“It’s been an overwhelming year—the isolation, the stalled shoots, the erosion of our democracy—but he finds that here in central Montana simpler conflicts abide.”
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How a Massacre of Nearly 300 in Syria Was Revealed
This is a truly harrowing account, with vivid descriptions of a mass execution. It cannot but upset you, yet depicts a truth that should not be veiled. It is written by two academic researchers who miraculously managed to uncover, and interview, one of the perpetrators by tracing him on Facebook. It is an impressive investigation […]
On Learning Love and Compassion, and the Week’s Top 5 Stories
“The way forward had to be with open eyes and with hearts exposed to injury. We’d seen the price we paid when we failed to bear witness.” Hello, weekend, c’mon in! The light is slowly returning to the Northern Hemisphere, and with it the promise of brighter days ahead. First up, Amory Rowe Salem writes […]
A Year in Reading: The Dark Side of Progress
We’re moving farther, faster, than ever before. But we’re also destabilizing crucial areas of human experience.
Nicholas Kristof’s Botched Rescue Mission
A profile of the former New York Times columnist turned failed gubernatorial candidate, who’s now dabbling in bespoke cider and wine: “Running for office does involve — ‘self-confidence’ is a polite way of putting it,” Kristof said. He paused when he said the word polite, as if to politely emphasize that the question (I had […]
A Dangerous Solo Hike, the Vanishing of Aging Parents, and Our Top 5
“I came to a shack with a small, white-haired man inside. I assumed he had been guarding Devil’s Bridge for centuries. I answered his riddles three and he gestured for me to sign in. At the end of his hand was a damp pile of papers and a pen on a gray string. Like most […]
Hostage Business
“How a Virginia businesswoman escaped her kidnappers in Iraq—and later returned to finish her work.”
Who Writes the Rules for Cops?
“After years of high-profile shootings, policing in America is under more scrutiny than at any time in our history. Meanwhile, one company — which sells policy handbooks to police departments across the country — seems determined to give officers cover.”
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
Recommending stories from Lizzie Presser, Richard Smith, Drew Magary, David Fowler, and Douglas Starr.
The Rise of Women Butchers, Six Reads on the Single Life, and Our Top 5
“But I’m the only woman in the classroom, and it has become absolutely essential that I do not gag. Although the number of women apprentices had been creeping up over the years, from the get-go, as a woman studying butchery, I am still a novelty.” Food writer and chef Olivia Potts, the author of “Life […]


