[{"id":259833,"date":"2026-09-21T13:34:18","date_gmt":"2026-09-21T17:34:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/longreads.com\/?p=259833"},"modified":"2026-09-21T13:34:20","modified_gmt":"2026-09-21T17:34:20","slug":"homeownership-generational-wealth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2026\/09\/21\/homeownership-generational-wealth\/","title":{"rendered":"On Not Being a Homeowner"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this personal essay at <em>The New Yorker<\/em>, Anna Holmes writes about growing up in Davis, California, a college town near Sacramento; the financial challenges her mixed-race family faced; and what it means to come from a family without the generational wealth that can make homeownership, and the financial security that comes with it, possible.<\/p>\n<span hidden class=\"__iawmlf-post-loop-links\" data-iawmlf-links=\"[{&quot;id&quot;:49072,&quot;href&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.newyorker.com\\\/news\\\/the-weekend-essay\\\/on-not-being-a-homeowner?src=longreads&quot;,&quot;archived_href&quot;:&quot;http:\\\/\\\/web-wp.archive.org\\\/web\\\/20260921173447\\\/https:\\\/\\\/www.newyorker.com\\\/news\\\/the-weekend-essay\\\/on-not-being-a-homeowner?src=longreads&quot;,&quot;redirect_href&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;checks&quot;:[{&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-09-21 17:46:20&quot;,&quot;http_code&quot;:206},{&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-09-24 18:20:34&quot;,&quot;http_code&quot;:206}],&quot;broken&quot;:false,&quot;last_checked&quot;:{&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-09-24 18:20:34&quot;,&quot;http_code&quot;:206},&quot;process&quot;:&quot;done&quot;}]\"><\/span>\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s hard to hear people who own property grumble about how little money they have. One friend who regularly moans about money has a four-bedroom home on the West Coast and a vacation house in New England. I\u2019m unmoved by the financial lamentations of another friend, who owns a town house in New York with an apartment for a nanny or an in-law. Stuff like this makes me want to scream. <em>Demonstrate<\/em> <em>some<\/em> <em>modicum<\/em> <em>of<\/em> <em>self-awareness!<\/em> <em>Read the fucking room!<\/em> When a friend told me that her parents were going to help her buy a second home, I made a pointed remark that it must be nice to have access to that sort of capital. She conceded the point, graciously, and we moved on.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-fe48e5de wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div style=\"--wp--block-button--width: 50;\" class=\"wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width wp-block-button__width-50\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-primary-background-color has-background has-custom-font-size wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.newyorker.com\/news\/the-weekend-essay\/on-not-being-a-homeowner?src=longreads\" style=\"padding-top:15px;padding-right:15px;padding-bottom:15px;padding-left:15px;font-size:20px\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read the story<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-style-border has-light-gray-background-color has-background\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\t<div\n\t\tclass=\"wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles wpnbha is-grid columns-3 colgap-3 ts-2 \"\n\t\tstyle=\"\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t<div data-posts data-current-post-id=\"259833\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"article-section-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span>More stories on homeownership<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"259833\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-american-dream tag-anna-holmes tag-generational-wealth tag-home tag-homeownership tag-housing tag-the-new-yorker tag-wealth category-editors-pick type-post\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2026\/09\/21\/homeownership-generational-wealth\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">On Not Being a Homeowner<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"newspack-post-subtitle newspack-post-subtitle--in-homepage-block\">\n\t\t\t\t\tAnna Holmes | The New Yorker | September 12, 2026 | 2,964 words\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>&#8220;Generational wealth shapes our futures and friendships, whether we talk about it or not.&#8221;<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"241532\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-climate-crisis tag-disaster tag-fire tag-grist tag-homeownership tag-insurance tag-loss tag-maui tag-rebuilding tag-wildfire category-editors-pick type-post\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2025\/08\/18\/maui-hawaii-fire-foreclosure\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Two Years After a Wildfire Took Everything, Maui Homeowners Are Facing a New Threat: Foreclosure<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"newspack-post-subtitle newspack-post-subtitle--in-homepage-block\">\n\t\t\t\t\tAnita Hofschneider | Grist | August 12, 2025 | 4,161 words\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>&#8220;A Native Hawaiian mother\u2019s fight to keep her family in L\u0101hain\u0101 despite soaring costs, mortgage limbo, and land-hungry investors eager to own a piece of Hawai\u02bbi.&#8221;<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"216863\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-ambulance tag-california tag-home tag-homelessness tag-homeostasis tag-homeownership tag-housing tag-jack-flemming tag-los-angeles tag-los-angeles-times tag-unhoused category-editors-pick type-post\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2024\/05\/07\/an-ambulance-an-empty-lot-and-a-loophole-one-mans-fight-for-a-place-to-live\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">An Ambulance, An Empty Lot and a Loophole: One Man\u2019s Fight for a Place to Live<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"newspack-post-subtitle newspack-post-subtitle--in-homepage-block\">\n\t\t\t\t\tJack Flemming | Los Angeles Times | May 2, 2024 | 2,456 words\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>&#8220;He sees himself as many Angelenos do: in the gray area between homeless and homeowner.&#8221;<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Generational wealth shapes our futures and friendships, whether we talk about it or 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Cure"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For <em>Orion Magazine<\/em>, Seth Kaplan writes of turning to his tomato plants as a way to decompress after a long day at work. In this brief but beautiful essay, he revels in the tactile pleasures of trimming leaves and pinching suckers, of tending beings that make no demands. <\/p>\n<span hidden class=\"__iawmlf-post-loop-links\" data-iawmlf-links=\"[{&quot;id&quot;:49071,&quot;href&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/orionmagazine.org\\\/article\\\/tomato-cure\\\/?src=longreads&quot;,&quot;archived_href&quot;:&quot;http:\\\/\\\/web-wp.archive.org\\\/web\\\/20260921135805\\\/https:\\\/\\\/orionmagazine.org\\\/article\\\/tomato-cure\\\/?src=longreads&quot;,&quot;redirect_href&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;checks&quot;:[{&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-09-21 14:12:12&quot;,&quot;http_code&quot;:200},{&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-09-24 14:27:21&quot;,&quot;http_code&quot;:200}],&quot;broken&quot;:false,&quot;last_checked&quot;:{&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-09-24 14:27:21&quot;,&quot;http_code&quot;:200},&quot;process&quot;:&quot;done&quot;}]\"><\/span>\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The tomatoes do not have opinions, or so I tell myself, though it is mostly a lie. For they do lean toward the sun and then, perversely, away from it. They sulk when I overwater and they sulk when I forget, and they have firm convictions about how much attention is too much. But whatever they want, they show me plainly. A leaning plant wants turning. A pale, unhappy one wants trimming. A bushy one wants care. There is no tone in it\u2014no door slamming or softly clicking shut upstairs, no message that says <em>fine<\/em> in a way that is clearly not fine. When a tomato is unhappy with me, it tells me in a language I can actually answer. And it does tell me. Skip a few days\u2014a work trip, a long weekend, some obligation that drags me out of the side yard\u2014and they turn unruly, almost insolent.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-fe48e5de wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div style=\"--wp--block-button--width: 50;\" class=\"wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width wp-block-button__width-50\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-primary-background-color has-background has-custom-font-size wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/orionmagazine.org\/article\/tomato-cure\/?src=longreads\" style=\"padding-top:15px;padding-right:15px;padding-bottom:15px;padding-left:15px;font-size:20px\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read the story<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-light-gray-background-color has-background\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\t<div\n\t\tclass=\"wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles wpnbha is-grid columns-3 colgap-3 show-image image-aligntop ts-2 is-3 is-landscape \"\n\t\tstyle=\"\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t<div data-posts data-current-post-id=\"259826\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"article-section-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span>More picks from <em>Orion Magazine<\/em><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"191302\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-edmund-fitzgerald tag-lake-superior tag-martha-lundin tag-mythology tag-orion tag-shipwreck category-editors-pick type-post\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2023\/06\/21\/the-day-the-lake-took-the-edmund-fitzgerald\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">The Day the Lake Took the Edmund Fitzgerald<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"newspack-post-subtitle newspack-post-subtitle--in-homepage-block\">\n\t\t\t\t\tMartha Lundin | Orion Magazine | October 25, 2022 | 2,874 words\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>&#8220;The bed of Lake Superior is part museum, part graveyard.&#8221; <\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"239367\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-erica-berry tag-foraging tag-orion tag-poison tag-relationships category-editors-pick type-post\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2025\/06\/17\/intuitive-eating\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Intuitive Eating<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"newspack-post-subtitle newspack-post-subtitle--in-homepage-block\">\n\t\t\t\t\tErica Berry | Orion Magazine | May 29, 2025 | 4,662 words\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>&#8220;On poison, pleasure, and trust.&#8221;<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"235618\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-activism tag-adrienne-maree-brown tag-amy-ray tag-interdependence tag-lgbtqi-2 tag-orion tag-queer-ecology category-editors-pick type-post\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2025\/03\/06\/all-ecology-is-queer\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">All Ecology Is Queer<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"newspack-post-subtitle newspack-post-subtitle--in-homepage-block\">\n\t\t\t\t\tadrienne maree brown, Amy Ray | Orion Magazine | February 13, 2025 | 3,953 words\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>&#8220;Nature\u2019s networks, fluidity, and diversity are the keys to our future.