The graphing community [“graphing” is a term for the craft of autograph seeking] is one of uncommon depth, into which people have spent decades carving their fiefdoms and burrowing out their niches, whether that be players in the single-A Midwest League or members of the Whig Party. Flam’s fellow grapher Rich Hanson supervises inspections at a meatpacking […]
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Posted inEditor's Pick
Unusual Hobbies: A Reading List
In this collection, you’ll meet folks who look at planes, at compasses, at building blocks and at each other (in full Civil War uniform, no less).
Posted inNonfiction
Longreads Best of 2016: Investigative Reporting
We asked a few writers and editors to choose some of their favorite stories of the year in various categories. Here, the best in investigative reporting
Posted inBooks, Nonfiction
‘I Would Prefer Not To’: The Origins of the White Collar Worker
Before the Civil War, the clerk was “a small but unusual phenomenon.” By the end of the 19th century, clerical workers were a social force to be reckoned with. This is the story of their rise.
Posted inNonfiction, Reading List
‘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.
Posted inNonfiction, Reading List
Unusual Hobbies: A Reading List
My boyfriend and I share a love of cryptozoology and hidden places. For Valentine’s Day, he bought us matching “explorer” jackets with Nessie and Mothman patches affixed to the sleeves. We have standard hobbies, too—reading, writing, listening to music—but podcasts about Bigfoot and poring over Atlas Obscura is where things get a little weird. In this collection, you’ll meet folks who look at planes, at compasses, at building blocks and at each other (in full Civil War uniform, no less).
Posted inEditor's Pick
How to Spell the Rebel Yell: Tracing a Sound from Civil War History
Our latest Longreads Exclusive is a deep dive into the sounds of history, from Elena Passarello and The Normal School. The essay also is featured in Passarello’s book, Let Me Clear My Throat.
Posted inBooks, Nonfiction
The Secret Nazi Attempt to Breed the Perfect Horse
The bestselling author of ‘The Eighty Dollar Champion’ describes the Nazis’ secret stud farm, where dubious visionaries imagined a breed of perfect (and perfectly white) horse.
Posted inNonfiction, Quotes
The Political Past of Adult Coloring Books
A history of adult coloring books.
Posted inNonfiction, Story
The Icy Elegance of Arthur Ashe … And the Passion of Muhammad Ali
The sportsmen’s lives read as a conversation on what it means to be American.
