“Plant-based eating has a long, radical history in Black American culture, preserved by institutions and individuals who have understood the power of food and nutrition in the fight against oppression,” writes Amirah Mercer in “A Homecoming.” The piece, published at Eater, explores Mercer’s path to veganism and the plant-based diets of the Black diaspora. While […]
Essays & Criticism
The Geography Closest In
In her new book, Miranda Ward explores the unique place of almost-motherhood — an uncertain landscape characterized by waiting, wanting, hoping, and not-knowing.
‘Everyone Benefits from a Frozen Arctic’
“The world should not, cannot, go back to business as usual without a clearer understanding and consciousness of how we live.”
‘Almost Home’: On Place, Legacy, Growing Up in Atlanta, and Symbols of White Supremacy
An essay on growing up in the South, legacy, and a place rooted in white supremacy.
The Rehab of Big Sky Country
“Daily treks in silence are an effective way to get anyone to reflect on their lives and consider what’s really important.”
The Mormon Mommy Bloggers of Instagram
Alexandra Tanner spent this weird year following Mormon mommy bloggers on Instagram.
Longreads Best of 2020: Essays
A small sampling of standout essays published this year.
‘Hue’s Hue’: Katy Kelleher’s Column on Color
“Tyrian purple was a difficult color to manufacture. Thousands of snails were required to create a single ounce of dye.”
Plastic’s Broken Promise
“The first one I saw was on the path outside my house: a single white plastic glove, the fingers curled inward like a sleeping animal.”
“Over a Glass of Wine and a Pint on a Quiet Friday Night”
“Impending parenthood makes you reconsider the context of your own upbringing, and puts the work your parents did into a new light.”
