Here are the best stories we thought deserved more attention this year.
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The Hippies Who Hated the Summer of Love
The merchants of Haight-Ashbury advertised a summer of free food, free lodging, and free love. What they got instead was a civic nightmare.
Finding the Soundtrack to My Desert Life
In the ’90s, discovering the music of Friends of Dean Martinez helped Aaron Gilbreath stop running and appreciate life in his native Arizona.
How We Got There from Here
Anna Armstrong recalls a road trip to escape her grief-stricken home — dragging her 13-year-old brother to see R.E.M.
‘BRB, Killing ISIS Guys’: An American Bro in Syria
When Brace Belden left his job in San Francisco to fight ISIS, he had no idea he’d become a prominent figure in the Syrian Civil War.
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
This week, we’re featuring stories by Reeves Wiedeman, Monica Mark, Taffy Brodesser-Akner, Daniel Duane, and Danny Chau.
Dear New Owners: City Magazines Were Already Great
As the president sucks up the oxygen from the media atmosphere, it’s easy to forget how important local journalism is right now. The regional press—the holy trinity of newspapers, alt-weeklies, and city magazines—is where we can find true stories of friends and neighbors impacted by immigration raids, fights over funding public education, and the frontline […]
‘I Am Not a Role Model’ and the Resurgence of Athlete Activism
More athletes are publicly taking a political stance, echoing activists who came before them.
The Human Cost of the Ghost Economy
Melissa Chadburn goes undercover as a temp worker.
The Human Cost of the Ghost Economy
Melissa Chadburn goes undercover as a temp worker.