&#8221;<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;The quiet medicine of small jobs, finished before 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But"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019m not a fan of improv. I\u2019ve even walked out of a class before\u2014being told to pretend to give birth just wasn\u2019t for me. But its popularity was once never in doubt: people were all too willing to shell out hard\u2011earned cash to watch performers fumble through impromptu sketches. Nowadays, the form has lost its shine, and Dennis M. Hogan traces whether it still has a place in today\u2019s culture. The inspired title alone means this is a read you should say \u201cyes\u201d to. <\/p>\n<span hidden class=\"__iawmlf-post-loop-links\" data-iawmlf-links=\"[{&quot;id&quot;:49069,&quot;href&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/thebaffler.com\\\/salvos\\\/no-but-hogan&quot;,&quot;archived_href&quot;:&quot;http:\\\/\\\/web-wp.archive.org\\\/web\\\/20260901235125\\\/https:\\\/\\\/thebaffler.com\\\/salvos\\\/no-but-hogan&quot;,&quot;redirect_href&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;checks&quot;:[{&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-09-17 20:03:56&quot;,&quot;http_code&quot;:403},{&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-09-20 20:04:01&quot;,&quot;http_code&quot;:403},{&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-09-24 00:25:06&quot;,&quot;http_code&quot;:403}],&quot;broken&quot;:true,&quot;last_checked&quot;:{&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-09-24 00:25:06&quot;,&quot;http_code&quot;:403},&quot;process&quot;:&quot;done&quot;}]\"><\/span>\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During the boom years of the late 2000s and 2010s, improv persuaded many people that it was not just a wacky gimmick but, as I believed, an art in itself. The rise of stars like the improv-trained Steve Carell, Tina Fey, and Amy Poehler convinced casting directors and network executives that improvisers had graduated from sideshows to being bankable talents in their own rights. Performances were packed with newbies and aficionados alike. Major theaters added classes and facilities to meet growing demand, allowing many improvisers who never made it big to eke out livings as teachers and theater staff. The gospel of improv spread to those far outside the comedy world, from self-improvement seekers hoping to level up their interpersonal abilities to corporate suits eager to take advantage of the latest team-building and soft skill-optimization fad.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-fe48e5de wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div style=\"--wp--block-button--width: 50;\" class=\"wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width wp-block-button__width-50\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-primary-background-color has-background has-custom-font-size wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/thebaffler.com\/salvos\/no-but-hogan\" style=\"padding-top:15px;padding-right:15px;padding-bottom:15px;padding-left:15px;font-size:20px\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read the story<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-light-gray-background-color has-background\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\t<div\n\t\tclass=\"wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles is-style-borders wpnbha is-grid columns-3 colgap-3 ts-2 is-style-borders\"\n\t\tstyle=\"\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t<div data-posts data-current-post-id=\"259755\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"article-section-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span>More picks on performing <\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"259755\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-acting tag-dennis-m-hogan tag-improv tag-longreads tag-performance tag-the-baffler category-editors-pick type-post\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2026\/09\/18\/improv-performance-unpopular\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">No, But<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"newspack-post-subtitle newspack-post-subtitle--in-homepage-block\">\n\t\t\t\t\tDennis M. Hogan | The Baffler | September 1, 2026 | 6,275 words\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>&#8220;What was improv?&#8221;<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"257163\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-acting tag-actors tag-annakeara-stinson tag-dirty-harry tag-family tag-harpers-bazaar tag-hollywood tag-models tag-mothers tag-movies tag-parents category-editors-pick type-post\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2026\/07\/17\/diana-davidson-dirty-harry\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">My Mother Died On Screen But Survived Hollywood<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"newspack-post-subtitle newspack-post-subtitle--in-homepage-block\">\n\t\t\t\t\tAnnakeara Stinson | Harper&#8217;s Bazaar | July 16, 2026 | 2,192 words\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>&#8220;Making sense of a complicated family legacy.&#8221;<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"256071\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-books tag-cards tag-illusionist tag-journalism tag-magic tag-mark-singer tag-performance tag-profiles tag-ricky-jay tag-the-new-yorker category-editors-pick type-post\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2026\/06\/25\/ricky-jay-mark-singer-new-yorker\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Secrets of the Magus<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"newspack-post-subtitle newspack-post-subtitle--in-homepage-block\">\n\t\t\t\t\tMark Singer | The New Yorker | April 5, 1993 | 14,754 words\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>&#8220;Ricky Jay does closeup magic that flouts reality.&#8221;<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"254615\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-amanda-fortini tag-art tag-artist tag-caroline-schneeman tag-conceptual-art tag-feminism tag-feminist tag-marina-abramovic tag-performance-art tag-t-magazine tag-yoko-ono category-editors-pick type-post\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2026\/05\/25\/yoko-ono-ana-mendieta-female-performance-art\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Is Yoko Ono the Most Radical Artist of the Trump Era?<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"newspack-post-subtitle newspack-post-subtitle--in-homepage-block\">\n\t\t\t\t\tAmanda Fortini | T Magazine | April 30, 2026 | 3,017 words\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>&#8220;In the 1960s, she invited an audience to cut off her clothes. As attacks on women\u2019s rights escalate, &#8216;Cut Piece&#8217; and other decades-old works of feminist art feel more relevant than ever.&#8221;<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"232548\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-art tag-claire-bishop tag-culture tag-francesca-billington tag-museum tag-performance tag-technology tag-the-nation category-editors-pick type-post\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2024\/12\/10\/looking-at-art-will-never-be-the-same-again\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Looking at Art Will Never Be the Same Again<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"newspack-post-subtitle newspack-post-subtitle--in-homepage-block\">\n\t\t\t\t\tFrancesca Billington | The Nation | November 6, 2024 | 2,027 words\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>&#8220;A conversation with the art historian Claire Bishop about technology\u2019s influence on museums and galleries, and her recent book Disordered Attention.&#8221;<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"197174\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-acting tag-anatomy-of-a-fall tag-art tag-auschwitz tag-cinema tag-fascism tag-journalism tag-longreads tag-movies tag-nazis tag-nonfiction tag-profile tag-rebecca-mead tag-sandra-huller tag-the-new-yorker tag-the-zone-of-interest tag-world-war-ii category-editors-pick type-post\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2023\/11\/29\/how-sandra-huller-approached-playing-a-nazi\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">How Sandra H\u00fcller Approached Playing a Nazi<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"newspack-post-subtitle newspack-post-subtitle--in-homepage-block\">\n\t\t\t\t\tRebecca Mead | The New Yorker | November 27, 2023 | 6,211 words\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>&#8220;The German actress probes characters with unusual depth. But to portray a Fascist wife, in &#8216;The Zone of Interest,&#8217; she reversed her usual approach\u2014and withheld her empathy.&#8221;<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;What was improv?&#8221;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":698,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"single-feature.php","format":"standard","meta":{"newspack_ads_suppress_ads":false,"newspack_popups_has_disabled_popups":false,"newspack_sponsor_sponsorship_scope":"","newspack_sponsor_native_byline_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_native_category_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_style":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_placement":"inherit","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_primary_brand":0,"newspack_content_restriction_is_exempt":false,"_newspack_byline_active":false,"_newspack_byline":"","newspack_hide_updated_date":false,"newspack_show_updated_date":false,"scaip_prevent_shortcode_addition":false,"newspack_featured_image_position":"","newspack_post_subtitle":"Dennis M. Hogan | The Baffler | September 1, 2026 | 6,275 words","newspack_article_summary_title":"Overview:","newspack_article_summary":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"republication-tracker-tool-hide-widget":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[15973],"tags":[5872,29313,29312,325,21422,793],"brand":[],"newspack_spnsrs_tax":[],"coauthors":[15376],"class_list":["post-259755","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-editors-pick","tag-acting","tag-dennis-m-hogan","tag-improv","tag-longreads","tag-performance","tag-the-baffler","entry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>No, But - Longreads<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2026\/09\/18\/improv-performance-unpopular\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"No, But - Longreads\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"&quot;What was improv?&quot;\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2026\/09\/18\/improv-performance-unpopular\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Longreads\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-09-18T14:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Carolyn Wells\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Carolyn Wells\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"1 minute\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/longreads.com\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/18\\\/improv-performance-unpopular\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/longreads.com\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/18\\\/improv-performance-unpopular\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Carolyn Wells\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/longreads.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/2d95dfa4c51c96ff545dd603e755e1e2\"},\"headline\":\"No, But\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-09-18T14:00:00+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/longreads.com\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/18\\\/improv-performance-unpopular\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":231,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/longreads.com\\\/#organization\"},\"keywords\":[\"acting\",\"Dennis M. 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class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This story moves chronologically through a marriage that begins to unravel\u2014with fatal consequences. The victim is Dan Markel, the ex-husband of Wendi Adelson, but it\u2019s the involvement of Wendi\u2019s domineering mother, Donna, and her brother, Charlie, that leads to his tragic end. Katherine Laidlaw shows how there were far more than two people in this marriage\u2014and far more than two lives destroyed when it fell apart.