Table of contents for November 2022 in Reader's Digest (2024)

Home//Reader's Digest/November 2022/In This Issue

Reader's Digest|November 2022A Rescue StoryI'VE BEEN A pug guy all my life and never expected that to change. They're short, stocky, stubborn dogs full of attitude and, in my experience, borderline untrainable. I've had three in my life, including our current pug, Olive, who is the most stubborn and sassy of them all. I love her for it.My life as a pug person changed a few months ago when we adopted a Boston terrier from Border Tails Rescue outside of Chicago. This was all new to me. I've never had any dog other than a pug. I've never adopted a rescue or an adult dog. The veterinarian guessed her to be between 3 and 5 years old. She was skinny and nervous and, from what we could tell, had never seen stairs or been…2 min

Reader's Digest|November 2022A Few Kind WordsIT WAS 11 p.m. when Alex Conrad saw the woman on the Main Street Bridge. She was standing by the railing, peering down at the rushing Chippewa River below. At her feet was what appeared to be a backpack.Maybe she's fishing, Conrad, then 20, thought as he continued driving his Mustang to his home a short distance away. His friend's car had broken down, so Conrad was making a quick pit stop to grab some tools before heading out to help.Tools in hand, he climbed into his car. Instead of taking a shortcut, though, he opted to head back over the bridge. Something about that woman didn't sit right. Why would she be fishing this late at night—in May, when it's still cold in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin?As he crossed the…3 min

Reader's Digest|November 2022GIMME THAT OL' TIME RELIGION!An elderly friend of mine, a staunch Baptist, told me that when she visited Las Vegas with her family, she was persuaded to try the slot machines. I asked if she said a quick prayer before playing. “Oh no,” she said. “I figured when I walked through that door, I was on my own.”—CAPERS CROSS Mount Pleasant, SCIt was the first time my 5-year-old had been to church, and she was very excited. After what must have felt like an eternity to her waiting for the service to begin, she whispered in my ear, “When does God come on?”—CONNIE PINELLA Lakewood, CAI had just purchased a painting of the Last Supper when my young grandson came home. He studied it fora few minutes, then asked, “What are they doing, playing…1 min

Reader's Digest|November 2022Find Awe in Everyday LifeDURING THE SUMMER of 2021, Beverly Wax had an experience that filled her with awe. It wasn't a sunset, a sweeping mountain vista or the sound of waves gently lapping on a beach that got to her.It was the sight of her son, Justin, lugging an 80-pound portable air conditioner up three flights of stairs to her Boston-area condo.Wax's central air conditioning had conked out the day before—in the middle of a 90-plus-degree heat wave. She'd mentioned to her son that she was having trouble finding someone to come fix it quickly. He'd shown up with the new unit as a surprise.As she watched him sweat and struggle while hauling the unit up the stairs and installing it in her bedroom, Wax says she felt a wave of gratitude and…5 min

Reader's Digest|November 2022World Cup Goaaaaals!1 THE 2022 Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup kicks off this month, with more than 30 teams participating. In the tournament's 92-year history, only eight countries have won: Brazil, Italy, France, Germany, Argentina, Spain, Uruguay and England. This year, Brazil goes in as the big favorite, with odds of 9 to 2. The host nation automatically earns an invite, though Qatar will need a miracle to cinch the trophy. Their odds of winning: 250 to 1.2 THIS IS the first time the Cup is being held in the Middle East— and during the Northern Hemisphere's winter. Summer temps in Qatar regularly top 100 degrees, so for the safety of both athletes and spectators, organizers pushed the monthlong contest out to late November, when the weather is more…4 min

Reader's Digest|November 2022A Diabetes CureFROM THE BOOK REVERSE DIABETESTHERE'S ONE WORD medical researchers rarely utter about diabetes: cure. Yet that's exactly the word researchers from the Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial (DiRECT) recently used to describe the outlook for people with type 2 diabetes. This ongoing study of hundreds of people with diabetes has revealed that a powerful co*cktail of lifestyle approaches can help drive diabetes into remission, meaning blood sugar remains in the healthy range without medication. The recommended lifestyle changes probably aren't nearly as drastic as you're thinking. But the results will be.Here are some areas to target:Food: Smarter Carbs and Fat, More Protein and VeggiesThe old thinking about diabetes and diet could be summed up in two words: Avoid sugar. While it's still smart to eat less of the sweet stuff, other…4 min

