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February 28, 2026 
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Welcome back to The Weekender, where you’ll find a batch of the week’s top stories about culture and the way we live today.
The first time I walked into an American Girl doll store, I was an adult buying a gift for my daughter. I had thought they were like my generation’s Cabbage Patch Kids, a trendy toy. All it took was that expedition, an afternoon spent browsing American Girl’s historical collection, for me to understand why so many adults get nostalgic about this brand. The back stories! Historically accurate pajamas! So many accessories. A decade later, my girls’ dolls live in a pile in the basement, their clothes stuffed in a drawer — but I get the fandom. Along with many others, I grimaced when I saw this week’s news that the six original characters were getting modern makeovers. Gina Cherelus’s article about the changes, and reactions to them, is below.
Also in this edition, we learn about a 67-year-old nudist camp looking for a buyer, show our appreciation for the “giddy, raunchy flop” that brought us Michelle Pfeiffer and share this year’s nominees for the International Booker Prize. I’ll see you next weekend(er).
— Farah
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This edition of The Weekender was edited by Farah Miller and Kellina Moore. Reach our team at weekender@nytimes.com.
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