Posted inEditor's Pick

Ramona Pierson Spent 18 Months in a Coma and Woke Up Blind. She’s Now a CEO in Silicon Valley

Pierson, nearly killed by a drunk driver, has recovered to become the head of a new tech company called Declara: “Over time, and more than 100 surgeries, Pierson’s body improved. She had procedures to fix her eye socket, nose, and teeth. ‘One of my doctors did Wilt Chamberlain’s nose,’ Pierson says. ‘My face seemed to […]

Posted inEditor's Pick

Silicon Chasm

Charlotte Allen (who graduated from Stanford) examines the massive income inequality and “new feudalism” in Silicon Valley—as a sign of what’s happening across the United States: Google is visually impressive, but this frenzy of energy and hipness hasn’t generated large numbers of jobs, much less what we think of as middle-class jobs, the kinds of […]

Posted inTop 5

The Top 5 Longreads of the Week

Below, our favorite stories of the week. Kindle and Readmill users, you can also get them as a Readlist. Sign up to receive this list free every Friday in your inbox. *** 1. Is There Hope for the Survivors of the Drug Wars? Monica Potts | American Prospect | March 24, 2014 | 32 minutes […]

sorry, this post is only available to Longreads members. To become a member, visit longreads.com/join.

Posted inEditor's Pick

The Evangelist

Jim Gilliam was a precocious young conservative Christian who grew up in Silicon Valley and became a talented programmer. After fighting cancer, he lost his faith in God and found a passion for progressive causes. NationBuilder, a piece of software he built to—in his own words—help “democratize democracy,” has had some of his progressive friends […]

Gift this article