Reader's Digest|November 2022LAUGHTER THE BEST MedicineI'm teaching my kids to read to help them succeed in school. I'm teaching my kids to read because it's quality time spent together. But most of all I'm teaching my kids to read so they won't ask “What does XJ49PB2 spell?” every time we pass another car on the road.@HENPECKEDHALDemocracy is like a tambourine—not everyone can be trusted with it.—JOHN OLIVER, on Last Week Tonight with John OliverThe closest I've ever come to winning the lottery is finding a rogue onion ring in my fries.@PRUFROCKLUVSONGA Parisian, a Londoner and a New Yorker are captured by cannibals and told that they're to be eaten and their skins used to build a canoe. “But,” says the chief, “you get to choose how you die.”The Parisian says, “I take zee sword.”The chief…2 min

Reader's Digest|November 2022DARBY PIT BULL FIGHTS OFF SHARK (YES, SHARK!) TO SAVE HIS OWNEREVERYONE WANTED A PIECE of the dog that got a piece of the shark. “I got emails from people in Russia. One guy offered me a hundred euros. Another guy found me at work and offered me $575 'cash right now.' I said, 'Keep walking, buddy,' ” James White says of the offers he got for his dog, Darby.“It got to the point where I started saying, 'No, no, no, that's not me.'”When White, a 43-year-old security agent from Rohnert Park, California, snagged the pit bull puppy in 2018, Darby was just another four-legged lug: young, friendly, playful, strong as an ox.Then, in the summer of 2019, came Darby's date with destiny.White was fishing in Northern California's Bodega Bay. He left Darby, then a year old and 100 pounds, to…3 min

Reader's Digest|November 2022MILO A TRAPPED NEIGHBOR WAS AFRAID NO ONE WOULD HEAR HER CRIES FOR HELP. MILO DID.FROM THE WASHINGTON POSTMILO IS A RESCUE DOG, adopted by 20-year-old Makayla Swift. But the beagle is also a rescuer. One morning in November 2021, Swift opened her front door in Silver Spring, Maryland, and Milo took off running.Milo ran to the house across the street. He seemed unsatisfied with this house, so he ran to the one next door, Swift on his tail.“He started scratching on the front door,” Swift says. “I'm thinking, 'Why is he literally trying to break into her house?'”She was embarrassed. Not everyone wants a strange dog on their property. But as she tried to drag Milo away, she could hear a sound coming through an open upstairs window.It was a voice yelling “Help!”Hours earlier, around 4 a.m., Sherry Starr had risen from her bed.…2 min

Reader's Digest|November 2022HOBBIT THE HOTEL CATI used to work the graveyard shift at a hotel, and a stray cat would wander into the lobby, watch TV and spend the night with me. Eventually, I took her home and named her Hobbit. While I was sleeping after a night shift, Hobbit yowled and nipped at me until I woke up. I smelled smoke. Firefighters pulling smoldering furniture from a downstairs apartment told me I didn't need to evacuate; the fire was contained. But Hobbit wouldn't settle down until the smoke cleared. From then on, I slept easy, knowing I had a friend on permanent safety patrol. still intact.…1 min

Reader's Digest|November 2022UNDER SIEGEEXCERPTED FROM THE BOOK SIEGE: AN AMERICAN TRAGEDYOFFICER DANIEL HODGES ducked into the relative safety of a hallway just inside the U.S. Capitol Building to collect himself. Since arriving at the Capitol with his unit at 2:01 p.m., he'd been cursed at and punched by angry rioters trying to gain entry. One had even tried to gouge out his right eye. Still, he didn't rest long. Hodges, 32, of the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department, took a deep breath, then answered a call for reinforcements.He walked down a white corridor. Cries and shouts of combat rising from behind the double doors at the end, which led to the lower west terrace tunnel, guided him to where he was needed. On the other side of the doors, smoke and chemical residue…13 min

Reader's Digest|November 2022A BIRDER'S BIG YEARFROM TEXAS MONTHLYTiffany Kersten drove east through Kansas at a perilous speed, nervously tapping her fingers against the steering wheel. Over the past two days of driving, starting in Colorado, she'd watched the Rocky Mountains recede in her rearview mirror; now she passed through a sea of sere plains. She'd made it all the way to the outskirts of Wichita—and slowed down considerably—when she noticed a county sheriff's patrol car tailing her.Kersten slowed her rental SUV, hoping the officer would speed past. For a moment, it seemed he would. But he flicked on his lights. Kersten's stomach rolled.Pulling over to the shoulder, she took a deep breath. She couldn't afford to get a ticket. What worried her more was that only a few hours of daylight remained. If she were…15 min

