What Being a Bike Courier Taught Me About Our Broken Economy

To earn money during a rough patch as a freelancer, Sam Riches worked as a bike courier, delivering food in Toronto during a six-month period. While the job lacked in pay, it offered one intriguing benefit: a crash course in human nature.

Author: Sam Riches
Source: The Walrus
Published: Dec 12, 2017
Length: 9 minutes (2,261 words)

How the NBA Failed Royce White

He was compared to basketball superstars like Charles Barkley and LeBron James. But without comprehensive mental health treatment, Royce White found himself fighting for a new cause.

Author: Sam Riches
Source: Longreads
Published: Aug 31, 2017
Length: 18 minutes (4,650 words)

The Story of Heady Topper, America’s Most Loved Craft Beer

How a difficult to obtain American double IPA brewed in a small town in Vermont developed a world-wide cult following, with beer fans traveling hundreds of miles just to get a taste.

Author: Sam Riches
Published: Mar 1, 2017
Length: 13 minutes (3,489 words)

Michael Joyce’s Second Act

In 1996, David Foster Wallace profiled tennis player Michael Joyce in one of the most celebrated pieces of sports writing ever published. Who has he become since?

Author: Sam Riches
Source: Longreads
Published: Jan 17, 2017
Length: 19 minutes (4,882 words)

Inside the World of Competitive Laughing

The writer goes to the Canadian competitive laughing championship, and examines the benefits of laughing:

“We’re trying to demonstrate that laughter is a sport,” Nerenberg tells the crowd. “Why would we do that? Well, punching people in the face is a sport, poking people with sticks is a sport … so why not have a sport about the pursuit of human joy?”

“‘Laugher’ is not a proper English word because the idea of being an active laugher was inconceivable until this point. We want to put laugher in the dictionary.” The crowd, which fills the lower half of the room and is already feeling loose from a warm-up laugh led by Kataria, erupts after this. They continue to cheer, and the 10 contestants walk onto the stage to AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck.” The ceremonial first laugh is led by a 103-year-old Toronto resident. He exits the stage with one line: “Let’s get ready to jubilate.”

Author: Sam Riches
Published: Nov 14, 2013
Length: 8 minutes (2,130 words)