Love, Identity, and Genderqueer Family Making

Maggie Nelson blends memoir and critical theory to explore the meaning and limitations of language, love, and gender in this excerpt from “The Argonauts.”.

Source: Longreads
Published: May 1, 2015
Length: 16 minutes (4,137 words)

The Romantic Comedy Spectrum: A Reading List

Here, are a handful of stories centering on the creators and aficionados of the romantic comedy.

Source: Longreads
Published: Jul 19, 2015

The Missing History of Ravensbrück, The Nazi Concentration Camp for Women

The story of the Nazis’ only concentration camp for women has long been obscured—partly by chance, but also by historians’ apathy towards women’s history. Sarah Helm writes about the camp, where the “cream of Europe’s women” were interned alongside its prostitutes, and members of the French resistance perished alongside Red Army prisoners of war.

Author: Sarah Helm
Source: Longreads
Published: Jul 14, 2015
Length: 52 minutes (13,071 words)

#NoShame in Mental Illness: A Reading List

On the first Monday in July, people take to social media and use the hashtag #NoShame to talk about living with mental illness and overcoming stigma and silence. Here, I’ve collected several stories about mental illness, many written by writers of color.

Source: Longreads
Published: Jul 12, 2015

Same-Sex Marriage, America, and You: A Reading List

In the following list, I share different perspectives about same-sex marriage (all written by members of the LGBTQ+ community), as well as Pride, religious opinions, family and stereotypes.

Source: Longreads
Published: Jul 5, 2015

‘The World Is Full of Obvious Things’: A Sherlock Holmes Reading List

From Sherlockian cosplay in the Swiss alps to a family’s archives in Illinois, here are five stories that speak to the ubiquity and longevity of one Victorian detective.

Source: Longreads
Published: Jul 1, 2015

A Chloe Caldwell Reading List

She’ll show you her demons if you’ll show her yours—her style is deeply personal, almost confessional, but Chloe never seems to write from a place of exhibitionism.

Source: Longreads
Published: Jun 28, 2015

Science, Chance, and Emotion with Real Cosima

Through her work on clone-thriller Orphan Black, science consultant Cosima Herter has helped open our eyes to the possibilities and perils of synthetic biology and the pursuit of genetic perfection.

Source: Longreads
Published: Jun 24, 2015
Length: 23 minutes (5,889 words)

The Craft of Cooking

An Interview with “America’s Test Kitchen” founder Christopher Kimball on how cooking is like woodworking, the business model behind “Cooks Illustrated,” and the awesome powers of baking soda and gelatin.

Source: Longreads
Published: Jun 23, 2015
Length: 17 minutes (4,479 words)

‘We Have to Do Better’: A Reading List on the Charleston Church Massacre

“We have to demand accountability from one another and stand up for people of color—in the streets, in our Facebook feeds, in our offices and homes.”

Source: Longreads
Published: Jun 19, 2015