RD201812-201901

on the cover:

photograph by yasu+junko

ornament courtesy swarovski

Reader’s Digest

58

cover story

REAL-LIFE

MIRACLES

This holiday season,

let these eight stories

stir a sense of wonder

and faith.

80

first person

The Magic Trick That

Changed My Life

After perfecting it for

six years, a magician

tries out his big stunt.

by nate staniforth

from the book

here is real magic

88
health & medicine
The Lifesaver on Dad’s
Computer Screen
A daughter caring for
her father finds help—
and peace of mind—
from a virtual
companion.
by lauren smiley
matthew cohen from wired

rd.com | dec 2018 )jan 2019 1

98

military life

You Own Every Bullet

In the midst of a tense

ambush in Iraq, a sol-

dier recalls his father’s

valuable lesson.

by matt susko

from reddit.com

104

inspiration

Luck and the

Four-Leaf Clover

One woman’s knack for

finding good fortune.

by teva harrison from

the walrus

108

true crime

The Man Who

Rigged the Lottery

He got hold of the

winning numbers—

five times. But how?

by reid forgrave

from the new york times

magazine

74

department of wit

The Best Made-Up

Words Ever

Do you suffer from

“carcolepsy”? Are you

an “afterclapper”? The

dictionary won’t tell

you, but we will.

by bill bouldin from the

del rio news-herald

CONTENTS

80

Features