Shelftalker

The story of an iconic, family-owned Brooklyn bookstore, BookCourt, narrated by one author who grew up with it, as a neighbor, an employee, and a published novelist.

Source: Wildsam
Published: Nov 20, 2018
Length: 9 minutes (2,345 words)

The Rise of a Hindu Vigilante in the Age of WhatsApp and Modi

“They pushed him against a closet and told him to strip so they could see whether he was circumcised, a sure sign that he wasn’t Hindu. After that, the group handed the man over to police.”

Source: Wired
Published: Apr 14, 2020
Length: 4 minutes (1,107 words)

How White Backlash Controls American Progress

“Backlash dynamics are one of the defining patterns of the country’s history.”

Source: The Atlantic
Published: May 21, 2020
Length: 12 minutes (3,232 words)

How the Pandemic Turned Brené Brown Into America’s Therapist

“But for heaven’s sake, the best-selling author, unapologetic cusser, and fifth-generation Texan would rather not be called that.”

Source: Texas Monthly
Published: May 18, 2020
Length: 28 minutes (7,145 words)

Since I Met Edward Snowden, I’ve Never Stopped Watching My Back

“After receiving a trove of documents from the whistleblower, I found myself under surveillance and investigation by the U.S. government.”

Source: The Atlantic
Published: May 18, 2020
Length: 25 minutes (6,472 words)

Stewed Awakening

On Alison Roman, social media, and the conundrum of formerly “exotic” foods finding mainstream success.

Source: Eater
Published: May 20, 2020
Length: 16 minutes (4,041 words)

We Can’t Comprehend This Much Sorrow

“History’s first draft is almost always wrong — but we still have to try and write it.”

Author: Teju Cole
Published: May 18, 2020
Length: 9 minutes (2,411 words)

The Black American Amputation Epidemic

In the Mississippi Delta, one doctor was determined to make sure that no one unnecessarily lost a limb. He was up against the odds.

Source: Pro Publica
Published: May 20, 2020
Length: 30 minutes (7,500 words)

Pitch Perfect: The History and Influence of the Pitchfork 10.0

What does it mean for an album to receive a perfect score from the internet’s most contentious music publication?

Source: The Ringer
Published: May 11, 2020
Length: 17 minutes (4,300 words)

Can We Escape from Information Overload?

When one artist isolated himself in his dark London studio for a few days, he tuned out modernity’s noise and learned what the brain can do when it isn’t bombarded with alerts and messages and screens all the time.

Author: Tom Lamont
Source: 1843
Published: May 7, 2020
Length: 21 minutes (5,387 words)