Navigating a world in flux demands some understanding of who you really are, and some of my favorite pieces from this year speak to that need.
The New York Times Magazine
Posted inFeature
A Year in Reading: When We Are Redefined
From bull rides to military parades, the world transforms us in surprising ways. The best stories get close enough to document our transformation.
Posted inTop 5
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
In this edition: the appeal of the surreal, decoding AI dreck, goop relations, learning to think, and pigeon racing pitfalls
Posted inEditor's Pick
Why Does A.I. Write Like … That?
“If only they were robotic! Instead, chatbots have developed a distinctive—and grating—voice.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
How to Make Art Out of Confederate Monuments
“A new show featuring decommissioned statues forces a reckoning with American history at a moment when Donald Trump is trying to stop just that.”
Posted inTop 5
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
Showcasing stories from Jelani Cobb, Taylor Lorenz, Jack Shafer, and Max Tani; Nylah Iqbal Muhammad; Irina Dumitrescu; Leo Robson; and Caitlin Moran.
Posted inEditor's Pick
I Tried to Toughen Up My Son. Things Didn’t Go as Planned.
“A trip to the Badlands with my 8-year old offered lessons in boyhood — and manhood.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
‘You’re Going to Lose Your Mind’: My Three-Day Retreat in Total Darkness
“The author spent days in a room with no light. Who would he be when he emerged?”
Posted inTop 5
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
Recommending stories by Alice Hines, Maggie Harrison Dupré, Katie Engelhart, Pooja Bhatia, and Tom Lamont.
Posted inEditor's Pick
When Dementia Steals the Imagination of a Children’s Book Writer
“Robert Munsch wrote ‘The Paper Bag Princess,’ ‘Love You Forever’ and other classics by performing them over and over for kids. But his stories are slipping away.”