“The fragility and fantasy of old America.”
Carolyn Wells
Posted inEditor's Pick
The Prom Went On in Kyiv, but Masha’s Date Danced Alone
“Masha Polska, 15, was an avid dancer who had been dreaming of a star turn in the group waltz. That was not to be.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
How I Bought a Private Jet by Selling $10 Subscriptions to 404 Media
“My journey inside the world of LARPing, where hustlebros pretend to be rich for TikTok.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
The Brits Panning for Gold
“In remote rivers, prospectors still hunt for treasure .They even hold tournaments.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
The Tick That Hunts Down Its Hosts—Including Us
“Lone-star ticks don’t just pursue and bite people. The affliction they’re spreading, an allergy to red meat known as alpha-gal syndrome, attacks a way of life.”
Posted inNewsletter
Sun, Sand, and Reading
“We could all use a little silence, a little levity. To that end, and with the peak of summer upon us, I’ve pulled together some of my favorite longreads that remind you of the joy it is to be human, even in this increasingly inhumane world.” Last week, I was on a sun lounger on […]
Posted inEditor's Pick
What Training My Chaotic Dog Taught Me About Power, Control – and Human Beings
“Our lovable yet unruly boxer Dusty forced me to wonder: if a dog has no morals, how do you teach it to be ‘good’?”
Posted inEditor's Pick
‘David Bowie Was a Crazy Workaholic’: Labyrinth at 40 – an Oral History
“Today, Jim Henson’s dark fairytale is seen as a classic of 80s high camp. But on release, it bombed.”