<\/p>\n<span hidden class=\"__iawmlf-post-loop-links\" data-iawmlf-links=\"[{&quot;id&quot;:49070,&quot;href&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/torontolife.com\\\/deep-dives\\\/murder-in-law-domestic-contract-killing\\\/?src=longreads&quot;,&quot;archived_href&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;redirect_href&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;checks&quot;:[],&quot;broken&quot;:false,&quot;last_checked&quot;:null,&quot;process&quot;:&quot;done&quot;}]\"><\/span>\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Harvey was nominally the breadwinner, but Donna ruled the family. She had strict ideas about how her children should live, pushing them to earn advanced degrees and build prestigious careers. Rob became a doctor, and Charlie became a periodontist, eventually buying his father\u2019s dental practice. Donna obsessed, too, about her children\u2019s love lives, scrolling through online dating profiles and sending them lists of promising candidates. When Rob started seeing a woman who wasn\u2019t Jewish, Donna interfered so aggressively that he eventually broke it off and briefly married someone else. (He has since married his original non-Jewish girlfriend.) At first, Donna was thrilled that her daughter was seeing Dan, then a lawyer at a boutique firm. She was less thrilled when he left to pursue academia, a path that she felt paid poorly and lacked cachet.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-fe48e5de wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div style=\"--wp--block-button--width: 50;\" class=\"wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width wp-block-button__width-50\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-primary-background-color has-background has-custom-font-size wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/torontolife.com\/deep-dives\/murder-in-law-domestic-contract-killing\/?src=longreads\" style=\"padding-top:15px;padding-right:15px;padding-bottom:15px;padding-left:15px;font-size:20px\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read the story<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-light-gray-background-color has-background\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\t<div\n\t\tclass=\"wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles is-style-borders wpnbha is-grid columns-3 colgap-3 show-image image-aligntop ts-2 is-3 is-landscape is-style-borders\"\n\t\tstyle=\"\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t<div data-posts data-current-post-id=\"259750\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"article-section-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span>More picks from Toronto Life <\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"258450\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-canada tag-crime tag-malcolm-johnston tag-phone-scam tag-toronto tag-toronto-life category-editors-pick type-post\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2026\/08\/18\/the-phone-scammers-toronto-life\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">The Phone Scammers Next Door<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"newspack-post-subtitle newspack-post-subtitle--in-homepage-block\">\n\t\t\t\t\tMalcolm Johnston | Toronto Life | July 27, 2026 | 6,557 words\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>&#8220;An ambitious young couple, a multimillion-dollar swindle and the sting that brought them down.&#8221;<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"252310\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-ai tag-animation tag-artists tag-education tag-gen-z-2 tag-growing-up tag-high-school tag-jes-mason tag-kennedy-lashley tag-learning tag-pandemic tag-toronto-life tag-young-adult category-editors-pick type-post\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2026\/04\/03\/gen-z-lost-generation-education-work\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">It\u2019s Hard Out Here for a 20-Something<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"newspack-post-subtitle newspack-post-subtitle--in-homepage-block\">\n\t\t\t\t\tKennedy Lashley, as told to Jes Mason | Toronto Life | March 16, 2026 | 3,791 words\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>&#8220;Tales from the lost generation.&#8221;<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"241620\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-french-fries tag-harley-rustad tag-mystery tag-toronto-life category-editors-pick type-post\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2025\/08\/21\/the-great-french-fry-mystery\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">The Great French Fry Mystery<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"newspack-post-subtitle newspack-post-subtitle--in-homepage-block\">\n\t\t\t\t\tHarley Rustad | Toronto Life |  August 11, 2025 | 3,564 words\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>&#8220;When an A&#038;W takeout bag appeared on my neighbour\u2019s porch in the middle of the night\u2014followed by another, then another\u2014I became obsessed with solving a fast food whodunit that was as baffling as it was beguiling.&#8221;<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"241527\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-canada tag-crime tag-drug-trafficking tag-el-chapo tag-mexico tag-olympics tag-ryan-wedding tag-simon-lewsen tag-sinaloa tag-snowboarding tag-sports tag-toronto-life tag-true-crime category-editors-pick type-post\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2025\/08\/18\/becoming-el-jefe\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Becoming El Jefe<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"newspack-post-subtitle newspack-post-subtitle--in-homepage-block\">\n\t\t\t\t\tSimon Lewson | Toronto Life | July 28, 2025 | 5,954 words\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>&#8220;Before Ryan Wedding landed on the FBI\u2019s Most Wanted list as a high-level associate of El Chapo, he was a bright-eyed kid from Thunder Bay. The inside story of how an Olympic snowboarding prodigy became one of the world\u2019s most dangerous and powerful drug lords.&#8221;<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"234775\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-luc-rinaldi tag-murder tag-toronto-life category-editors-pick type-post\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2025\/02\/11\/murder-in-the-blue-mountains\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Murder in the Blue Mountains<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"newspack-post-subtitle newspack-post-subtitle--in-homepage-block\">\n\t\t\t\t\tLuc Rinaldi | Toronto Life | February 10, 2025 | 6,575 words\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>&#8220;Ashley\u2019s remains turned up in a burned-out car at the bottom of a ditch, and all signs pointed to her husband.&#8221;<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"229831\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-cult tag-health tag-mental-health tag-olivia-stren tag-self-care tag-therapy tag-toronto tag-toronto-life tag-wellness category-editors-pick type-post\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2024\/09\/24\/the-cult-of-wellness\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">The Cult of Wellness<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"newspack-post-subtitle newspack-post-subtitle--in-homepage-block\">\n\t\t\t\t\tOlivia Stren | Toronto Life | August 14, 2024 | 6,161 words\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>&#8220;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.&#8221;<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;The twisted story of a domestic contract 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Most Wanted"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Daniel Shailer embeds with the tiny separatist group \u201cShetland First,\u201d whose members believe the Shetland Islands were never legitimately ceded to Scotland. Its 83\u2011year\u2011old leader, Stuart Hill\u2014shipwreck survivor, serial litigant, self\u2011proclaimed weather\u2011controller\u2014is such a compelling eccentric that Shailer ends up as absorbed in Hill\u2019s own story as in the broader currents of populism on these remote isles.<\/p>\n<span hidden class=\"__iawmlf-post-loop-links\" data-iawmlf-links=\"[{&quot;id&quot;:49067,&quot;href&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/the-fence.com\\\/article\\\/shetlands-most-wanted&quot;,&quot;archived_href&quot;:&quot;http:\\\/\\\/web-wp.archive.org\\\/web\\\/20260917135023\\\/https:\\\/\\\/the-fence.com\\\/article\\\/shetlands-most-wanted&quot;,&quot;redirect_href&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;checks&quot;:[{&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-09-17 19:10:57&quot;,&quot;http_code&quot;:200},{&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-09-20 20:16:36&quot;,&quot;http_code&quot;:200},{&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-09-24 01:17:29&quot;,&quot;http_code&quot;:200}],&quot;broken&quot;:false,&quot;last_checked&quot;:{&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-09-24 01:17:29&quot;,&quot;http_code&quot;:200},&quot;process&quot;:&quot;done&quot;}]\"><\/span>\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Previously, Hill has focused on relatively esoteric points of history and legalese. Now, on the advice of his chief campaign advisor, ChatGPT, he is meeting people where they are: should council tax go up while official salaries get bumped? Is it fair to live in fuel poverty at the footsteps of Britain\u2019s largest onshore wind farm?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018There are all these injustices, and once you read the history, you can see a basic injustice,\u2019 Hill says. \u2018Everybody seems to be kind of comfortable with it, but at the same time there\u2019s a basic undercurrent of dissatisfaction.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-fe48e5de wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div style=\"--wp--block-button--width: 50;\" class=\"wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width wp-block-button__width-50\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-primary-background-color has-background has-custom-font-size wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/the-fence.com\/article\/shetlands-most-wanted\" style=\"padding-top:15px;padding-right:15px;padding-bottom:15px;padding-left:15px;font-size:20px\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read the story<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-light-gray-background-color has-background\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\t<div\n\t\tclass=\"wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles is-style-borders wpnbha is-grid columns-3 colgap-3 ts-2 is-style-borders\"\n\t\tstyle=\"\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t<div data-posts data-current-post-id=\"259747\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"article-section-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span>More picks on Scotland <\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"259747\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-longreads tag-politics tag-populism tag-scotland tag-separatism tag-shetland tag-shetland-first tag-shetland-isles tag-the-fence category-editors-pick type-post\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2026\/09\/17\/shetlands-most-wanted\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Shetland&#8217;s Most Wanted<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"newspack-post-subtitle newspack-post-subtitle--in-homepage-block\">\n\t\t\t\t\tDaniel Shailer | The Fence | September 7, 2026 | 2,385 words\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>&#8220;A series of encounters with an unlikely band of separatists.