Reader's Digest|November 2022From ScratchTVAmy Wheeler (Zoe Saldana) is a classic rom-com hero. A nononsense law student studying art in Europe before returning to school, she falls for Italian chef Lino (Eugenio Mastrandrea)—but this story, based on Tembi Locke's bestselling memoir, is no fairytale. Lino'sfamily disapproves of both their marriage and Amy's big family of proud Texans. Real life sets in and Lino receives a rare diagnosis that prompts both families to work together to build a support system for Amy, Lino and their daughter—you guessed it—from scratch. (Streaming on Netflix Oct.21)—Caroline Fanning…1 min

Reader's Digest|November 2022Brain GAMES SHARPEN YOUR MINDFact or Fiction?MEDIUM Determine whether each statement is fact or fiction. To reveal the solution to the bonus question at the bottom, write the letters indicated by your responses in the corresponding numbered blanks. Turn the page upside down for the answers.BONUS QUESTION Which company is sponsoring the FIFA World Cup, despite the fact that its main product is illegal to enjoy in public where the tournament is being held? (Need help? Turn to 13 Things on page 28.)Answers: 1. Fiction; the platypus and the echidna do. 2. Fact. 3. Fact. 4. Fiction; Philadelphia police officers coined the phrase in the 1960s to describe the chaos of all the holiday shoppers. 5. Fiction; the first recorded recipe was written in England in 1381.6. Fiction; it will take longer to charge,…3 min

Reader's Digest|November 2022ANSWERSWHERE, OH WHERE?(page 46)D. Door County, WisconsinBRAIN GAMES(pages 103-104)Quick Crossword ACROSS4. CONOY 5. YAMASEE 7. PENNACOOK 8. SHAWNEE 9. POWHATANDOWN1. HATTERAS 2. WAMPANOAG 3. IROQUOIS 4. CREEK 6. MOHEGANA Grateful GatheringKevin is thankful for his job; Danielle is thankful for their home; Emma is thankful for their family; Nina is thankful for their dog; Henry is thankful for the meal; and Sophie is thankful for her health.Black and White MazeTimes SquareReader's Digest (ISSN 0034-0375) (USPS 865-820), (CPM Agreement# 40031457), Vol. 200, No. 1184, November 2022. © 2022. Published monthly, except bimonthly in March/April,July/ August and December/January (subject to change without notice), by Trusted Media Brands, Inc., 44 South Broadway, White Plains, New York 10601. Periodicals postage paid at White Plains, New York, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address…2 min

Reader's Digest|November 2022So That's Why We Say ThatThe Great 9/11 Maritime RescueI was overjoyed at the article about civilian boats that evacuated New Yorkers on 9/11 (September). I'm always shocked that most are unaware of it. Even when I visited the 9/11 Memorial Museum, I couldn't find mention. Thanks for highlighting the heroism of these wonderful people.—BRUCELLE WILLIAMSON Lakewood, CAMy Favorite WordThe list of readers' favorite words (September) brought tears as I remembered mine. My grandmother had a stroke, and “show” was all she could say. Show meant “love you, Lori.” It meant “I'm feeling OK or sad or lonely.” We had whole conversations and could still understand each other with just one precious word.—LORI SCIAME Maricopa, AZMy Southern Accent, Lost and FoundAs Becca Andrews confirms (September), a voice is more than just how we speak. I…3 min

Reader's Digest|November 2022Reversing a Grave InjusticeTIME HAS NOT been kind to the gravesites of veterans in Iowa City, Iowa. Many of the headstones are weathered and covered in dirt and lichen. Others have sunk into the ground. The graves had been neglected, ignored. Not a fitting tribute to those who fought in America's battles, ranging from the Civil War to more recent conflicts. Aaron Schultz, 19, first noticed their tattered state while visiting the grave of a neighbor in 2021.“They gave their lives to serve this country and I feel that needs to be honored,” Schultz told KCRG-TV news.Schultz was determined to spruce up their graves. “People think, 'Oh this person died in 1965, so his headstone should be dirty,'” he told CBS2 in eastern Iowa. “But there's a way to clean it off and…1 min

