An essay to make you chuckle, and think. Ed Simon explores some of the copy mistakes made throughout history — and then shifts onto the mistakes that make us, and our very universe, exist. Homeoarchy is the accidental deletion of lines; metathesis the reversing of letters in a wrod. An entirely more delightful flaw can […]
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Disney Is the Happiest Place on Earth, if You Can Afford It
“Mr. Currell, a management consultant, interviewed dozens of Disney enthusiasts, historians and experts, and visited Walt Disney World, which he first experienced in 1977.”
The Salacious Middle Ages
“Medieval people feared death by celibacy as much as venereal disease, and practiced complex sexual health regimens.”
Loneliness, Power, and the Top 5 of the Week
“I want to be left alone, but I don’t want to be lonely.” Hanif Abdurraqib writes this about a tension that dominated the career of singer Phyllis Hyman—but it also feels like a familiar plea in this dim, early-January week, when many of us leave the chaos of extended family and drift back into our own homes, our own jobs, and perhaps our own small pockets of solitude.
Mulling Desire, Honoring Murdered Women, and Our Top 5
I had no idea that the hot, tingly pain of blood returning to a frozen extremity is called the screaming barfies, until I read “What Is a Body For?” by Diana Saverin.
Filthy Matters
“Calvin Gimpelevich writes on the history and politics of public bathrooms.”
Recurring Screens
“A screen saver periodically smokes the locusts out, thereby saving the screen from the disfigurement of monotony.”
Why the Spirit of WWE Legend Eddie Guerrero Lives On
“What began as a childhood wonder with masked men who looked like they could fly around the ring, evolved into a focus on Eddie. During a time when I lived in what felt like different worlds, he reminded me of home.”
A Question from Longreads
Hi there, Somehow, this is the thirteenth year of our annual “Best Of” series. As usual, we’ll be sharing our favorite reads across several categories next week—but this week, we wanted to try something a little different. That’s why, starting Monday, we’ve been publishing essays from each of the Longreads editors, reflecting on their year […]

