On finding joy in the writing process, embracing friction, and developing your voice.
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The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
In this edition: the jaws of history; war and piece(s); the last day of camp; stay a while; picture me rollin’.
What Waiting Is, Ibram X. Kendi, and Our Top 5
“What is it, precisely, that you work for? What real goodness do you seek at the end of your own long line? “
God’s Children
The Kerrs were devoted to one another and to their faith. But when one of their own rejected modern medicine, they faced a dire question: What if her children ever needed a doctor to save their lives?
A Place Among the Fiddlers
In a southwest Virginia fairground, thousands of musicians gather every August to keep a centuries-old tradition from flickering out.
Best of 2024: All Our Number Five Story Picks
Every story that appeared in the number five slot in our Weekly Top 5, all in one place.
The Edge of Emptiness
Lena Rowat skied 1,600 grueling miles across the Coast Range to quiet her demons. But she didn’t begin to silence them until tragedy struck.
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
This week, we’re sharing stories from Seema Jilani, Katy Kelleher, Carina del Valle Schorske, Martin Padgett, and Ben Lindbergh.
Disposable Heroes
“Christine Blasey Ford’s memoir captures the hazards of ‘coming forward.’”
The Eloquent Vindicator in the Electric Room
No one remembers the assassination of Congressman James M. Hinds. What do we risk by making it just another part of American history?


