“It’s an unusually precarious beginning for a life that can last forty years.”
Search results
The Complicated Capitalism of Plastics
“It might not seem like the right time to talk about plastics…But it is. And the world doesn’t have a moment to waste.”
Best of 2022: Reader Favorites
You’ve heard from the Longreads’ editors, now it’s the turn of our readers.
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
This week, we’re sharing stories from George Packer, Lindsay Peoples-Wagner and Morgan Jerkins, Paul Solotaroff, Lauren Owens Lambert, and Oscar Schwartz.
20 Years Later: Little Brother, “The Minstrel Show”
Like minstrelsy, Little Brother’s album shows you one hand, convinces you of one thing, while something else works behind the scenes.
Seeking to Solve the Arctic’s Biggest Mystery, They Ended Up Trapped in Ice at the Top of the World
“In 1847, Sir John Franklin and a crew of 128 men disappeared while searching for the fabled Northwest Passage. A National Geographic team sought to find evidence of their fate—but the Arctic doesn’t give up its secrets easily.”
True Crime, Jersey Shore Style
How I (possibly) solved a cold case on my summer vacation.
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
This week, our editors recommend stories by Caitlin Dickerson, Samira Shackle, Mitchell S. Jackson, Roberto José Andrade Franco, and Ian Dille.
A Year in Reading: Backrooms, Backcountry, and Back Home
From two side of the world—these are the stories shining a light on the overlooked corners often holding the pieces together.
Exploring Public Lands and the Week’s Top 5
“Though we were only a few miles into our walk, already the surprise of my surroundings was overwhelming. The surreal lakebeds. The pink skies. Beauty Peak. The pronghorn. We were left in one of those mindless trances that comes when nature completely engulfs you. No amount of planning or research can prepare you for an […]