Reader's Digest|November 2022We're a Match!TIA WIMBUSH AND Susan Ellis have been co-workers for a decade, and while they didn't know each other well, they had a lot in common, both working in information technology at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and both dealing with the same medical stress at home.Their spouses each needed a kidney transplant, and while Wimbush could have given her husband one of hers, she wasn't a ideal match. Ellis, meanwhile, was no match at all for her husband.One day, in the fall of 2020, the women saw each other in the office restroom and started chatting, lamenting the fact that patients can wait five or more years for their name to come up on the national kidney cadaver donor waiting list. Both women worried their husbands didn't have that kind of…3 min

Reader's Digest|November 2022HUMOR in UNIFORMThe service is known for meting out creative punishments. Here are a few, as witnessed by Redditors:✦ After being caught staring at a squirrel while in formation at Officer Candidate School, one candidate was tasked with saluting every squirrel he saw until he graduated.♦ I saw a guy forced to slow dance with a mop for one hour.♦ After someone screwed up on the firing range, our drill instructor made him face the mirror and yell, “You're stupid!” “I'm not stupid; you 're stupid!” “No, I'm not stupid; you're stupid!” I think at some point the kid really thought he was arguing with himself.✦ We made a private sweep all the sunshine off the sidewalks. It took him all day.During World War II, my Uncle Oliver was serving on a…1 min

Reader's Digest|November 2022ALL in a Day's WORKI had my eye on a gorgeous silver jacket for a long time and was thrilled when my sister bought it for me as a gift. I immediately threw it on and strutted off to my job at a restaurant, where I paraded around the kitchen soaking up the oohs and aahs. But it was our boss who paid me what for him, a chef, was the ultimate compliment: “Great jacket. You look just like a baked potato.”—S.J. via rd.comTried to type “neurodivergence,” but of course my phone remembers that ONE time I typed NEURODEEZNUTS.—@HITOKAYACHIXThis actual text exchange proves that some wrong numbers turn out right:Matt: Hey Dr. Park, this is Matt from the vascular lab, I have a patient here with an external iliac occlusion with cold foot pain…2 min

Reader's Digest|November 2022The Best Way to NapNAPS DON'T JUST feel amazing—they are amazing. A study published in the journal Heart found a link between healthy napping and a lowered risk of heart disease. The American Psychological Association points out that naps can improve memory, learning capacity, immune system function and mood.Sara Mednick, PhD, a cognitive neuroscientist at the University of California, Irvine, and author of The Power of the Downstate, explains that when you fall asleep, your body moves through stages that each play a role in health.Stage 1: the “dozing off” periodStage 2: muscles, heart rate and brain activity slow downStage 3: deep, restorative sleepStage 4: REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, when brain activity increases and you're most likely to dreamIdeal napping times are based around this four-stage cycle.The 20-minute napBetween 20 and 30 minutes…1 min

Reader's Digest|November 2022REASONS MY KID'S BARBIE IS INCREASINGLY RELATABLE AS I APPROACH MIDDLE AGE✦Although she hardly ever leaves the house, one other high-heeled shoes is always missing.✦ The one sustainable, non-polyester item in her wardrobe is a sweater Grandma knitted.✦Every time youngsters manipulate her into doing some exercise, her joints make this weird clicking sound.✦ Her so-called Dream House still has some structural issues.✦ “The Robot” is her signature dance move. In fact, it's her only dance move.✦ Her camping equipment has been used once since it came out of the box and did not live up to any of the publicity material.✦ Her husband was last seen gathering dust in the garage.…1 min

Reader's Digest|November 2022CHARLIE A FAMILY OF DUCKLINGS WAS STRANDED. HE SAVED THEM ALL.JORGE SERRANO AND HIS dog Charlie were strolling through a park in Cornelius, North Carolina, when they heard a commotion near the pond. It was a duck, sounding distress quacks from an overflow drain in the center of the water. Across the street, about 150 feet away, a small crowd had gathered at the drain's exit.Five ducklings had swum too close and had been sucked in by the drain's current. You could hear their frantic peeps from the pipe's mouth. The pipe was less than 2 feet in diameter. Serrano would never fit. But Charlie …“He'll do anything you ask him to do,” says Serrano. “He'll deliver newspapers when he walks by somebody's house. Or he'll carry flowers to somebody if you ask him to do it.”Charlie peered into the…2 min