&#8221;<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"258241\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-children tag-fernando-pinho tag-fernandos-logbook tag-isle-of-mull tag-longreads tag-school tag-scotland tag-travel category-editors-pick type-post\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2026\/08\/13\/children-remote-school-scotland\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">The Ferry Boat Children<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"newspack-post-subtitle newspack-post-subtitle--in-homepage-block\">\n\t\t\t\t\tFernando Pinho | Fernando&#8217;s Logbook | August 10, 2026 | 7,295 words\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>&#8220;For the children of south Mull, secondary school means leaving home age eleven. Their parents&#8217; silence was never consent.&#8221;<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"193523\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-longreads tag-nonfiction tag-scotland tag-sea-eagles category-editors-pick type-post\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2023\/09\/12\/the-sea-eagles-that-returned-to-mull\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">The Sea Eagles That Returned to Mull<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"newspack-post-subtitle newspack-post-subtitle--in-homepage-block\">\n\t\t\t\t\tEmma Marris | Hakai Magazine | September 12, 2023 | 3,900 words \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>&#8220;Almost 50 years ago, conservationists reintroduced white-tailed eagles to Scotland. It\u2019s gone well. Some say too well.&#8221;<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"192198\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-food tag-scotland tag-the-guardian tag-tom-lamont tag-united-kingdom category-editors-pick type-post\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2023\/07\/21\/a-funeral-for-fish-and-chips-why-are-britains-chippies-disappearing\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">A Funeral for Fish and Chips: Why are Britain\u2019s Chippies Disappearing?<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"newspack-post-subtitle newspack-post-subtitle--in-homepage-block\">\n\t\t\t\t\tTom Lamont | The Guardian | July 20, 2023 | 5,276 words\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>&#8220;Plenty of people will tell you the East Neuk of Fife in Scotland is the best place in the world to eat fish and chips. So what happens when its chippies\u2014and chippies across the UK\u2014start to close?&#8221;<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"176716\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-history tag-legend tag-loch-ness tag-mystery tag-scotland category-editors-pick type-post\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2020\/12\/15\/the-obsessive-life-and-mysterious-death-of-the-fisherman-who-discovered-the-loch-ness-monster\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">The Obsessive Life and Mysterious Death of the Fisherman Who Discovered The Loch Ness Monster<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"newspack-post-subtitle newspack-post-subtitle--in-homepage-block\">\n\t\t\t\t\tPaul Brown | Narratively | December 10, 2020 | 5,504 words\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>\u201cA humble Scotsman saw something strange in the water \u2014 and daringly set out to catch it \u2014 only to have lecherous out-of-towners steal his fame and upend his quest.\u201d<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"176407\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-hebridean-island tag-i-am-an-island tag-nature tag-remote tag-scotland tag-tamsin-calidas tag-the-guardian category-editors-pick type-post\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2020\/07\/28\/i-ran-away-to-a-remote-scottish-isle-it-was-perfect\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">I Ran Away To a Remote Scottish Isle. It Was Perfect<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"newspack-post-subtitle newspack-post-subtitle--in-homepage-block\">\n\t\t\t\t\tTamsin Calidas | The Guardian | July 26, 2020 | 2,343 words\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>\u201cCrowded out of the city by noise and stress, I embraced the wild solitude of a Hebridean island \u2013 and found a connection to nature.\u201d<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;A series of encounters with an unlikely band of 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They Came for the Ostriches"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">J.B. MacKinnon files a remarkable dispatch from among the members of the so-called Ostrich Army, who convened last fall in British Columbia to protest the planned culling of 300 or so birds following an H5N1 outbreak. The plight of the birds and the various claims made in their defense\u2014that their antibodies could yield a cure for bird flu or COVID-19, for instance\u2014are intriguing enough on their own. But it&#8217;s MacKinnon&#8217;s study of the Ostrich Army itself that helps this story take flight (even if the subjects at its center cannot). As helicopters pass overhead and a suspected kill pen mysteriously catches fire, suspicion mounts among the troops, and interpretations diverge. A genuinely surprising portrait of a loose, wayward movement, delivered with peak dramatic tension.<\/p>\n<span hidden class=\"__iawmlf-post-loop-links\" data-iawmlf-links=\"[{&quot;id&quot;:49060,&quot;href&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/harpers.org\\\/archive\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/then-they-came-for-the-ostriches-jb-mackinnon-paranoia-and-poultry\\\/?src=longreads&quot;,&quot;archived_href&quot;:&quot;http:\\\/\\\/web-wp.archive.org\\\/web\\\/20260917110058\\\/https:\\\/\\\/harpers.org\\\/archive\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/then-they-came-for-the-ostriches-jb-mackinnon-paranoia-and-poultry\\\/?src=longreads&quot;,&quot;redirect_href&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;checks&quot;:[{&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-09-17 11:12:38&quot;,&quot;http_code&quot;:200},{&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-09-20 13:26:33&quot;,&quot;http_code&quot;:206},{&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-09-23 18:30:27&quot;,&quot;http_code&quot;:206}],&quot;broken&quot;:false,&quot;last_checked&quot;:{&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-09-23 18:30:27&quot;,&quot;http_code&quot;:206},&quot;process&quot;:&quot;done&quot;}]\"><\/span>\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This was the Ostrich Army way: every event called for interpretation, an attempt to see through to hidden endgames. \u201cOne thing with black magic,\u201d one camper would later say to me, \u201cis they tell you what they\u2019re going to do before they do it.\u201d And so, at first light, when firefighters had won the day and the smoke cleared to reveal the ostrich flock still standing, the sight didn\u2019t lead to any reconsideration of the night\u2019s theories of clandestine slaughter. The Army simply moved on, hoping to make better sense of the next move, or the one after that. The birds really could die this day.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-fe48e5de wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div style=\"--wp--block-button--width: 50;\" class=\"wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width wp-block-button__width-50\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-primary-background-color has-background has-custom-font-size wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/harpers.org\/archive\/2026\/10\/then-they-came-for-the-ostriches-jb-mackinnon-paranoia-and-poultry\/?src=longreads\" style=\"padding-top:15px;padding-right:15px;padding-bottom:15px;padding-left:15px;font-size:20px\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read the story<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-light-gray-background-color has-background\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\t<div\n\t\tclass=\"wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles is-style-borders wpnbha is-grid columns-3 colgap-3 ts-2 is-style-borders\"\n\t\tstyle=\"\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t<div data-posts data-current-post-id=\"259638\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"article-section-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span>A few wild tales from the animal kingdom<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"256820\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-animals tag-birds tag-illegal tag-indonesia tag-knowable-magazine tag-sandy-ong tag-singing tag-smuggling tag-songbirds tag-southeast-asia tag-wildlife category-editors-pick type-post\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2026\/07\/13\/bird-singing-contests-indonesia\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">The Lucrative Bird-Singing Contests That Are Pushing Species to the Brink<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"newspack-post-subtitle newspack-post-subtitle--in-homepage-block\">\n\t\t\t\t\tSandy Ong | Knowable Magazine | July 7, 2026 | 2,240 words\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>&#8220;Millions of songbirds in Southeast Asia are trapped and smuggled each year for keeping as pets or entering in competitions. Scientists warn that it&#8217;s fueling a crisis.&#8221;<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"256712\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-animals tag-british-columbia tag-canada tag-exotic-cat tag-exotic-pets tag-illegal tag-michelle-cyca tag-pets tag-serval tag-smuggling tag-the-narwhal tag-wildlife category-editors-pick type-post\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2026\/07\/09\/serval-exotic-cat-pet\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Inside the Strange, Fragile World of Keeping Exotic Cats as Pets<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"newspack-post-subtitle newspack-post-subtitle--in-homepage-block\">\n\t\t\t\t\tMichelle Cyca | The Narwhal | July 7, 2026 | 4,777 words\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>&#8220;As of May 2026, you can no longer buy or sell exotic cats in British Columbia. What do we do with them all now?&#8221;<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"256665\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-alligator tag-alligators tag-animals tag-florida tag-gator tag-hunting tag-luke-winkie tag-nature tag-slate tag-wildlife category-editors-pick type-post\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2026\/07\/08\/florida-alligator-attack-nuisance-trapping\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">The Florida Alligator Dragnet<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"newspack-post-subtitle newspack-post-subtitle--in-homepage-block\">\n\t\t\t\t\tLuke Winkie | Slate | June 30, 2026 | 8,019 words\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>&#8220;When an alligator kills someone in America, it can make international headlines. What happens to the thousands of gators that people deem &#8216;nuisances&#8217; does not.&#8221;<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Poultry and paranoia in the Great White North.&#8221;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":36,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"single-feature.php","format":"standard","meta":{"newspack_ads_suppress_ads":false,"newspack_popups_has_disabled_popups":false,"newspack_sponsor_sponsorship_scope":"","newspack_sponsor_native_byline_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_native_category_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_style":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_placement":"inherit","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_primary_brand":0,"newspack_content_restriction_is_exempt":false,"_newspack_byline_active":false,"_newspack_byline":"","newspack_hide_updated_date":false,"newspack_show_updated_date":false,"scaip_prevent_shortcode_addition":false,"newspack_featured_image_position":"","newspack_post_subtitle":"J.B. 