This week we’re highlighting stories from Yuval Abraham, Paul Tough, Leslie Jamison, Melina Moe, and Meg Bernhard.
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The Text File That Runs the Internet
“For decades, robots.txt governed the behavior of web crawlers. But as unscrupulous AI companies seek out more and more data, the basic social contract of the web is falling apart.”
The Italian Fruit Detective Who Investigates Centuries-Old Paintings for Disappeared Produce
“Renaissance paintings, medieval archives, cloistered orchards—one Italian scientist is uncovering secrets that could combat a growing agricultural crisis.”
There Is No Point in My Being Other Than Honest with You: On Toni Morrison’s Rejection Letters
“Above all else, Morrison’s rejection letters focus on craft—that is, on the experience of reading a work under review.”
How the Poet Christian Wiman Keeps His Faith
“Pushpin-specific lists fill his essays; single, stirring images lift from lines of his poems like the pages of a pop-up book.”
Recognizing the Stranger
“What in fiction is enjoyable and beautiful is often terrifying in real life.”
Who am I to Diss a Brie?
“Plenty of people are looking for stilton, and some have more than a snack on their mind.”
Both Sides of The Mirror
Introducing The Longreads Questionnaire, featuring Vauhini Vara.
A near-death experience and our Top 5 stories of the week
“My boating experience was minimal and that section of river was not for beginners, but I had scraped by enough times that my risk assessment was dangerously off-kilter. It was a really, really bad combination.” Congratulations—we made it to the weekend! We’ve got some unforgettable stories for you this week. First, Maggie Slepian recounts her […]


