Justin Heckert is a writer living in Indianapolis. His work has recently been anthologized in the book Next Wave: America’s New Generation of Great Literary Journalists. Most Beautiful Story: “Never Let Go,” Kelley Benham, Tampa Bay Times Best Essay: Lisa Taddeo, “Why We Cheat,” Esquire Most Entertaining Profile: Jason Fagone, “Schoolly D is Living the American Dream,” Philadelphia […]
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Greetings from Helen
(Featured Longreader Justin Heckert’s pick of the week.) Every September, Helen, a town of 750 people clustered on two square miles in a mountain valley, braces to accommodate up to 300,000 guests over the course of this uber-party. Steins will be hoisted; spindly, pale thighs will chafe under lederhosen; and someone inevitably will fall and […]
Letter to a Young Reporter
Ten years ago, Justin Heckert emailed Walt Harrington a few clips and asked for some advice.
Gangrey All-Stars: Top 5 Longreads of 2010
Gangrey All-Stars: Top 5 Longreads of 2010 Gangrey.com, btw, is the heart and soul of long-form journalism. Click for Top 5 lists from writers including Thomas Lake (Sports Illustrated), Ben Montgomery (St. Petersburg Times), Wright Thompson (ESPN), Michael Kruse (St. Petersburg Times), and Justin Heckert (ESPN).
It smelled like Pine-Sol. Of all the things that night to startle the senses, that’s what nearly everyone remembered. The trees smelled like that after they broke. The sky cleared. The breeze hushed up, and the stars popped out. John English found a flashlight and walked over what was left of his property. His johnboat […]
Gangrey: Our Top 5 Longreads of 2011
Gangrey.com is a site dedicated to the practice of great newspaper and magazine storytelling. Some of these picks make it seem like we like each other. We do, most of the time. But we’re also intense critics. We get together in the woods in Georgia one weekend each year to tear one another apart. Physical […]