Reader's Digest|November 2022JOEY POLICE REPORT PET SQUIRREL GOES NUTS ON BURGLARJOEY ISN'T YOUR TYPICAL GUARD PET. He's not a hulking German shepherd or brawny Doberman pinscher. He's a squirrel, a rodent. But he's certainly no pest—unless you try to break into his house. Then he's a world of trouble.Adam Pearl found a baby squirrel orphaned in his yard in Meridian, Idaho. He decided to take him in and named him Joey. Pearl set an alarm to bottle-feed Joey every two hours. Joey learned to use a litter box and graduated to a diet of nuts and greens. In just a few months, he became a fixture in the house.“He'd let anybody pet him,” says Pearl. “Right up until the kid broke in.”That was the day Pearl came home to obvious signs of a robbery. Strange, snowy footprints tracked around the…2 min

Reader's Digest|November 2022He Delivered for MeFROM THE NEW YORK TIMESFOR THE FIRST year of our relationship, I didn't know his name and didn't welcome his interruptions. I felt hassled by the unexpected knock on my window, which was necessary to get my attention because my apartment lacked a doorbell.Despite my annoyance, I secretly named him Kris, as in Kringle, because he was a kind of modern-day Santa Claus. With his white hair and grandfatherly vibe, he brought me presents and tried to spread cheer—except his uniform was UPS brown, not Santa Claus red, and I had ordered and paid for the presents myself.Our relationship started when I moved into a small ground-floor apartment north of Boston. On the rare days I was home, the UPS man, seeing my car in the driveway, would knock until…6 min

Reader's Digest|November 2022AmsterdamFILM“YOU DON'T GET HERE without things starting a long time ago,” says Burt (Christian Bale sporting unruly hair and a glass eye) of his war buddies Harold (John David Washington's Ivy League lawyer) and Valerie (Margot Robbie's streetwise nurse). Their story began years earlier in a World War I medical ward. But this story, a comedy-drama set in the 1930s, begins when the friends are reunited in Amsterdam and witness a murder. They deflect allegations, and high jinks ensue. “Why would you possibly think that was us?” Bale's character asks. “There's not too many people who fit the description of a doctor looking for his eye on the ground with his Black attorney,” an investigator explains. As the trio learn, the victim witnessed something “monstrous,” and in order to clear…1 min

Reader's Digest|November 2022The Passenger and Stella MarisBOOKS“What do you do after you've written The Road?” asks Jenny Jackson, Cormac McCarthy's editor at Alfred A. Knopf. “The answer is two books that take on God and existence.” The Pulitzer Prize winner returns with new novels, siblings like their protagonists, Bobby and Alicia Western. The Passenger, a winding 400-page saga, follows Bobby, a math genius and son of one of the creators of the atom bomb, who works as a salvage diver in 1980 while wrestling with a loss he can't process. Bobby finds plane wreckage off the Mississippi coast, but it's what he doesn't find that puts him in danger. Stella Maris, a prequel set in 1972, further introduces Alicia, a doctoral candidate in mathematics even more brilliant and tortured than her brother. Alicia's intelligence has been…1 min

Reader's Digest|November 2022WORD POWER1. avatar n. ('a-vuh-tar)A dating app B pop-up blocker C profile image2. embed v. (em-'bed)A fix a bug B insert into a document C download to a laptop3. beta adj. ('bay-tuh)A undergoing testing B via Bluetooth C on a desktop4. firewall n. ('fyr-wahl)A Wi-Fi hot spot B network protector C comments section5. dox v. (doks)A go viral B join remotely C leak personal info6. cache n. (kash)A video plug-in B digital currency C temporary memory7. toggle v. ('tah-guhl)A troubleshoot B switch between options C charge wirelessly8. Luddite n. ('luh-dite)A technophobe B operating system C supercomputer9. pixel n. ('pik-sul)A dot in an image B spam text C screenshot10. back-end adj. ('bak-end)A behind a paywall B invisible to the user C outdated11. meme n. (meem)A personal blog B humorous graphic C notification…3 min

