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Communion

How a lonely man in his 30s found welcome and community in an unlikely place: spin class.

by Raleigh McCool

Illustration with grid of white bicycles, with a lone yellow bicycle. Bicycles are against a black background, connected with two-sided arrows in between them.

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Love Wins

“Two women promised they would see the Golden Gate Bridge for the first time once they were together. They had no idea how long that would take.”

by Longreads September 10, 2024September 11, 2024

Danger on the Divide

“If I’d felt more confident on the route, if he hadn’t made that comment, if we’d been communicating more, would I have pushed for another day off? If, if, if.”

by Maggie Slepian August 15, 2024August 16, 2024

A Journey of 6,000 Miles

Layan Albaz is one of thousands of Palestinian children who have lost limbs in Israeli air strikes—and one of the very few evacuated to the US for medical care.

by Longreads August 6, 2024August 5, 2024

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Weekly Top 5

The Top 5 Longreads of the Week

Showcasing stories from Ryu Spaeth, Kit Chellel, Dave Eggers, Holly Haworth, and John Semley.

September 27, 2024September 26, 2024

The Top 5 Longreads of the Week

Highlighting stories from Evan Malmgren, Thea Lim, Beth Raymer, Kasey Butcher Santana, and Nico Madrigal-Yankowski.

September 20, 2024September 19, 2024

The Top 5 Longreads of the Week

Recommending excellent stories by Alexia Fernández Campbell, April Simpson, and Pratheek Rebala; David Gambacorta; Michael Soffer; Jarod K. Anderson; and Claire L. Evans.

September 13, 2024September 13, 2024

Editors’ Picks

The Water Lilies

Katrina Vandenberg | Orion Magazine | August 29, 2024 | 3,786 words

“Reflections on time, aging, and Monet’s cataracts.”

Woman in the Woods

Holly Haworth | The Bitter Southerner | September 8, 2024 | 2,884 words

“To me, the woods are an intricate tapestry in which I always try to see the bigger picture.”

The Searchers

Dave Eggers | The Washington Post | September 17, 2024 | 6,805 words

“[T]he work being done at JPL is the most inspiring research and exploration being done by any humans on our planet.”

Can Your Stomach Handle a Meal at Alchemist?

Rebecca Mead | The New Yorker | September 23, 2024 | 5,839 words

“At the Copenhagen restaurant, diners are served raw jellyfish—and freeze-dried lamb brain served in a fake cranium—while videos about climate change swirl on the ceiling. Is it ‘gastronomic opera,’ or…

Extreme Heat Takes a Toll on Animals and Plants. What Their Keepers Do to Protect Them

Joan Meiners | USA Today | September 11, 2024 | 3,713 words

“How zookeepers and botanists keep animals and plants cool in extreme weather.”

The Cult of Wellness

Olivia Stren | Toronto Life | August 14, 2024 | 6,161 words

“A growing cohort of Torontonians are swapping the coke-fuelled, booze-soaked club scene for cold plunges, sobriety and superfood smoothies. Inside the expensive, obsessive, addictive quest for a perfect life.”

Elevate Me Later

John Semley | The Baffler | September 12, 2024 | 3,291 words

“Highbrow horror cinema has won respectability—but sold its soul.”

The Fatal Flaw in the Border Patrol’s Rescue Program

Tanvi Misra | High Country News and Type Investigations | September 1, 2024 | 5,141 words

“The Missing Migrant Program is meant to prevent deaths. Instead, it may be causing them.”

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Essays and Features

The Great Debate: Recorders vs. Notebooks

On how one narrative journalist decided never to use a tape recorder in his reporting—and why it matters.

by Longreads August 20, 2024August 16, 2024

Predator or Prey

“I still want to feel each meal, each touch, each body I absorb into mine.”

by Diana Saverin July 25, 2024July 23, 2024

Open to the Outlandish: A Conversation with Rebecca Renner

On getting that first draft down, the importance of a strong editor, and how a story evolves from pitch to publication.

by Longreads July 23, 2024July 19, 2024

How to Run 314 Miles After a Traumatic Brain Injury

After a horrific accident, doctors told Todd Barcelona that he’d likely never race again. So he and his wife decided to run farther than they ever had before.

by Longreads July 9, 2024August 1, 2024