Below, our favorite stories of the week. Kindle users, you can also get them as a Readlist.
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1. A South Florida Boxing Rivalry Leads to Cold-Blooded Murder
Tim Elfrink | Miami New Times | Feb. 23, 2016 | 20 minutes (5,237 words)
A rivalry between two boxers becomes a one-sided case study in obsession and jealousy, culminating in a fatal bullet wound. Elfrink relays both men’s stories in the wider context of South Florida’s boxing history.
2. The Real Story of Germanwings Flight 9525
Joshua Hammer | GQ | Feb. 22, 2016 | 23 minutes (5,859 words)
Last year, a young pilot crashed an airliner into the French Alps, killing the crew and 144 passengers. Hammer investigates how it happened.
3. We Are Hopelessly Hooked
Jacob Weisberg | New York Review of Books | Feb. 25, 2016 | 16 minutes (4,200 words)
Smartphone use has grown faster than any other consumer technology in history. But has our transformation into “device people” corroded our humanity?
4. How Mark Zuckerberg Should Give Away $45 Billion
Michael Hobbes | Huffington Post | Feb. 25, 2016 | 22 minutes (5,697 words)
A thoughtful essay on effective philanthropy.
5. H.
Sarah Resnick | n+1 | Feb. 22, 2016 | 45 minutes (11,340 words)
A powerful essay on heroin and harm-reduction that centers on the author’s relationship with her uncle, who is a recovering addict and long-term methadone user.