Reader's Digest|November 2022Picking a WinnerWHEN NEW YORK State's Ulster County invited local students to submit designs for an I Voted sticker for November's general election, it received a slew of excellent submissions, including a proud eagle and a woman holding an I Voted sign. But one stood out. Hudson Rowan's entry can best be described as half spider/half highly caffeinated American. It won, and Rowan, 14, told the New York Times he knows why: “The creature that I drew resembles the craziness of politics and the world right now.”COURTESY ULSTER COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS. KATSUMI MUROUCHl/GETTY IMAGES (RED PAPER). NATTAPOL SRITONGCOM/EYEEM/GETTY IMAGES (WHITE PAPER)…1 min

Reader's Digest|November 2022LIFE IN THESE United StatesMy kids found a stray cat in our yard and spent some time trying to get to know it. My 6-year-old daughter asked how to tell if it was a boy or a girl.“Well,” I said, “what does your brother have that you don't have?”Her precocious 4-year-old brother knew: “A bunk bed!”—KACY GILPIN Williamsburg, VASt. Thomas, in the Virgin Islands, is famous for stunning and affordable jewelry. A day before our cruise ship approached the port, a fellow passenger asked the cruise director what time the jewelry stores open. We had plenty of time, he assured her. “They open as soon as they hear our anchor go splash.”—MARK ROBERTS Leonia, NJIt happened to me: I started watching a teen show and became more invested in the parents' plotline.—@ROHITAKADAMBISo, How's Dating…2 min

Reader's Digest|November 2022Eyes on the Fries“DO YOU WANT fries with that?” For the average American, who eats 29 pounds of fries each year, the response to this irresistible inquiry is a resounding yes. McDonald's alone sells 9 million pounds of fries globally every day. To keep up, its U.S. supplier uses a massive fry-cutting machine that shoots potatoes through at 60 to 70 miles per hour, 24 hours a day.It's hotly debated whether fries first came from France or Belgium, but it was American soldiers during World War I who dubbed them “French.” The soldiers became smitten with the spuds in southern Belgium—where villagers fried sliced potatoes instead of fish when the River Meuse froze over—but called them French since that was the predominant language spoken. The name stuck.Long before the First World War, when…2 min

Reader's Digest|November 2022WHAT TIME DOES MY BRAIN WAKE UP?Sometimes when we go on vacation, we remember to pack everything but our good sense. Here area few questionable questions tour guides at vacation hot spots have had to field.✦ Does the sun set every night?✦ Are the Amish in season?✦ When do they turn off the waterfalls?✦ How many miles of undiscovered caves are there?✦ Why is the Closed for Cleaning sign on the restroom?✦ How come all of the war's battles were fought in national parks?✦ Why don't you have better marking in the places where trails do not exist?✦ Is that the same moon we see in Vermont?✦ If it rains, will the fireworks be held inside?✦ What is the altitude? (on a boat passing through the fjords of Alaska's Inside Passage)—TRAVEL INDUSTRY OF AMERICA…1 min

Reader's Digest|November 2022NewsFROM THE WORLD OF MEDICINERUN OFF CANCER RISKExercise has been known to reduce the risk of developing many forms of cancer. Now, a British study has identified one reason why Physical activity, it turns out, causes a cancer-fighting protein called interleukin-6 (IL-6) to be released into the bloodstream, where it can repair cells and slow tumor growth. Study participants at higher risk of colon cancer had larger amounts of IL-6 in their blood after cycling for 30 minutes than they did while resting. The conclusion: Regular exercise—such as walking, cycling or playing sports—can lower colon-cancer risk by about 20%, a finding researchers believe applies to other cancers as well.Why We Need More Female CardiologistsAccording to a study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, women with heart disease ended up in the…3 min

Reader's Digest|November 2022WHERE, OH WHERE?This squiggly stretch of road swerves along the northernmost tip of this peninsula, sometimes referred to as the “thumb” of the state. Dotted with lighthouses and scenic in any season, the area is covered in cherry blossoms in spring. In summer, Washington Island—the largest and most visited of the 35 named islands off the main peninsula—turns a stunning purple from all its lavender fields before a more autumnal palette takes over the landscape. Where re is it? (Answer on PAGE 107.)A Cape Charles, Virginia B Keweenaw County, Michigan C Cape Cod, Massachusetts D Door County, Wisconsin…1 min

