A Heart Is Not a Nation

Jeff Sharlet explores hate and Trumpism in America.

Source: Bookforum
Published: Nov 4, 2020
Length: 14 minutes (3,729 words)

A Nameless Hiker and the Case the Internet Can’t Crack

A friendly and charming hiker was known on the trail as “Mostly Harmless.” After his body was discovered in a tent in Florida, no one could figure out who he was.

Source: Wired
Published: Nov 2, 2020
Length: 13 minutes (3,323 words)

The Wounds That Do Not Heal

“Rachel Lord Elizondo shares something terrible in common with celebrated poet, professor, and author Natasha Trethewey — both of their mothers were murdered in Georgia by their former partners. Elizondo talks with Trethewey about her new book Memorial Drive: A Daughter’s Memoir — and the journey toward healing, education, and advocacy to end partner violence in Georgia and in every home.”

Published: Nov 2, 2020
Length: 13 minutes (3,443 words)

A Trilogy of Visa Rejections

Nkiacha Atemnkeng tells his story of being rejected for western visas three times.

Published: Oct 8, 2020
Length: 19 minutes (4,783 words)

Growing Up in the Soviet Union’s Hero City

“I grew up in a microregion of apartment blocks on the south-western edge of the capital city in a provincial Soviet republic that gained its independence around the time when a few girls in my class claimed they got their first periods though it would take me a few more years to get there.”

Source: LitHub
Published: Nov 3, 2020
Length: 6 minutes (1,642 words)

How Gillian Welch and David Rawlings Held on to Optimism

“The uncertainties of 2020 led the folk duo to discover a new emotional urgency in songs about the slow, challenging, beautiful heat of living.”

Published: Nov 3, 2020
Length: 22 minutes (5,652 words)

The Remarkable Life of Roxie Laybourne

“From deep within the Smithsonian, the world’s first forensic ornithologist cracked cases, busted criminals, and changed the course of aviation—making the skies safer for us all.”

Source: Audubon
Published: Oct 5, 2020
Length: 19 minutes (4,787 words)

Chasing My Father’s Ghost Through the Swiss Alps

James Jung thought he rode the winding narrow roads of the Alps to memorialize his dad. He was wrong.

Author: James Jung
Published: Nov 30, 2020
Length: 14 minutes (3,567 words)

What Is The Internet Doing To Boomers’ Brains?

“Social media platforms are sucking a generation into a misinformation rabbit hole.”

Source: HuffPost
Published: Oct 29, 2020
Length: 13 minutes (3,393 words)

Everyone Should Be Able to Use the Public Restroom: When ADA Is Not Enough

A look at the 30-year-old Americans with Disabilities Act and navigating in a world that is inaccessible, from public restrooms to transportation.

Source: Gizmodo
Published: Oct 28, 2020
Length: 30 minutes (7,628 words)