“In 2020, Venmoing total strangers in need became a radical act of support — and trust.”
Krista Stevens
A Box of Meat and $100 For Your Life
“Workers who worked Monday through Saturday without missing a day were given a bonus of $50, later raised to $100, which was accompanied by a box of meat valued at $200 to $300.”
The 25 Most Popular Longreads Exclusives of 2020
The original reporting, personal essays, columns, and collaborations that were our most-read stories of the year.
The Imposter
“Shaun MacDonald was an ambitious tech innovator whose start-up was going to revolutionize the crypto economy. His wealthy investors had no idea that their charismatic founder was really Boaz Manor, a notorious Canadian white-collar criminal. It was only a matter of time before they discovered the truth.”
‘Joe Biden Reeks of Decency’
“Joey is going to be President someday. He was made to be in the White House. There is no one else who can lead the country. Just you wait and see.”
A Fond Farewell to a Friend: the Arecibo Telescope
“Exploring the cosmos is a way for us to know ourselves. Each time we look up, in some way we are making contact with each other, with our past, present, and future.”
Orpheus Revolving
“’Oh, the beautiful poem!’ He laughed again. ‘The beautiful, beautiful poem! It’s very easy to appreciate the beauty of art and ‘the profound note’ when things are good. When people are dying around you it’s a lot harder to do.’”
Verdigris: The Color of Oxidation, Statues, and Impermanence
“Verdigris is emblematic of that movement. It’s a blue-green, yes. But more importantly, it’s a quality. It is hard to give it a hex code because it’s not flat. It’s a color made from change.”
Bought the Farm
“Small family farms are disappearing, but not for the reasons people tend to think. As investors rush in, farmers can’t hold on to their land.”
Apocalypse Then and Now
“Indigenous experiences and perspectives challenge the notion that a press corps equipped with notepads and recorders can capture the whole truth.”
