To the ever-growing list of “reality TV tropes,” we can now add “confessing feelings to disinterested animals who happen to wander on-camera.”
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The Charmed Life of Esther the Wonder Pig
In 2012, Steve Jenkins and Derek Walter adopted a twenty-centimeter, six-month-old ‘mini pig’ that they named Esther. However, it turned out that their new pet was, in fact, a commercial pig that reached a sturdy 650 pounds. This did not stop her proud new parents from letting Esther share their home and documenting her adventures […]
The Alabama “Corrections” System: An American Horror Story
“When you lay down to go to sleep, you better be prayed up, because there’s no guarantee you’re waking up.”
Queens of Infamy: Boudicca
If you underestimate a woman determined to avenge violence against her daughters, prepare yourself to get sacked. On repeat.
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
This week, we’re sharing stories from Emily Giambalvo, Maureen Tkacik, Zuzana Justman, Jennifer Colville, and Roshani Chokshi.
Joe Exotic: A Dark Journey Into the World of a Man Gone Wild
Joe Schreibvogel AKA Joe Exotic AKA the Tiger King collected exotic animals and very young husbands at his private Oklahoma zoo. He’s now in jail, found guilty of hiring people to kill an outspoken critic of his who owns of a big cat sanctuary in Florida.
The State of Waiting
Separated by war, boundaries, and immigration policies they cannot control, one young Yemeni couple refuses to give up on love.
Climate Messaging: A Case for Negativity
Nell Zink, Joy Williams, and a different kind of climate skepticism.
‘Midwesterners Have Seen Themselves As Being in the Center of Everything.’
In “The Heartland,” Kristin L. Hoganson says America’s Midwest has been more connected to global events than popular history allows — especially popular history as told in the Midwest.

