The co-authors of ‘Country Music USA’ – a revised edition of the genre’s definitive history – talk about the music’s African-American tributaries, its unpredictable politics, country radio’s woman problem, and working on Ken Burns’ forthcoming doc.
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‘Country Music … Was Anything BUT Pure’: An Interview with Bill Malone and Tracey Laird
The co-authors of ‘Country Music USA’ – a revised edition of the genre’s definitive history – talk about the music’s African-American tributaries, its unpredictable politics, country radio’s woman problem, and working on Ken Burns’ forthcoming doc.
In Praise of Polarizing Food
Canned sardines turn many Americans off to fresh sardines, which is a shame. In Tin House‘s 2009 Appetites Issue, Jeff Koehler shares the little fish’s pleasures, describing how eating canned sardines in his vagabond youth led him to savoring fresh sardines as an adult, which culminated in years of culinary experimentation in his adopted home of Barcelona. […]
A Muslim, a Christian, and a Baby Named “God”
Rachel Pieh Jones, a Christian American living in Djibouti, reflects on her friendship with a Muslim woman there, and the more universal aspects of faith.
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
Our favorite stories of the week.
The Great American Housewife Writer: A Shirley Jackson Primer
“Her storytelling is incredibly modern. She is a writer to read right now.”
How Much is Too Much to Save a Dying Cat?
A series of losses prompts s.e. smith to wonder why, if it’s inevitable, we tend to view death as failure.
Smell, Memory
Perfumers evoke the elegance of an imagined tennis game, not the stench of a real one.
Longreads Best of 2016: Essays & Criticism
We asked a few writers and editors to choose some of their favorite stories of the year in various categories. Here, the best in essays and criticism.
How to Say You Maybe Don’t Want to Be Married Anymore
Sarah Bregel takes a close look at her marriage after two kids, and wonders, how hard is too hard?