Reader's Digest|November 2022LULU THE DIVAOur beloved heifer Lulu was a total diva. She was a food hog and a troublemaker, but also a great asset because she was the lead cow when the herd moved pastures. Cows like to follow a leader, and Lulu liked to lead!One summer, a wildfire broke out. While evacuating, we could barely see through the smoke or hear over the roar of the flames, but we knew that if Lulu could hear us, she'd come. My husband could see Lulu looking around bewildered but trying to prevent a stampede. He ventured into the smoke to get her attention. A few minutes later, Lulu and my husband emerged, leading our bull and 25 heifers to a safe pasture. If she hadn't been there to calm and lead the others, they…1 min

Reader's Digest|November 2022MANDY THE LIFEGUARDI have multiple sclerosis and use a wheelchair. One day, I fell into the pool, wheelchair and all. Our dog, Mandy, went berserk, barking and sprinting around the pool edge. She got the attention of my husband and a neighbor, who both rushed out. But by that time, Mandy had already leaped into the pool to try to rescue me herself. —EILEEN HALCZYN Wesley Chapel, FLLet's Agree…“Age is the acceptance of years. But maturity is the glory of years.” MARTHA GRAHAM, DANCER… to Disagree“Age is a high price to pay for maturity.” TOM STOPPARD, PLAYWRIGHTCOURTESY EILEEN HALCZYN. TARCHYSHNIK/GETTY IMAGES (COMIC SHAPES, 6)…1 min

Reader's Digest|November 2022A SCAMMER'S PERFECT MARK: MY MOMFROM WIREDHello?Someone has access to your bank accounts through Amazon, and they can take all your money. I'm calling to help.ONE DECEMBER MORNING, my mother's phone rang. She tugged the iPhone from the holster she kept clipped to the waist of her jeans and wondered who might be calling. Perhaps someone from church was checking in on her recovery from the coronavirus. “Hello?” she said.The voice that greeted her sounded concerned. “Someone has access to your bank accounts through Amazon, and they can take all your money,” he told her. “I'm calling to help.”Her mind raced. Oh Lord, she prayed silently. Oh Lord, give me strength. The voice was warm and reassuring, and my mom tried to focus closely on his words. My dad was driving to work, and she…12 min

Reader's Digest|November 2022Good Night OppyWALL-E finally gets a live-action adaptation! Just kidding, though Opportunity, the real-life rover explorer nicknamed Oppy, could pass for him. Oppy doesn't chirp and sing like WALL-E, but it certainly captures your heart and mind as it traverses Mars in this documentary. As wide-eyed NASA engineers explain, the 5-foot-2-inch robot geologist was meant to scout Mars for only 90 days after its 2003 launch. But for 15 years Oppy sent breathtaking footage and evidence of water and possible life. The film truly shines when the Earth-based crew forges emotional connections with the scrappy rover from a world away. Oppy's final resting place, by the way, is Mars's Perseverance Valley—a poignant ending for the little rover that not even Sorkin or Ephron could script. (In theaters Nov. 4; streaming on Amazon…1 min

Reader's Digest|November 2022QUOTABLE QUOTESDon't waste your purpose worrying about your body. It's your house. It's where you live. There's no point in judging it. —Emma Thompson, ACTOR, ON THE LATE SHOW WITH STEPHEN COLBERTI try to stay forward-focused. Two of my favorite words are “over” and “next” —Norman Lear, TV PRODUCER, IN THE NEW YORK TIMESThere can be no real satisfaction in a life devoted entirely to personal desires. If one is to be consumed by passion, I can think of no more worthy all-consuming passion than the struggle for human rights, greater opportunity and a livable planet. —Mary Frances Berry, ACTIVIST, TO GRADUATES OF CLARK UNIVERSITYLoyalty one way is stupidity. —Derek jeter, BASEBALL LEGEND, IN THE CAPTAIN DOCUSERIESWhenever someone starts disagreeing with me, I listen at first and then start wondering, in…1 min

Reader's Digest|November 2022SPECIAL OFFERBreak Wishbones; Tickle Funny Bones After giving thanks and gobbling turkey, stir up some smiles with Laughter, the Best Medicine 2022. This sidesplitting collection of our all-time best giggles and gags also serves up some new material suitable for readers from ages 6 to 106! It's the one side dish you can't get full on. And, unlike the rest of your Thanksgiving spread, the leftovers will last forever. As our thanks to you, we'll cover the cost of shipping. To order, visit rd.com/RDNOV.…1 min