contest, we’ve increased the prize money! One winner will receive $1,000 and publication in the magazine, and four runners-up will win $500. To enter, visit satur

What are the pros and cons of OTC products to whiten teeth? Kathy England, email Food stains can turn teeth from white to not-so-bright. And tooth enamel gets thinner over time, allowing more of the yellowish dentin to show through. Stain removal too

SYNTHETIC COVID-19 VACCINE: A QUANTUM LEAP? As we go to press, communities across the country are closing schools and canceling conventions due to the coronavirus pandemic. But there’s hope: Pushed by funding from the NIH and the Bill and Melinda Ga

Increasingly popular vitamin sprays available online and on retail shelves are touted for quick and direct absorption via the mouth or nose. Vitamin sprays can be more pleasant and easier to consume than nutrients in other forms (no more fishy burps

“Shorten Work Days,” page 92 Congratulations to Karl Klaus of Roselle Park, New Jersey, who won the prize. Can you find the key in this issue? Submit your answer by June 25 via the form on our website (saturdayeveningpost.com/key-contest), email (k

There are certain unalterable rules that must be followed in making a Western. A cowboy star rarely kills anyone but the heavy. He may fight him, but he must never take unfair advantage of him or do anything underhanded to gain the victory. He must n

In 1920, Post editors accused New York City of being a negative influence on the rest of the country New York sets the styles for the country, and on the whole sets them badly. Through New York, we have imported not only the alien ideals of the Europ

The day of the novel is gone, the critics are saying, and some of them add rather ill-naturedly, “And good riddance.” But the novel has shown surprising vitality, coming up in some fresh, interesting form every time a new storyteller happened along w

RULES: Limericks must contain five lines. Enter as many times as you wish. All entries must be submitted by June 25. The May/June Limerick Laughs winner will be announced in the September/October issue. Entries will not be returned. HOW TO SUBMIT: Fi