Senior Editor at Longreads Brendan’s writing has appeared at Smithsonian, Literary Hub, and The Morning News, where he wrote the “Press Pause” column. From 2016 through 2022, he was senior editor of Columbia Journalism Review. He is interested in narrative features and essays, particularly those that involve reporting. The subject could be almost anything, so long as […]
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The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
Recommending excellent stories by Charlotte Higgins, Lex Pryor, Michael Hardy, Elissa Altman, and Brad Phillips.
There Is No Point in My Being Other Than Honest with You: On Toni Morrison’s Rejection Letters
“Above all else, Morrison’s rejection letters focus on craft—that is, on the experience of reading a work under review.”
Thomas Keller Asked Me to Leave The French Laundry. It Turned Into My Most Extraordinary Night as a Critic.
“There’s a slight quaver in the chef’s voice, and he tells me he is nervous. This is not something he is accustomed to doing, he says — asking a critic to leave.”
To Whom Does the World Belong?
“The legal battles over AI currently playing out—and the large number still to come—may profoundly impact the balance of wealth and power in countless democracies in the decades ahead.”
Tangled Justice
“A new book examines the complex relationship between forgiveness and justice through the story of Paula Cooper, who was sentenced to death at the age of sixteen.”
Ten Outstanding Short Stories to Read in 2025
Kickstart your reading year with 10 short stories selected by longtime contributor Pravesh Bhardwaj.
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
Recommending notable stories by Adlai Coleman, Dan McQuade, Ronald W. Dworkin, Rebecca Burns, and Devon O’Neil.

