“Sixty years after the Cultural Revolution began, a writer looks back to her childhood in Beijing during its peak, and the banned books that sustained her through the tumult.”
Cheri Lucas Rowlands
Cheri has been an editor at Longreads since 2014.
Posted inEditor's Pick
A Fatal Reaction
“A cutting-edge gene-editing trial in China went disastrously wrong. A family wants accountability.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
“Protected by Ghost Town”
“A private company has cleared dozens of homeless encampments in Venice—with persistence, cash payments, and a team that includes former gang members. Clients love them. The people they move do not.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
In the Age of AI, the Analog Restaurant Feels Radical
“Some restaurants are leaning into handmade touches, as AI-generated food photos and flyers become commonplace.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
The Anti-Sunscreen Movement Is Coming for You
“Sunscreen—one of the only products scientifically proven to reduce the risk of skin cancer—is in the middle of a PR crisis, with skeptics claiming it’s hazardous to your health. Experts dismiss the claims as misinformation, but has the damage already been done?”
Posted inEditor's Pick
The Rise of the Corporate Rave
“The once underground and countercultural ‘rave’ has fully spread to the mainstream in the form of themed pop-ups and sponsored parties. For newbies, it can be a sanitized gateway into electronic music. For true ravers, it’s more complicated.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
A Beastie Boy Returns to the Mic, With Some Help
“Thanks to an assist from his sons, Mike D is set to release “Thank You,” the first new music from a member of the pioneering rap trio in 15 years.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
Welcome to Toronto, World Capital of the Urban Raccoon
Dan Werb on the understated intelligence of the animals that share our cities.
Posted inEditor's Pick
The Hydration-Break World Cup
“How much can fans conveniently forget in order to enjoy the games? The answer, evidently, is a lot.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
‘They Celebrate Goals, We Count Martyrs’: Watching the World Cup in Gaza
“Palestinians are defying Israeli bombings and power outages to follow soccer’s biggest tournament. But many fear the world has abandoned them.”