Collecting The Best of Long-Form Writing
Every day, I scour the internet to bring you timeless writing, worth your time. Discover articles and essays you’ll want to revisit again and again. Sign up with your email address below to get regular round-ups with great long reads delivered to your inbox. Unsubscribe anytime.
Featured Picks
Where the Savior Fish Still Swims
In British Columbia, the annual return of the eulachon fish, known as the "savior fish," brings with it a wave of traditional community work. Shanna Baker’s narrative explores not just the fishing practices along the Nass River, but also the deep cultural ties and ecological concerns surrounding this resource.
Dredging Up the Ghostly Secrets of Slave Ships
Julian Lucas writes about the efforts of maritime archeologists and the Slave Wrecks Project to locate and excavate slave shipwrecks, focusing on the Camargo and its connections to the transatlantic slave trade and Brazil. He explores the historical context of the slave trade, the difficulties in memorializing such a painful past, and the importance of connecting these discoveries to the present-day struggles for justice and recognition.
Howl
Kevin Berger explores the complex history and controversial outcomes of gray wolf reintroduction in the Northern Rockies. Diane Boyd, a wolf researcher, argues that natural recolonization would have been more beneficial for the species than the government-led reintroduction. Others do not agree.
Present Tense: The Long Shadow of an Eating Disorder
Maggie Slepian writes about eating disorders and their lasting impact beyond the initial struggle for recovery. Her personal reflections reveal how the shadows of anorexia and bulimia continue to affect her relationship with food and body image years later.
The Fourth Wall
Tommy Olsen is a Norwegian schoolteacher turned advocate documenting the perilous journeys of migrants crossing into Greece. Lauren Markham tells the story of his work on the Aegean Boat Report, highlighting the practice of pushbacks, where authorities forcibly return refugees to dangerous waters even though it is illegal to do so.
The hardest working font in Manhattan
Marcin Wichary takes us on a fascinating journey while exploring the surprising ubiquity of the font “Gorton” in New York City. Despite its quirky and often imperfect designs, this font can be found in both mundane and extraordinary settings, from office signs to the Apollo spacecraft.
Recommended Picks
Life lessons from a coastal wolf pack
Caroline Van Hemert shares her family's encounter with a coastal wolf pack in Glacier Bay National Park. Witnessing both the harsh realities of nature and the surprising resilience of wildlife, Van Hemert reveals how these wolves have altered their diet dramatically in response to environmental changes - leaving us with lessons we can learn from nature's flexibility.
How ‘Event Scripts’ Structure Our Personal Memories
Through brain scanning techniques, researchers have uncovered how sequences of familiar events—like dining in a restaurant or navigating an airport—serve as scaffolds for our memories. Ingrid Wickelgren explores how these "event scripts." as scientists call them, help us connect new experiences to past knowledge, influencing what details we remember.
A Climate Solution on the Half Shell
Aryn Baker explores how oyster farming in La Spezia, Italy, not only provides a sustainable food source but also contributes to coastal protection and marine biodiversity.
The Men Spending $1,000 a Day in Pursuit of Big Bass
Some bass fishing enthusiasts are willing to spend up to $1,000 a day in search of the ultimate catch: a trophy-sized largemouth bass. Ryan Krogh explores the unique subculture of anglers, who pursue these elusive fish in private lakes across Texas. The piece delves into the passion, obsession, and considerable financial investment that drive these weekend warriors.
The Women Who Made America’s Microchips and the Children Who Paid for It
Justine Calma writes about the health ramifications for early semiconductor factory workers in Silicon Valley. She focuses on the experiences of women like Yvette Flores, whose exposure to hazardous chemicals while working in chip manufacturing led to their children being born with disabilities.
The Teacher in Room 1214
This piece examines Ivy Schamis' journey following the loss of two students in the Parkland school shooting, highlighting her steadfast dedication to supporting her students' emotional and mental health in its aftermath. Though she eventually left Parkland to focus on her own healing, Schamis remained connected with her students, offering ongoing support as they navigated life after the tragedy.