Carleton Gajdusek won the Nobel Prize for his work on a disease in Papua New Guinea. But his biggest experiment was on the children he took from the field to the US—many of whom he sexually molested, with the knowledge and, in some cases, approval of his professional peers and colleagues: In his journals and […]
rachel aviv
Posted inEditor's Pick
Rachel Aviv: Mother and Daughter
“An interview with the author of ‘Strangers to Ourselves’—and now, ‘You Won’t Get Free of It.'”
Posted inFeature
Best of 2025: The Most Popular Editors’ Picks of the Year
These audience hits were the most-viewed picks on our site in 2025.
Posted inTop 5
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
Recommending excellent stories by Tony Ho Tran, Rachel Aviv, Ariel Saramandi, Theo Lipsky, and Inori Roy.
Posted inEditor's Pick
Mary Had Schizophrenia—Then Suddenly She Didn’t.
“Some psychiatric patients may actually have treatable autoimmune conditions. But what happens to the newly sane?”
Posted inCuration
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
Recommending noteworthy reads from Tim Prudente and Stokely Baksh, Rachel Aviv, Abby Tickell, Nick Zarzycki, and Andrea Sachs.
Posted inEditor's Pick
A British Nurse Was Found Guilty of Killing Seven Babies. Did She Do It?
“Colleagues reportedly called Lucy Letby an ‘angel of death,’ and the prime minister condemned her. But, in the rush to judgment, serious questions about the evidence were ignored.”
Posted inNonfiction
Best of 2022: Features
As part of Best of Longreads, our annual labor of love, we pored over all the stories we’ve picked in 2022 to create these year-end lists. The following features all embody the strong voice and excellent writing that made us fall in love with narrative journalism. Sweeping, hard-hitting, and emotional, each immerses us in a […]
Posted inCuration, Nonfiction, Top 5
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
This week, we’re sharing stories from Rachel Aviv, Clare Gerada, Fatima Syed, Leslie Jamison, and Deb Olin Unferth.
Posted inNonfiction, Top 5
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
This week, we’re sharing stories from David Dobbs, Rachel Aviv, Max Read, Holly George-Warren, and Bianca Bosker.