The 2015 National Magazine Award Winners: A Reading List

Here’s a brief rundown of some of the winning stories.

Source: Longreads
Published: Feb 2, 2015

The Rise of Joan of Arc: How a Visionary Peasant Girl Defied a Dress Code and Challenged the Patriarchy

Following the guidance of the voices only she could hear, Joan, a peasant girl living in a world dominated by aristocrats and men, left her home to convince the dauphin—and many men along the way—that only she could save France and make him king.

Source: Longreads
Published: Feb 2, 2015
Length: 28 minutes (7,119 words)

Friends 4 Ever: Five Stories About Friendship

Inspired by Maria Bustillos’s “Friendship is Complicated,” this week’s Reading List is about the joy, power and struggles of friendship.

Source: Longreads
Published: Feb 1, 2015

Friendship Is Complicated

Art, commerce, and the battle for the soul of My Little Pony.

Published: Jan 28, 2015
Length: 14 minutes (3,706 words)

Life with Mental Illness: A Reading List

What it’s like for those who suffer from mental illness, and for the families that care for them.

Author: Genna Buck
Source: Longreads
Published: Jan 27, 2015

An Ex-Industrial Fisherman Rethinks His Job

“It’s not just about: How can we save the oceans? But we also need to flip our way of thinking and ask: How can the oceans save us?”

Source: Longreads
Published: Jan 26, 2015
Length: 15 minutes (3,877 words)

Slither and Hiss: Four Stories About Snakes

This week, I’m sharing four stories about snakes and the people who love, hate, and tolerate them in equal measure.

Source: Longreads
Published: Jan 25, 2015

Finding Stories in Familiar Territory: An Interview With Miranda July

We spoke recently by phone about her relationship with her characters, the evolution of her work, and where her novel came from.

Source: Longreads
Published: Jan 22, 2015
Length: 14 minutes (3,540 words)

Really Old Stuff: A Reading List About Our Prehistoric Past

From an aspen colony that has been cloning itself for over 80,000 years to a coral reef fossilized eons ago, these stories bring to life irretrievable worlds and challenge our notions of time and durability.

Source: Longreads
Published: Jan 21, 2015

Seven Stories for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Here are seven stories about (or by) Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., exploring different facets of his life and legacy.

Author: Julia Wick
Source: Longreads
Published: Jan 19, 2015