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01:29:00&quot;,&quot;http_code&quot;:200},&quot;process&quot;:&quot;done&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:6861,&quot;href&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.theatlantic.com\\\/magazine\\\/archive\\\/2021\\\/09\\\/barn-emmett-till-murder\\\/619493\\\/?src=longreads&quot;,&quot;archived_href&quot;:&quot;http:\\\/\\\/web-wp.archive.org\\\/web\\\/20220828165934\\\/https:\\\/\\\/www.theatlantic.com\\\/magazine\\\/archive\\\/2021\\\/09\\\/barn-emmett-till-murder\\\/619493\\\/?src=longreads&quot;,&quot;redirect_href&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;checks&quot;:[{&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2025-12-04 07:08:08&quot;,&quot;http_code&quot;:206},{&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-04-08 20:02:34&quot;,&quot;http_code&quot;:206},{&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-09-04 18:51:25&quot;,&quot;http_code&quot;:206},{&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-09-15 16:19:16&quot;,&quot;http_code&quot;:206},{&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-09-18 16:35:59&quot;,&quot;http_code&quot;:206},{&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-09-21 17:55:39&quot;,&quot;http_code&quot;:206},{&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-09-25 01:28:59&quot;,&quot;http_code&quot;:403}],&quot;broken&quot;:false,&quot;last_checked&quot;:{&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-09-25 01:28:59&quot;,&quot;http_code&quot;:403},&quot;process&quot;:&quot;done&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:49021,&quot;href&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/texashighways.com\\\/writer\\\/roberto-jose-andrade-franco&quot;,&quot;archived_href&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;redirect_href&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;checks&quot;:[],&quot;broken&quot;:false,&quot;last_checked&quot;:null,&quot;process&quot;:&quot;done&quot;}]\"><\/span>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Franco grew up on the El Paso-Ju\u00e1rez border. In a 2020 National Magazine Award-nominated essay that <a href=\"https:\/\/texashighways.com\/culture\/people\/el-pasoan-returns-home-year-after-tragedy\/?src=longreads\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">he wrote one year after the El Paso massacre<\/a>, he reflects on the lifelong pull to this paradox of a place: &#8220;It&#8217;s where things make the most sense. Where it&#8217;s easy to love, even if it&#8217;s difficult to live.&#8221; I love that he writes from this borderland even when he&#8217;s somewhere else. During Mexico&#8217;s first World Cup match earlier this summer, he was in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/soccer\/story\/_\/id\/49190018\/how-mexico-world-cup-run-brought-small-oregon-town-life?src=longreads\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Woodburn, Oregon<\/a>, a small town where Latinos make up more than 60 percent of the population and own nearly every business downtown. Residents had been shaken by last fall&#8217;s ICE raids, but they showed up to watch and celebrate. There, thousands of miles from El Paso, Franco found something familiar: a hardworking, resilient community with deep Latino roots and a fierce sense of pride. <\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/texashighways.com\/issue\/october-2026\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"793\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/TXHWYS-Oct-2026-Issue.jpg?resize=793%2C1024&#038;quality=89&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-259102\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.77439842499926;width:274px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/TXHWYS-Oct-2026-Issue.jpg?resize=793%2C1024&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 793w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/TXHWYS-Oct-2026-Issue.jpg?resize=232%2C300&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 232w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/TXHWYS-Oct-2026-Issue.jpg?resize=768%2C992&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/TXHWYS-Oct-2026-Issue.jpg?resize=1189%2C1536&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1189w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/TXHWYS-Oct-2026-Issue.jpg?resize=780%2C1008&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 780w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/TXHWYS-Oct-2026-Issue.jpg?resize=400%2C517&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/TXHWYS-Oct-2026-Issue.jpg?resize=706%2C912&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 706w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/TXHWYS-Oct-2026-Issue.jpg?w=1200&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/TXHWYS-Oct-2026-Issue-793x1024.jpg?w=370&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 793px) 100vw, 793px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I also credit Franco with piquing my interest in wrestling stories, including his piece on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/wwe\/story\/_\/id\/46909114\/why-spirit-wwe-legend-eddie-guerrero-lives-on?src=longreads\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">WWW star Eddie Guerrero<\/a>, which also explores family and legacy. Whether he&#8217;s writing about sports heroes or ordinary people, or tracing the history of Texas or his own, Franco never fails to move me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Below, he explains why enrolling in community college at 28 was the most meaningful journey he&#8217;s taken, tells us his favorite meal (and the ideal season to eat it), and recognizes a fellow sports writer who inspires him. When asked to name three publications he enjoys reading, he gives a shout-out to <em><a href=\"https:\/\/texashighways.com\/?src=longreads\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Texas Highways<\/a><\/em>, a <a href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/?s=texas+highways\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">magazine we love<\/a>\u2014and it just so happens that he&#8217;s the guest editor of its <a href=\"https:\/\/texashighways.com\/issue\/october-2026\/?src=longreads\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">October 2026 issue<\/a>, focused on <a href=\"https:\/\/texashighways.com\/travel\/an-insiders-guide-to-el-paso-texas-singular-city\/?src=longreads\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">El Paso<\/a>. After spending time with Franco here, read <a href=\"https:\/\/texashighways.com\/culture\/preserving-the-remains-of-smelter-cemetery-in-el-paso\/?src=longreads\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">his feature on the city&#8217;s historic Smelter Cemetery<\/a>, and then explore the rest of the magazine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right wp-block-paragraph\">\u2014<a href=\"mailto:cheri@longreads.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Cheri Lucas Rowlands<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Where did you grow up?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Several places, but mostly on the El Paso-Ju\u00e1rez border.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I was born in Chicago, but we lived in Ju\u00e1rez, Mexico, until I was about 6. Then we moved across the border to El Paso, Texas, before my father joined the Army. That\u2019s when we lived in Chicago for a short time, then Colorado and Germany before we briefly returned to Ju\u00e1rez. I was about 13 when we moved to El Paso again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What places feel like home?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Anywhere I hear the Spanish of the US-Mexico border. These areas are often ignored and underserved so it\u2019s a working-class Spanish. Because of its location, some words are a mix of English and Spanish that other parts of Mexico don\u2019t use.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Other than family members, who or what has shaped you the most?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The decade between graduating high school and enrolling at El Paso Community College. I spent most of it working in construction and bouncing around between El Paso and Phoenix, along with a few bad months in Tucson.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What is your favorite time of day?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The early morning when everyone is asleep and the sun\u2019s yet to rise. And it\u2019s so quiet that, almost always at the exact same time, I can hear my neighbor\u2019s footsteps as they walk out of their home, open and close their car door, start it, and then drive away, presumably on their way to work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What are you <em>really<\/em> good at?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Building things. I find it almost therapeutic to do some sort of work with my hands as I sweat and listen to music. I also enjoy the feeling of seeing something finished within a few hours.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What\u2019s the best gift you\u2019ve ever received?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I don\u2019t remember who I got the idea from, but years ago I heard or read a suggestion to interview your children during different phases of their lives. Just take out the voice recorder and ask them basic questions. When they\u2019re younger, you can ask about their favorite animal, color, movie, etc. As they get older, the questions can be more about their friends, hobbies, and aspirations.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019ve been doing this every few months with my now 9-year-old daughter. Occasionally, I\u2019ll listen to the first recordings from when she was 3, and I can hear how much she\u2019s changed\u2014from her voice and interests to the clarity of her words and thoughts. It\u2019s like a short visit with a different version of who your child once was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That suggestion to interview your children has been the best gift.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Describe your favorite meal.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My mom\u2019s pozole.&nbsp;It\u2019s a Mexican pork and hominy stew accompanied with radishes, cabbage, and bolillo bread. She\u2019ll sometimes make it in late October, on the Saturday closest to my birthday. The weather will be colder by then and a college football game will be on in the background\u2014both of those make it even better. Then a good cigar afterwards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Sound or silence? (And if sound, what sound?)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s become silence. I used to write with music in the background. It almost didn\u2019t matter what kind, and sometimes it\u2019d be the same song on repeat for hours. That was also when I\u2019d do most of my writing during the day and into the early evening. But now, I\u2019ve fallen into a routine where I do most of my writing early. Sometimes I\u2019ll wake up naturally as early as three in the morning. With that change, I now write in silence.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But maybe it\u2019ll change back to music one day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Where do you do your best thinking?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It just happens so there\u2019s no specific place. And so long as I\u2019m not on deadline, whenever I feel like I can\u2019t think anymore I just try to do something else for that day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019ve gotten ideas while driving, listening to podcasts and music, or in the middle of watching a movie. I\u2019ve even woken up during the middle of night with a thought that helps unlock something that I had been stuck on.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What journey\u2014physical, creative, intellectual, or otherwise\u2014has meant the most to you?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Earning an associate degree.