We’re a home for stories that linger. In 2017, I reached out to Candace Rardon, a writer and artist whose watercolor sketches I’d admired for years. Up until that point, I’d only edited traditional essays for Longreads, but I wanted to experiment with illustrated personal narratives. We brainstormed a visual direction, and the final piece […]
Cheri Lucas Rowlands
Cheri has been an editor at Longreads since 2014.
Posted inEditor's Pick
It’s Dead Around Here
“A ghost town enthusiast searches for the essence of these scarcely populated locales.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
He Supported the US War in Afghanistan. Now He May Be Deported to the Taliban.
He escaped Afghanistan and started a family in the U.S. Then ICE arrested him. If he is deported, he expects the Taliban to kill him.
Posted inEditor's Pick
Inside the Audacious Mission to Bring a Rare Toad Back From the Brink
“The amphibian ‘IVF clinic’ fighting to save the first amphibian ever afforded federal protections.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
Inside the Glitter Lab
“How the tiniest trace of red shimmer helped solve one of California’s most brutal crimes.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
The Life and Death of the American Foodie
”When food culture became pop culture, a new national persona was born. We regret to inform you, it’s probably you.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
Uncaged
“As wildlife advocates fight to free the last captives of Vietnam’s bile farms, rescued bears find dignity in the country’s sanctuaries.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
The Coloradans Exercising Their Right To Die—and a Doctor Who Helps Them Find Peace
“More terminally ill Coloradans than ever are turning to Denver Health’s Medical Aid in Dying clinic. We spent the summer witnessing the quiet decisions and final moments of those who chose when—and how—to say goodbye.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
Blood-Blue Sky
“How horseshoe crabs and ecological grief connect with the wonders of the human heart.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
The Publishing Industry Has a Gambling Problem
“Companies keep betting on the next bestseller. Literature is poorer for it.”