“For seven decades, the gospel singer Mavis Staples has troubled the opposition between chorus and soloist, background and lead.”
profiles
Posted inEditor's Pick
Playing Santa Does Strange Things to a Man. What It Did to Bob Rutan Was Even Stranger.
“Bob Rutan is legendary among the tight-knit fraternity of Macy’s Santa Clauses. Like many of these men, playing Santa changed Bob. Profoundly. His story is one of struggle and failure, heartbreak and grace and—yes—the magic of Christmas.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
The Story John Darnielle Lived to Tell
“When he was a teenager, the Mountain Goats founder never expected to make it to 21. He has since become one of this century’s best songwriters. The lessons of his survival, life, and work feel endless.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
The (Mostly) True Story of Galveston’s Legendary Deaf Lifeguard
“LeRoy Colombo was a champion swimmer and even landed in the Guinness Book of World Records. But his legacy is complicated.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
She Was a Quiet Bird Expert. Then She Was Called to Investigate a Murder in Maine.
“How a mild-mannered scientist named Roxie Laybourne created the field of forensic ornithology.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
Oprah Shamed James Frey. He’s Back Anyway.
“Twenty years after A Million Little Pieces became a national scandal, James Frey is ready for a new audience.”
Posted inUncategorized
The Subversive Love Songs of Lucy Dacus
“The singer-songwriter talks about boygenius, the perils of love, and ‘Forever Is a Feeling,’ her new album.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
A Controversial Rare-Book Dealer Tries to Rewrite His Own Ending
“Glenn Horowitz built a fortune selling the archives of writers such as Vladimir Nabokov and Alice Walker. Then a rock star pressed charges.”
Posted inCuration
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
In this edition, we recommend stories from Eli Saslow, Mitchell S. Jackson, Adam Ciralsky, Heidi Lasher, and Noah Rawlings.