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I was a nontraditional student who first enrolled at El Paso Community College at 28 years old. It had been about a decade since I was in school. I was full of self-doubt and worry that I was too old or not a good enough student to be there. With that, I also worried that I might be wasting my time.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But I quickly realized I was a much better student in college than I\u2019d ever been in high school. I was motivated, disciplined, and having worked in construction for the decade before then, I had a different perspective of what college could be. Whenever I felt like complaining, I\u2019d remind myself (as I\u2019ll still occasionally do) that reading and writing is a lot easier than doing manual labor outdoors, especially during the summers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I ultimately transferred and graduated from a four-year university, and later even finished a PhD program. But that associate degree was the most meaningful because it\u2019s where I started to find outlets for my intellectual curiosities and people who encouraged me.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Where do you like to read?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I don\u2019t have any specific place. At home it\u2019s usually in my office, bed, or on the couch. Away from there, I\u2019ll read while waiting. I\u2019m an anxious flyer, so I\u2019ve also recently found myself saving longer reads for when I\u2019m at the airport or on a plane. It lets me focus on something else while also helping pass the time.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What\u2019s the last rabbit hole you disappeared into?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The World Cup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Name three publications you enjoy reading these days.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><a href=\"https:\/\/texashighways.com\/?src=longreads\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Texas Highways<\/a><\/em> to read about the parts of Texas that aren\u2019t chaotic or depressive. <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/delos\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">De Los<\/a><\/em> to keep up with some of what\u2019s happening with Latinos outside of where I live. <em><a href=\"https:\/\/thegoodfight12.substack.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Good Fight<\/a><\/em> to stay current with boxing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What\u2019s one longread that you can\u2019t stop thinking about?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Michael Paterniti\u2019s \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.esquire.com\/news-politics\/a24124\/thurman-munson-0999\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The House that Thurman Munson Built<\/a>.\u201d It\u2019s got everything that interests me as a reader and writer: tragedy, memory, and examining what athletes mean to us at different ages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What was the last book you read?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Divided Soul: The Life of Marvin Gaye<\/em>. It\u2019s an excellent book.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What piece of nonfiction are you most proud of writing?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I don\u2019t know if \u201cproud\u201d is the right word for it since it\u2019s such a heartbreaking story. But \u201c\u2018<a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/mlb\/story\/_\/id\/34294296\/uvalde-biggest-jose-altuve-fan\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">She made us happy\u2019: The all-star dreams of Uvalde\u2019s biggest Jos\u00e9 Al<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/mlb\/story\/_\/id\/34294296\/uvalde-biggest-jose-altuve-fan?src=longreads\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">t<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/mlb\/story\/_\/id\/34294296\/uvalde-biggest-jose-altuve-fan\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">uve fan<\/a>\u201d is the first thing that comes to mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What\u2019s your most reliable way to get creatively unstuck?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Go for a walk or drive. Either of those help me get away from what I\u2019m doing without completely separating me from it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Who\u2019s a writer you turn to when you need some inspiration?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Wright Thompson, who I\u2019m fortunate to call a colleague.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019ll sometimes listen to a chapter or two from <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.penguinrandomhouse.com\/books\/598378\/the-cost-of-these-dreams-by-wright-thompson\/?src=longreads\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Cost of These Dreams<\/a><\/em> on audiobook before I start writing a story. Wright is among the best sports writers ever, but the story of his that I\u2019ll most often return to is the one he wrote for <em>The Atlantic<\/em>, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theatlantic.com\/magazine\/archive\/2021\/09\/barn-emmett-till-murder\/619493\/?src=longreads\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">His Name Was Emmett Till<\/a>.\u201d The small part where one of the main characters says he doesn\u2019t think of the past but has a dog named Dixie is perfect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What words do you overuse?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPractically,\u201d \u201cessentially,\u201d \u201cactual(ly),\u201d \u201cthat,\u201d \u201ceven.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And in first drafts, I start too many sentences with \u201cso,\u201d \u201cbecause,\u201d and \u201csince.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What\u2019s your favorite guilty pleasure?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Watching mindless, and at times dumb, dating shows with my wife.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What superpower would you like to have?&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The ability to not get distracted by my phone.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What animal or nonhuman being do you most identify with?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Stray dogs who largely mind their own business and hang out in the same general area without terrorizing it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>If you have a free solitary hour in your day, what do you typically do?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If it\u2019s early in the day, I\u2019ll take a nap.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What five items would you place in a time capsule?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My phone full of photos and videos, a drawing from my daughter, my box full of sports cards, my voice recorder, and a Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl XXX champions hat because I increasingly fear that\u2019ll be the last one they\u2019ll win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What does your writing space look like?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019ve turned a room in our house into my office. It has a wall-to-wall bookcase. On the opposite side of it is my desk. It has plenty of space, a filing cabinet attached to it, and a shelf for my speaker and printer. Yes, a printer. It\u2019s nothing fancy, but practical.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On the wall above the desk is a dry-erase board where I\u2019ll write reminders and a few words that are story ideas. Once those ideas become a story, I have a corkboard, on the wall to the left of where I sit, for the three-by-five cards I use to outline and organize sections. Above the corkboard are reminders of what I need to focus on when I write. Below it is a calendar for deadlines and travel dates. To the right of where I sit is a small couch. The walls have framed boxing fight posters, work of local artists, photos of my wife and daughter, and random things that mean something to me, like mini football helmets from the University of Texas-El Paso.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Office.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&#038;quality=89&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-258782\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Office-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Office-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C225&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Office-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C576&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Office-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Office-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1536&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Office-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Office-scaled.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Office-scaled.jpg?resize=600%2C450&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Office-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C300&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Office-scaled.jpg?resize=200%2C150&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Office-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1500&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Office-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C585&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 780w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Office-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C530&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 706w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Office-1024x768.jpg?w=370&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><em><em>Roberto Jos\u00e9 Andrade Franco is a feature writer with<\/em><\/em> ESPN <em><em>and a<\/em><\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/texashighways.com\/writer\/roberto-jose-andrade-franco\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Writer-at-Large with<\/em> Texas Highways<\/a><em><em>. His work has been anthologized four times in<\/em><\/em> The Year\u2019s Best Sports Writing <em><em>and nominated for the National Magazine Award. He\u2019s also a four-time finalist for the Dan Jenkins Medal for Excellence in Sportswriting.&nbsp;<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-style-border has-light-gray-background-color has-background\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\t<div\n\t\tclass=\"wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles is-style-borders wpnbha is-grid columns-3 colgap-3 show-image image-aligntop ts-2 is-3 is-landscape is-style-borders\"\n\t\tstyle=\"\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t<div data-posts data-current-post-id=\"259206\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"article-section-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span>More <em>Longreads<\/em> Questionnaires<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"259206\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-el-paso tag-espn tag-interviews tag-journalists tag-roberto-jose-andrade-franco tag-sports tag-sports-writing tag-texas tag-texas-highways tag-writers category-questionnaire type-post post-has-image\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"post-thumbnail\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2026\/09\/17\/questionnaire-roberto-jose-andrade-franco\/\" rel=\"bookmark\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1.png?resize=1200%2C900&amp;quality=80&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-newspack-article-block-landscape-large size-newspack-article-block-landscape-large wp-post-image\" alt=\"The Longreads Questionnaire, Featuring Roberto Jos\u00e9 Andrade Franco\" data-hero-candidate=\"1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1.png?resize=1200%2C900&amp;quality=80&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1.png?resize=800%2C600&amp;quality=80&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1.png?resize=600%2C450&amp;quality=80&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1.png?resize=400%2C300&amp;quality=80&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1.png?resize=200%2C150&amp;quality=80&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1.png?zoom=2&amp;resize=1200%2C900&amp;quality=80&amp;ssl=1 2400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1.png?resize=1200%2C900&amp;quality=80&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw \/ 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw \/ 12)), 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><!