Shakespeare’s Genius Is Nonsense

Literary critics and cognitive scientists are finding common ground through the study of Shakespeare’s revolutionary use of language.

Source: Nautilus
Published: May 25, 2017
Length: 13 minutes (3,347 words)

From a Hawk to a Dove

Vietnam Veteran Ray Cocks, who’d eagerly enlisted in 1967, was forever changed by the realities of war.

Author: Ray Cocks
Source: Longreads
Published: May 29, 2017
Length: 11 minutes (2,844 words)

Why Lake Superior Is the Country’s Most Overlooked Playground

“I’ve spent the past 20 years writing about far-flung places, from Tasmania to Bhutan, and here I am awed by one of the most pristine, wild, and hard-to-reach regions in my own backyard.”

Source: Outside
Published: May 23, 2017
Length: 18 minutes (4,732 words)

How Amanda Chantal Bacon Perfected the Celebrity Wellness Business

Molly Young visits the home of the Moon Juice guru and attempts to dissect what makes her the perfect wellness entrepreneur: “In our wellness-obsessed era, the idea of working yourself to the bone is no longer a commendable trait but a failure of self-care; recreation is now cast as a divine pursuit.”

Published: May 25, 2017
Length: 16 minutes (4,200 words)

How to Write Iranian-America, or The Last Essay

Porochista Khakpour reflects on her desire to write — at first about anything other than Iranian-America. Deeply conflicted about speaking from her perspective as an Iranian-American, she says, “Remind yourself that when the performance is honest two things happen: The essay will feel like it’s killing you and the ending will not be what you thought it might be. Learn to respect more than resent those parallel planes of living and the rendering of living.”

Source: Catapult
Published: May 18, 2017
Length: 15 minutes (3,944 words)

The Tragic Story of a Texas Teen and the Marines Who Killed Him for No Reason

When Marines fatally shot an innocent 18 year old boy in West Texas in 1997, it raised serious questions about the War on Drugs and a militarized border that Americans are still asking. Many details about Esequiel Hernandez’s death also remain unanswered. What’s clear is that he was just tending his family’s goats, and the Marines’ stories don’t add up.

Source: Fusion
Published: May 24, 2017
Length: 13 minutes (3,465 words)

Remembering Mr. Rogers, a true-life ‘helper’ when the world still needs one

When disaster strikes, people often quote Mr. Rogers saying, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” Did he really say that? It turns out, that yes, yes he did. And, as Anthony Breznican recounts after randomly meeting Mr. Rogers after the death of his grandfather, the ultimate neighbor was as kind and thoughtful in real-life as his cardigan-wearing, television alter-ego.

Published: May 23, 2017
Length: 7 minutes (1,906 words)

The Curious Case of the Disappearing Nuts

In California, massive nut heists were underway for two years before the industry figured out they were the target of a well-organized theft ring. “Nut theft has ­exploded into a statewide problem. More than 35 loads, worth at least $10 million, have gone missing since 2013.” At Outside, Peter Vigneron reports on these daring nut jobs, thought to be linked to a Russian organized crime ring.

Source: Outside
Published: May 24, 2017
Length: 15 minutes (3,789 words)

Fire on the Mountain

The surreal story of the worst fire in Gatlinburg, Tennessee in 100 years. The fire, which was started by kids playing with matches, began small and crept across the Smokey Mountains to threaten residents as they slept in their beds. Ultimately it took the lives of 14 people, displaced 14,000 more, and consumed 2000 properties in under 24 hours.

Source: Garden & Gun
Published: Jul 1, 2017
Length: 18 minutes (4,530 words)

There Aren’t Enough Slaughterhouses to Support the Farm-to-Table Economy

The phrase “too much pork for just one fork” takes on new meaning in light of this supply-chain problem. (Note: the fork is the slaughterhouse in this metaphor.)

 

Source: Bloomberg
Published: May 23, 2017
Length: 8 minutes (2,200 words)