On the aesthetics, performance, and “majestic wrath” of Frederick Douglass, the most-photographed American of the nineteenth century.
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Fact-Checking ‘The Anarchist Cookbook’
[William] Powell quit his job and began writing for up to ten hours a day. Despite the title, there is nothing about anarchism as a political theory in the book, which focuses on drugs, surveillance, weapons, and explosives. About drugs, Powell knew plenty. He had overcome a speed habit, smoked lots of pot, consumed his […]
Longreads Best of 2015: Essays & Criticism
Story picks by Leslie Jamison, Jia Tolentino, Roxane Gay, Tom Scocca, Ann Friedman, Rachel Syme, Francesca Mari, Sari Botton, and Emily Perper.
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.
To Shill a Mockingbird
How a manuscript’s discovery became Harper Lee’s “new” novel.
How the Brontës Came Out As Women
When Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell burst onto the literary scene, everyone wondered who these mysterious men could be—and if they could even really be men.
Longreads Best of 2015: Under-Recognized Stories
Stories that deserved more attention in 2015.
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.
Longreads Best of 2015: Here Are All of Our No. 1 Story Picks from This Year
All through December, we’ll be featuring Longreads’ Best of 2015. To get you ready, here’s a list of every story that was chosen as No. 1 in our weekly Top 5 email.
By the Reflection of What Is
On the aesthetics, performance, and “majestic wrath” of Frederick Douglass, the most-photographed American of the nineteenth century.

