“At home, I was Spanish. At school, American. When mom got angry at us, the ultimate insult would be spewed: ‘Ay! That is so American!’ But outside of the house, while in the presence of my peers, I wanted that to be true. Being so American would mean I would be allowed to wear shorts to school. I would […]
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The Longreads Questionnaire, Featuring s.e. smith
The All My Dead Cats and Other Losses author and Flytrap co-founder on grief, breaking and fixing things, and Alice Wong.
The Household Covid Budget
“She and her five housemates needed to find a way to live safely together. So they decided to adhere to a collective risk model of their own design.”
Anatomy of the Mask: A Reading List on Superhero Comics
The adventures of superheroes reveal a lot about the people who created them — and the marginalized communities they represent.
Taking Your Butt to a Higher Level
“Working in concert with the perfect breasts, the perfect bottom turns the body into the shape of an S. ‘It’s the classic hourglass figure,’ said Melissa. ‘That’s what you go after.'”
The Grizzly Attack that Created a Bear Advocate
“The bear, still on all fours, was tall enough to look Mya in the eye. He huffed and gave a short growl. Then he charged.”
Monsters, Mothers, Mulieres: A Reading List on The Women of Classical Antiquity
Five stories of ambitious empresses, fearsome gladiators, and ordinary working-class residents — glimmering snapshots of the female experience in the classical world.
Ya’aburnee, Four Ways
A family curse, a grandfather, a pet, a friend—and one untranslatable word to encompass them all.
Into the Darkness
Germany’s Black Forest faces a future of transformation. So do the people who have lived there for centuries.
Forget the Sheep, Pass the Dog
“The dogs knew the routine: settle down and relax so that the women could cut away their white tresses, shearing the dogs as closely as shearers do sheep.”

