THE OPTIMISTS Readers said they felt rejuvenated after reading the Jan. 15 issue, curated by TIME’s first ever guest editor, Bill Gates. Brian A. Thompson of Asheville, N.C., called it “the most easily read, positive, and never-to-be-thrown- away example of TIME I can ever recall.” For some, all it took was seeing Olaf Blecker’s portrait of 5-year-old Mohamad Nasir on the cover. “Look at that smile!” tweeted Jill Biden, the former Second Lady of the U.S. Jorge L. Rodriguez of Corona, N.Y., said he wants to read follow-up articles every 10 and 20 years on Nasir and other children featured.
Not everyone felt so positive, though. Douglas P. Cunningham in the Bronx thought Gates’ opener read like an advertisement for his foundation. Chris Shaw of Burlingame, Calif., said she is…
