“Mattel wanted a summer blockbuster to kick off its new wave of brand-extension movies. She wanted it to be a work of art.”
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The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
Showcasing stories from Jelani Cobb, Taylor Lorenz, Jack Shafer, and Max Tani; Nylah Iqbal Muhammad; Irina Dumitrescu; Leo Robson; and Caitlin Moran.
Why Are Pants So Big (Again)?
“And what the latest swing from skinny to wide tells us about ourselves.”
The Whale Who Went AWOL
“Hvaldimir escaped captivity and became a global celebrity. Now, no one can agree about what to do with him.”
The Vanishing Family
“This is genetic, she thought. This is inherited. And then, finally: We all might have it.”
The Hotel Guest Who Wouldn’t Leave
“Mickey Barreto’s five-year stay cost him only $200.57. Now it might cost him his freedom.”
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
This week we have stories from Patrick Fealey, S.C. Cornell, Sterry Butcher, Robin Wall Kimmerer and Jenny Odell, and Francisco Garcia.
The Mayday Call: How One Death at Sea Transformed a Fishing Fleet
“The opioid epidemic has made a dangerous job even more deadly. And when there’s an overdose at sea, fishermen have to take care of one another.”
The Botched Hunt for the Gilgo Beach Killer
For 13 years, police failed to scrutinize the man now accused of the infamous murders. Why did it take so long?
He Was Convicted of Killing His Baby. The DA’s Office Says He’s Innocent, but That Might Not Be Enough.
“When new scientific evidence casts doubt on convictions, the justice system has no easy path to freedom —even when it’s the prosecutors doing the asking.”

