What to Do With a Man Who Has a Story, and a Gun

In a personal essay about the naivete of young love, Lisa Romeo recalls her first college romance, when she was willing to overlook a lot — until she wasn’t.

Source: Longreads
Published: Jan 4, 2018
Length: 11 minutes (2,767 words)

Kristi Yamaguchi, Unlaced

Nicole Chung interviews figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi about her life after winning at the 1992 Olympics, being the only Asian-American Olympic gold medalist in figure skating, representation in sports and the media, and the Always Dream Foundation — the early childhood literacy organization she founded.

Source: Shondaland
Published: Jan 3, 2018
Length: 13 minutes (3,406 words)

The Scammers Gaming India’s Overcrowded Job Market

In parts of India where jobs are so scarce that college graduates apply to be street sweepers, people are willing to work as scammers who extract money from gullible Americans by impersonating US tax officers and taking their computers hostage with fake viruses. They also prey on other Indians.

Source: The Guardian
Published: Jan 2, 2018
Length: 16 minutes (4,099 words)

American Reams: Why a ‘Paperless World’ Still Hasn’t Happened

In a world full of smartphones, laptops, and tablets, the paper industry is showing surprising resiliency.

Source: The Guardian
Published: Dec 29, 2017
Length: 15 minutes (3,854 words)

The Millionaire Makers: What Happens When 100,000 People Create Their Own Lottery?

A Reddit money pool — where anyone can sign up for a chance to win a few thousand dollars (and maybe even some bitcoin) — is testing the limits of online honor codes.

Source: New Statesman
Published: Dec 28, 2017
Length: 8 minutes (2,121 words)

Steve Bannon’s Plan to Make America Great Again—With or Without Trump

Banished from the White House, Bannon spends his time building a conservative alliance behind a vague, protectionist platform he calls economic nationalism, which would seal US borders, treat China as an enemy and, he believes, keep the Republicans in power for decades. But can he sell this all to the working class?

Source: Newsweek
Published: Jan 28, 2018
Length: 21 minutes (5,346 words)

She Broke Japan’s Silence on Rape

Shiori Ito reported her rape to the police, who were prepared to arrest her alleged assailant, a journalist named Noriyuki Yamaguchi, after conducting a two-month investigation. Then prosecutors suddenly dropped the case.

Published: Dec 29, 2017
Length: 10 minutes (2,643 words)

“Oh My God, This Is So F—ed Up”: Inside Silicon Valley’s Secretive, Orgiastic Dark Side

While the guys get laid, the women get screwed.

Source: Vanity Fair
Published: Jan 2, 2018
Length: 19 minutes (4,775 words)

Portrait of the Artist as a Single Mom

In this personal essay, created with support from the non-profit Economic Hardship Reporting Project, Stephanie Land chronicles her struggle to support herself and her two daughters while attending college and trying to make a living as a writer.

Published: Dec 29, 2017
Length: 16 minutes (4,085 words)

My Daughter Died, But I’m Still Mothering Her

In this personal essay, Jacqueline Dooley recalls her difficult transition from being a mother with earthly duties, to becoming one with more spiritual concerns for a teenage daughter with terminal cancer.

Source: Longreads
Published: Jan 2, 2018
Length: 20 minutes (5,067 words)