May 2026 Magazine

Two thousand years separate the Roman Marcus Licinius Crassus in his failed attempt to invade Iran from President Donald J. Trump’s faltering current military effort. Nevertheless, they share the same character flaws that led them to make disastrous decisions. Crassus’s effort resulted in the Roman Army’s worst defeat since the Battle of Cannae against Hannibal. Trump has lost fewer than a dozen soldiers as of the end of the first month in the Iranian War, but if he continues to follow Crassus’s path, the outcome could be similar.  

Whatever ails your mind, body or soul, the healing power of laughter can never be underestimated. Laughter As Medicine is Barbara McMichael’s latest feature article. For a little lesson in Italian, please see The Rich, RICO and The Godfather. Where is Don Vito Corleone when we need him? Annie Searle examines the Department of Justice in her article “Justice Delayed is Justice Denied.” Nick Licata urges Conservatives to be Cautious: Serfdom Could Lie Ahead. Oscar-nominated filmmaker Pen Densham believes a single photograph can vibrate with the same energy as a movie. In honor of International Women’s Month, our featured Art is the Impressionist painting Fish Shop by Georges-Henry Fauvel. In Time Marches On, there is a bit of trivia that is bound to make you laugh.  ––Patricia Vaccarino

Although he died more than 35 years ago at the age of 75, Norman Cousins’ bestselling memoir, “Anatomy of an Illness as Perceived by the Patient” is still regarded as a groundbreaking classic for its emphasis on a holistic approach to healing, with one especially important takeaway being the importance of laughter as a significant part of the healing process.