Capital Comment The big oops of 2009 . . . Maury and Connie come home . . . What the Redskins and Billy Graham have in common . . . A not-so-gala fundraising season . . . Good Washington reads.

Where & When Screwtape Letters at the Lansburgh . . . Doc Watson at George Mason, Karen Akers at KenCen, Judy Collins at the Birchmere . . . Holiday music includes five Messiahs . . . Washington Ballet’s Nutcracker at the Warner.

What I’ve Learned An accident took away Ed Eckenhoff’s athletic dreams but made him use his mind to lead a full life and help others. Interview by John Pekkanen.

Life Stories Writing about people’s lives takes sleuthing, skepticism, and being open to surprises. By Walter Isaacson.

Making Musicians Play Like Devils and Angels When the National Symphony Orchestra picked Christoph Eschenbach to be its next music director, it didn’t play it safe.By Cragg Hines.

When Teenagers Drive Way Too Fast A carful of high-school kids, a dark and winding road, and a 17-year-old with a new license. It was supposed to be a quick trip to Burger King. What happened next ended a life, changed the others, and left one young man haunted by what he’d done. By Cindy Rich.

Hell on Wheels Meet Camilla the Hun, Guantanamo Babe, and Marion Barrycuda—they can’t wait to flatten other women skaters. By Gwendolyn Purdom.

Cool Gifts for the Holidays Don’t know what to get your boss, your best friend, or your boyfriend this season? Here are 57 great gift ideas.

Top Lawyers Would you pay $1,000 an hour for a lawyer’s time? The best legal talent doesn’t come cheap. Here’s why lawyers make what they do, how they make partner (or don’t), 30 stars of the bar, plus the top 1 percent of the area’s 80,000 attorneys. By Marisa M. Kashino, Kashmir Hill, and David Lat.

Benefits Good times for good causes in December. By Eleni Savopoulos.

Dining Out In Sou’Wester, the elegant Mandarin Oriental hotel has added a casual spot for hushpuppies, fried chicken, and grits. Plus—701 and Tallula get makeovers, more Chinatown comes to Wheaton, and Afghan goes glam in Alexandria. By Todd Kliman, Ann Limpert, Kate Nerenberg, and Rina Rapuano.

Readers Pick Their Favorite Restaurants For the 29th year, we asked readers to name the places they like best. By Ann Limpert and John White.

Best Bites First look at Mark Furstenberg’s G Street Food . . . Good places for West Indian roti . . . Delicious holiday goodies.

“I Need a Makeover” Seven women eager for change get new looks. First up: a 28-year-old who’s had the same hairstyle since sixth grade. By Emily Leaman and Sarah Zlotnick.

Best of Penn Quarter Head to the downtown neighborhood near DC’s Verizon Center for wonderful museums, top restaurants, and good drinks. Edited by Denise Kersten Wills and Mary Clare Fleury.

Winter Travel Bargains Whether your idea of a great weekend is to ski or to read by a fire, these 28 nearby places have a deal for you. By Andrea C. Poe.

“No Excuses” Sister Mary is proving that almost every girl can achieve if given a chance and pushed. By Mary Clare Fleury.

Luxury Homes Kara Kennedy, Lynda Erkiletian, Anne Kornblut, and others doing big sales.

Holiday Treats for Pets Rawhide candy canes, musical dreidels, and other gifts to get tails wagging. By Gwendolyn Purdom.

“I Wanted to Help” She decided to give some kids a brighter future—even if it meant selling her own house. By Sophie Gilbert.

“Will It Grow Back?” When she started cancer treatment, she had to buy a wig. She didn’t know if she’d ever look the same again. By Judith Harris.