“The Smart Bins are one piece of the city’s much-heralded plan to bring composting to all five boroughs, and I’m here to follow these precious, semi-frozen bundles to see where they end up.”
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The Free Dogs of India
“These canines have independent, peaceful, happy lives without a pet’s constraints. Why are they being persecuted and culled?”
Award Wins, Note-Taking Advice, and Our Top 5
“So as soon as my reporting was done, I would go home. I would never permit myself to do anything, make dinner, nothing, until I’d sat down with the notebooks.” Happy Friday! We have several updates to share this week. We’re working to improve your overall Longreads experience, and you may notice some small changes while browsing […]
When Baking and Real Estate Collide
For The New Yorker, Anna Wiener explores the cuisine-real-estate business model and traces the rise of Tartine, the artisanal San Francisco bakery known for its delicious breads and pastries and hip, airy spaces. How did this beloved spot in the Mission become a world-renowned brand? And is this food empire really what it seems? Certain […]
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
Notable longform stories written by David Farrier, Luc Rinaldi, Claire Gagné, Jonathan Weiner, and Dave Holmes.
Where Are All The Caribou?
“For millennia Indigenous communities have relied on the far north’s caribou herds for sustenance. But as the herds dwindle, the future becomes difficult to predict.”
Best of 2023: All of Our Number Five Story Picks
Each story we chose as our number five piece of the week in 2023, all in one place.
Dead Moms Club: A Mother’s Day Reading List
Eight thoughtful reading recommendations for those who’ve lost their moms.
Six Stories About a Complex Cuisine and Our Top 5
“Migration patterns, together with demographic trends and climate change, mean that the cuisine must adapt. Italian food—so rooted in tradition and adamant in its authenticity—will have to change.” In previous reading lists, Longreads contributor Clare Egan has explored a range of topics: Ireland, queer ecology, and the decision to have a child. This week, Egan dives […]
Inside the Secretive, Semi-Illicit, High Stakes World of WhatsApp Mango Importing
“Customs restrictions, high transport costs, and a short shelf life have made the world’s greatest mangoes — grown in Pakistan — difficult to come by in the U.S.”


