This week’s edition highlights stories by Chris Walker, Katie Prout, Tim Requarth, Michael Schulman, and Celia Bell.
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Curator Spotlight: Robert Sanchez on Highlighting Notable Storytelling from City Magazines Across the U.S.
The longtime writer at Denver’s 5280 magazine talks about City Reads, the stellar work published by fellow journalists, and the intimate experience of reading thousands of solidarity letters mailed from across the country, demanding justice for Elijah McClain.
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
This week, we’re sharing stories from Robert Sanchez, Nicholas Hune-Brown, Emily Van Duyne, David Ferris, and Jaya Saxena.
The Enduring Legacy of Elijah McClain’s Tragic Death
“In summer 2020, the nation’s attention turned to the killing of a 23-year-old Aurora man. His death prompted a flood of more than 8,500 letters from outside the state of Colorado—all begging Governor Jared Polis for justice. We read every one.”
Detectives at Work and the Week’s Top 5
“Ronald was my mother’s uncle, a fashion designer who fled Texas for New York at 19. I met him only once. In my memory, we are sitting on the front porch, the hairs standing up on my arms as the sun wanes. His head is bent over a piece of paper, sketching my 7-year-old face. […]
It’s Been One Year Since Students Started Widespread Distance Learning
“Someday, there again will be high school proms, science fairs in the gym, and nighttime football games packed with students bathed under white lights. But who will be forgotten and left further behind?”
Responding With Weapons to Racism in Colorado Territory
Reexamining the motives of Felipe and Vivián Espinosa, two of the American West’s most brutal killers.
Diving into 2024 with an Excerpt and Our Top 5
“She did live. She had to wear a catheter for several weeks, but she got better. The long recovery gave Debra time to think on what she wanted to do about the man who had hurt her.” Welcome to 2024! We are back for another year of editors’ picks, stirring originals, and inspiring reading lists. Kicking […]
Editor’s Roundtable: Climate of the Future, Music of the Past
Longreads editors discuss stories in Miami New Times, The New Yorker, 5280 Magazine, and The Believer.
Harrowing Outdoor Adventure and the Week’s Top 5
“Traveling the entire length was the equivalent of climbing and descending more than eighteen Mount Everests over a distance equivalent to nearly fifty marathons.” I’m powerless against outdoor adventure stories. I love tales of arduous trips through harsh landscapes, ones where Mother Nature can be fickle, casting weather spells that bring surprise, danger, and a […]