-- .featured-image -->\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2026\/09\/17\/questionnaire-roberto-jose-andrade-franco\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">The Longreads Questionnaire, Featuring Roberto Jos\u00e9 Andrade Franco<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The <em>ESPN<\/em> writer tells us what feels like home, the best gift he\u2019s ever received, and the <em>Esquire<\/em> read he can\u2019t stop thinking about. <\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"258491\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-books tag-interviews tag-jon-ronson tag-questionnaire tag-reading tag-reporting tag-the-castle tag-writers category-questionnaire type-post post-has-image\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"post-thumbnail\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2026\/09\/03\/longreads-questionnaire-jon-ronson\/\" rel=\"bookmark\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Questionnaire-Template-JonRonson-1.png?resize=1200%2C900&amp;quality=80&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-newspack-article-block-landscape-large size-newspack-article-block-landscape-large wp-post-image\" alt=\"The Longreads Questionnaire, Featuring Jon Ronson\" data-hero-candidate=\"1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Questionnaire-Template-JonRonson-1.png?resize=1200%2C900&amp;quality=80&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Questionnaire-Template-JonRonson-1.png?resize=800%2C600&amp;quality=80&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Questionnaire-Template-JonRonson-1.png?resize=600%2C450&amp;quality=80&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Questionnaire-Template-JonRonson-1.png?resize=400%2C300&amp;quality=80&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Questionnaire-Template-JonRonson-1.png?resize=200%2C150&amp;quality=80&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Questionnaire-Template-JonRonson-1.png?zoom=2&amp;resize=1200%2C900&amp;quality=80&amp;ssl=1 2400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Questionnaire-Template-JonRonson-1.png?resize=1200%2C900&amp;quality=80&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw \/ 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw \/ 12)), 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><!-- .featured-image -->\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2026\/09\/03\/longreads-questionnaire-jon-ronson\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">The Longreads Questionnaire, Featuring Jon Ronson<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The author of <em>The Castle<\/em> likes his music in a time capsule and silence in his home\u2014but definitely not in his stories.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"258100\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-eater tag-food tag-food-writing tag-interviews tag-jaya-saxena tag-journalists tag-ravenous tag-reading tag-writers category-questionnaire type-post post-has-image\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"post-thumbnail\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2026\/08\/20\/questionnaire-jaya-saxena\/\" rel=\"bookmark\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Questionnaire-Jaya-Saxena.png?resize=1200%2C900&amp;quality=80&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-newspack-article-block-landscape-large size-newspack-article-block-landscape-large wp-post-image\" alt=\"The Longreads Questionnaire, Featuring Jaya Saxena\" data-hero-candidate=\"1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Questionnaire-Jaya-Saxena.png?resize=1200%2C900&amp;quality=80&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Questionnaire-Jaya-Saxena.png?resize=800%2C600&amp;quality=80&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Questionnaire-Jaya-Saxena.png?resize=600%2C450&amp;quality=80&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Questionnaire-Jaya-Saxena.png?resize=400%2C300&amp;quality=80&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Questionnaire-Jaya-Saxena.png?resize=200%2C150&amp;quality=80&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Questionnaire-Jaya-Saxena.png?zoom=2&amp;resize=1200%2C900&amp;quality=80&amp;ssl=1 2400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/longreads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Questionnaire-Jaya-Saxena.png?resize=1200%2C900&amp;quality=80&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw \/ 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw \/ 12)), 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><!-- .featured-image -->\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2026\/08\/20\/questionnaire-jaya-saxena\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">The Longreads Questionnaire, Featuring Jaya Saxena<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The former <em>Eater<\/em> correspondent has a new home\u2014and a full plate. Here, she talks about growing up in NYC, favorite meals, and memorable reads.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The <em>ESPN<\/em> writer tells us what feels like home, the best gift he\u2019s ever received, and the <em>Esquire<\/em> read he can\u2019t stop thinking about. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":258786,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"single-feature.php","format":"standard","meta":{"newspack_ads_suppress_ads":false,"newspack_popups_has_disabled_popups":false,"newspack_sponsor_sponsorship_scope":"","newspack_sponsor_native_byline_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_native_category_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_style":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_placement":"inherit","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_primary_brand":0,"newspack_content_restriction_is_exempt":false,"_newspack_byline_active":false,"_newspack_byline":"","newspack_hide_updated_date":false,"newspack_show_updated_date":false,"scaip_prevent_shortcode_addition":false,"newspack_featured_image_position":"above","newspack_post_subtitle":"The <em>ESPN<\/em> writer tells us what feels like home, the best gift he\u2019s ever received, and the <em>Esquire<\/em> read he can\u2019t stop thinking about. 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follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2026\/09\/17\/questionnaire-roberto-jose-andrade-franco\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Longreads Questionnaire, Featuring Roberto Jos\u00e9 Andrade Franco - Longreads\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The ESPN writer tells us what feels like home, the best gift he\u2019s ever received, and the Esquire read he can\u2019t stop thinking about.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2026\/09\/17\/questionnaire-roberto-jose-andrade-franco\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Longreads\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-09-17T10:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-09-17T19:29:40+00:00\" \/>\n<meta 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True-Crime Producer Posed as an Heiress \u2014 Then Allegedly Stole $30 Million"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The FBI isn&#8217;t the only interested party searching for Mary Carole McDonnell, the 74-year-old producer behind TV series like <em>I Married a Murderer<\/em>. There are the former employees who allege millions in unpaid wages, and the two sons who claim their mother forged their signatures on bank documents. There&#8217;s an entrepreneur in the United Arab Emirates who accuses her of &#8220;mind games,&#8221; and the former bank vice-president turned true-crime podcaster who&#8217;d like to make a documentary about McDonnell.  Cheyenne Roundtree goes deep on the woman who, nearly a decade ago, walked into a California bank with a pecan pie and left with a $15 million loan before vanishing.<\/p>\n<span hidden class=\"__iawmlf-post-loop-links\" data-iawmlf-links=\"[{&quot;id&quot;:49055,&quot;href&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.rollingstone.com\\\/culture\\\/culture-features\\\/true-crime-fake-heiress-fbi-most-wanted-1235589737\\\/?src=longreads&quot;,&quot;archived_href&quot;:&quot;http:\\\/\\\/web-wp.archive.org\\\/web\\\/20260916170834\\\/https:\\\/\\\/www.rollingstone.com\\\/culture\\\/culture-features\\\/true-crime-fake-heiress-fbi-most-wanted-1235589737\\\/?src=longreads&quot;,&quot;redirect_href&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;checks&quot;:[{&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-09-16 17:24:25&quot;,&quot;http_code&quot;:200},{&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-09-19 20:46:06&quot;,&quot;http_code&quot;:200},{&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-09-22 20:58:55&quot;,&quot;http_code&quot;:200}],&quot;broken&quot;:false,&quot;last_checked&quot;:{&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-09-22 20:58:55&quot;,&quot;http_code&quot;:200},&quot;process&quot;:&quot;done&quot;}]\"><\/span>\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The story has all the makings of a viral documentary replete with breathless details, similar to the ones McDonnell\u2019s company produced. Her backstory is littered with half-truths and deceptions, including a lie that her mentally disabled younger sister was murdered after being kidnapped. Questions remain on how she was able to pull off such a brazen heist. And it has sparked an ongoing<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>hunt among the FBI, banking institutions, a true-crime podcaster, and television producers to see who can unravel McDonnell\u2019s tangled history, track her down in a foreign land, recoup the financial losses she caused, and perhaps bring the unbelievable tale to screens.\u00a0<strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-fe48e5de wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div style=\"--wp--block-button--width: 50;\" class=\"wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width wp-block-button__width-50\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-primary-background-color has-background has-custom-font-size wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/culture\/culture-features\/true-crime-fake-heiress-fbi-most-wanted-1235589737\/?src=longreads\" style=\"padding-top:15px;padding-right:15px;padding-bottom:15px;padding-left:15px;font-size:20px\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read the story<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-light-gray-background-color has-background\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\t<div\n\t\tclass=\"wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles is-style-borders wpnbha is-grid columns-3 colgap-3 ts-2 is-style-borders\"\n\t\tstyle=\"\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t<div data-posts data-current-post-id=\"259635\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"article-section-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span>Schemes, scams, and flimflam<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"248215\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-deception tag-fake tag-fraud tag-joan-lowell tag-memoir tag-michael-waters tag-scam tag-scammers tag-the-cradle-of-the-deep tag-the-new-yorker tag-writers category-editors-pick type-post\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2026\/01\/05\/joan-lowell-literary-fraud\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Joan Lowell and the Birth of the Modern Literary Fraud<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"newspack-post-subtitle newspack-post-subtitle--in-homepage-block\">\n\t\t\t\t\tMichael Waters | The New Yorker | January 3, 2026 | 3,177 words\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>&#8220;A century ago, an aspiring actress published a remarkable autobiography. She made up most of it.