At the Guardian, the author recounts how it takes “hundreds of drafts” and “thousands of incremental adjustments” to form a story into a “hopeful thing.”
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Killer, Kleptocrat, Genius, Spy: the Many Myths of Vladimir Putin
Russian-born journalist and author Keith Gessen’s analysis of seven theories about Putin borne of “Putinology,” a long-standing tradition in eastern Europe, newly adopted by Americans as a diversion in the Trump era.
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
This week, we’re sharing stories from Caitlin Dickerson, Aaron Edwards, Alice Su, Jia Tolentino, and James Somers.
End the White House Correspondents’ Dinner
It’s an embarrassment to journalism.
The Grim Reaper of Pubs
Tom Lamont’s exhaustive 2015 deep-dive on the death of pub culture in England is worth re-reading, considering the role a bar plays within a community.
27 Years and 1,000 Break-Ins: North Pond Hermit — Book Edition
An excerpt from The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit — Michael Finkel’s book on Christopher Knight, the hermit who survived by committing 1,000 break-ins over nearly three decades.
Filmmaker Kyrre Lien Traveled the World Interviewing Internet Trolls in Person
Filmmaker Kyrre Lien was curious about what drives people who make hateful comments online, so he traveled the world to interview internet trolls in person.
Longreads Best of 2017: Investigative Reporting
We asked writers and editors to choose some of their favorite stories of the year in various categories. Here is the best in investigative reporting.
A New American Pastime: Putinology
Russian-born journalist Keith Gessen breaks down seven theories about Vladimir Putin that have gained traction as a result of a diversion that’s become popular with Americans in the Trump era: Putinology.
The Prosperity Plea
Paying attention to the Poor People’s Campaign.