&#8221;<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"252725\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-accidents tag-car-accident tag-conspiracy tag-crime tag-lawyers tag-louisiana tag-new-orleans tag-patrick-radden-keefe tag-scam tag-scheme tag-the-new-yorker tag-traffic tag-true-crime category-editors-pick type-post\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2026\/04\/13\/new-orleans-slammers-accident-scam\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">The Car-Crash Conspiracy<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"newspack-post-subtitle newspack-post-subtitle--in-homepage-block\">\n\t\t\t\t\tPatrick Radden Keefe | The New Yorker | April 13, 2026 | 11,714 words\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>&#8220;High-speed accidents, crooked lawyers, and poor people desperate for cash\u2014it was the kind of scheme that could have been cooked up only in the Big Easy.&#8221;<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"257698\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-airmail tag-facebook tag-longreads tag-mark-seal tag-online tag-romance-scam tag-scam category-editors-pick type-post\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2026\/08\/03\/internet-romance-scams-fraud\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Who Ya Gonna Call? Scam Busters!<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"newspack-post-subtitle newspack-post-subtitle--in-homepage-block\">\n\t\t\t\t\tMark Seal | Airmail | April 12, 2025 | 2,604 words\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>&#8220;How a team of sleuths reportedly tracked down the Brad Pitt impersonators who cyber-scammed a middle-aged Frenchwoman out of her life\u2019s savings.&#8221;<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Mary Carole McDonnell made low-budget crime shows, but her own story was built on deceptions fit for one of her series. Now, she\u2019s on the FBI\u2019s Most Wanted list and the target of a global manhunt.&#8221;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":36,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"single-feature.php","format":"standard","meta":{"newspack_ads_suppress_ads":false,"newspack_popups_has_disabled_popups":false,"newspack_sponsor_sponsorship_scope":"","newspack_sponsor_native_byline_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_native_category_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_style":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_placement":"inherit","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_primary_brand":0,"newspack_content_restriction_is_exempt":false,"_newspack_byline_active":false,"_newspack_byline":"","newspack_hide_updated_date":false,"newspack_show_updated_date":false,"scaip_prevent_shortcode_addition":false,"newspack_featured_image_position":"","newspack_post_subtitle":"Cheyenne Roundtree | Rolling Stone |  August 11, 2026 | 5,264 words","newspack_article_summary_title":"Overview:","newspack_article_summary":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"republication-tracker-tool-hide-widget":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[15973],"tags":[29302,219,220,348,29303,3643,24288,391,4832,351,3613],"brand":[],"newspack_spnsrs_tax":[],"coauthors":[15505],"class_list":["post-259635","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-editors-pick","tag-cheyenne-roundtree","tag-crime","tag-fraud","tag-journalism","tag-mary-carole-mcdonnell","tag-podcast","tag-podcasting","tag-rolling-stone","tag-scam","tag-true-crime","tag-tv","entry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>A True-Crime Producer Posed as an Heiress \u2014 Then Allegedly Stole $30 Million - Longreads<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2026\/09\/16\/mary-carole-mcdonnell-dirty-money-moves-podcast\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A True-Crime Producer Posed as an Heiress \u2014 Then Allegedly Stole $30 Million - Longreads\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"&quot;Mary Carole McDonnell made low-budget crime shows, but her own story was built on deceptions fit for one of her series. 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Phones"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The most recent winner of the National Magazine Award for feature writing describes his turn to payday lending apps when AI gobbled up his livelihood (aka penning promotional web content for business clients). Sharp and darkly funny, the essay chronicles yet another nail in the coffin of the American dream: <\/p>\n<span hidden class=\"__iawmlf-post-loop-links\" data-iawmlf-links=\"[{&quot;id&quot;:49054,&quot;href&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/thebaffler.com\\\/salvos\\\/paid-phones-kolitz?src=longreads&quot;,&quot;archived_href&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;redirect_href&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;checks&quot;:[],&quot;broken&quot;:false,&quot;last_checked&quot;:null,&quot;process&quot;:&quot;done&quot;}]\"><\/span>\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Albert founder Yinon Ravid has said that he chose his app\u2019s name for its suggestion of the kind of \u201csmart, unassuming friend\u201d you might come to for financial advice, but today, when I hear the name Albert, I am far more likely to picture an overwhelming force bent on my total destruction, a figure you might spot while being burned alive in a dream\u2014black-robed, pale, teeth bared. When I first joined the app, about eighteen months ago, Albert offered me $25.00. To acquire this loan, I was required to pay an additional fee: A $6.99 instant deposit charge plus the cost of a $19.99-per-month subscription to Albert\u2019s Standard plan, due in one week\u2019s time alongside the full loan repayment. (If I really wanted to make the most of my $25.00, I also had the option of Albert\u2019s $39.99-per-month Genius plan, which, among a very small handful of other talents, can \u201cfind restaurants based on your location, or in a specific area.\u201d) On its own, this might\u2019ve been manageable, but, true to the CRL\u2019s findings, Albert\u2019s offerings alone couldn\u2019t keep me afloat, and so I soon signed up for the rest of the payday apps, each one toting its share of instant deposit and subscription fees. (Gallingly, Dave\u2014the only publicly traded company of the bunch, valued at $4.72 billion as of this writing\u2014has the nerve to ask for a\u00a0<em>tip<\/em>\u00a0after each transaction, a move that I suspect even the flintiest strip mall grift artists would dismiss as gauche.)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-fe48e5de wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div style=\"--wp--block-button--width: 50;\" class=\"wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width wp-block-button__width-50\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-primary-background-color has-background has-custom-font-size wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/thebaffler.com\/salvos\/paid-phones-kolitz?src=longreads\" style=\"padding-top:15px;padding-right:15px;padding-bottom:15px;padding-left:15px;font-size:20px\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read the story<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-light-gray-background-color has-background\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\t<div\n\t\tclass=\"wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles is-style-borders wpnbha is-grid columns-3 colgap-3 ts-2 is-style-borders\"\n\t\tstyle=\"\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t<div data-posts data-current-post-id=\"259621\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"article-section-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span>More stories about finance<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"259621\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-ai tag-chatgpt tag-daniel-kolitz tag-debt tag-finance tag-fintech tag-payday-loans tag-the-baffler category-editors-pick type-post\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2026\/09\/16\/paid-phones\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Paid Phones<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"newspack-post-subtitle newspack-post-subtitle--in-homepage-block\">\n\t\t\t\t\tDaniel Kolitz | The Baffler | September 1, 2026 | 4,589 words\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>&#8220;Owing the payday loan apps.&#8221;<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"251312\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-consumer-financial-protection-bureau tag-consumer-protections tag-e-tammy-kim-2 tag-economics tag-elon-musk tag-finance tag-fintech tag-longreads tag-russell-vought tag-the-new-yorker tag-trump category-editors-pick type-post\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2026\/03\/12\/the-zombie-regulator\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">The Zombie Regulator<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"newspack-post-subtitle newspack-post-subtitle--in-homepage-block\">\n\t\t\t\t\tE. Tammy Kim | The New Yorker | March 9, 2026 | 6,412 words\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>&#8220;As the cost of living continues to spiral upward, the Trump Administration is gutting the government agency built to protect Americans from financial ruin.&#8221;<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"247360\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-atmos tag-banks tag-capitalism tag-christine-ro tag-conversation tag-ecology tag-economics tag-economy tag-ecosystems tag-finance tag-interview tag-john-fullerton tag-resilience category-editors-pick type-post\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/longreads.com\/2025\/12\/08\/regenerative-economy-capitalism-ecology\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">What If the Economy Was Modeled After Ecology?<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"newspack-post-subtitle newspack-post-subtitle--in-homepage-block\">\n\t\t\t\t\tChristine Ro and John Fullerton | Atmos | December 4, 2025 | 2,609 words\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>&#8220;By treating economies as living systems, we can build financial frameworks that regenerate rather than exploit.&#8221;<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Owing the payday loan apps.&#8221;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1294,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"single-feature.php","format":"standard","meta":{"newspack_ads_suppress_ads":false,"newspack_popups_has_disabled_popups":false,"newspack_sponsor_sponsorship_scope":"","newspack_sponsor_native_byline_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_native_category_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_style":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_placement":"inherit","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_primary_brand":0,"newspack_content_restriction_is_exempt":false,"_newspack_byline_active":false,"_newspack_byline":"","newspack_hide_updated_date":false,"newspack_show_updated_date":false,"scaip_prevent_shortcode_addition":false,"newspack_featured_image_position":"","newspack_post_subtitle":"Daniel Kolitz | The Baffler | September 1, 2026 | 4,589 words","newspack_article_summary_title":"Overview:","newspack_article_summary":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"republication-tracker-tool-hide-widget":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[15973],"tags":[18507,23879,25414,2766,4592,28362,29298,793],"brand":[],"newspack_spnsrs_tax":[],"coauthors":[16813],"class_list":["post-259621","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-editors-pick","tag-ai","tag-chatgpt","tag-daniel-kolitz","tag-debt","tag-finance","tag-fintech","tag-payday-loans","tag-the-baffler","entry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.5 - 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