Longform stories I’ve read lately and enjoyed. Keepers of the Secrets by James Somers, The Village Voice Step into the archives at the New York Public Library and meet “the most interesting man in the world.” He’s 39 and knows the archives more intimately than many parents know their own children. Those boxes of paper artifactsContinue reading “Good reads: Quests, real and hypothetical”
Tag Archives: true stories
Good Reads = crazy true stories + great writing
Some of my favorite longform stories from the last few months. The Girl Detectives by Marin Cogan, Topic A student club at the University of Pittsburgh takes on unsolved, real world mysteries — and just happens to be dominated by women. Escaping Kakuma by Louis Bien, SB Nation I hadn’t read an SB Nation feature in aContinue reading “Good Reads = crazy true stories + great writing”
Everyone Leaves Behind a Name: True Stories by Michael Brick
This past spring, I ordered a copy of Everyone Leaves Behind a Name after hearing about the book and its author, Michael Brick, on Gangrey: The Podcast. I frequently listen to podcasts like Gangrey, which interviews working narrative journalists, but this episode was different because instead of interviewing the headlining writer, all 51 minutes were a conversationContinue reading “Everyone Leaves Behind a Name: True Stories by Michael Brick”
Good Reads: Dollar signs, technology, and government secrets
This post is part of a series recommending longform, narrative nonfiction (as well as other worthwhile writings). The Secret Lives of Tumblr Teens by Elspeth Reeve, The New Republic The subtitle to this story sums it up best: “That feeling when you hit a million followers, make more money than your mom, push a diet pill scheme, loseContinue reading “Good Reads: Dollar signs, technology, and government secrets”
Eric Metaxas on cynicism and the human need for heroes
We’ve been in this terrible cycle of, we know everything that’s wrong with America, we know everything that’s wrong with the church, we know everything that’s wrong with every hero from George Washington on. Well, that’s not right, because what you do is you denigrate things to the point of being unable to appreciate what’s great about them, and at that point, you really are telling a lie.
Stories from my grandfather’s life
Last week, I was privileged to spend two and a half days with my grandparents. A lot of that time was spent in my grandfather’s office, where he opened a leather case containing the files of his life and unpacked stories. I now have a pad full of notes, a sampling of his past thoughtsContinue reading “Stories from my grandfather’s life”
Good Reads: Some are born into craziness, others have craziness thrust upon them
This post is part of a series recommending narrative, longform journalism and nonfiction pieces. The title of this post speaks for itself. Click, read, and be surprised by the stuff that happens in real life. The Mixed-Up Brothers of Bogota by Susan Dominus, The New York Times Magazine Two sets of fraternal twins — one from the city, one fromContinue reading “Good Reads: Some are born into craziness, others have craziness thrust upon them”
Good Reads: Investigating cults, drug mules, and Martin Luther King
This is the fifth in a new series of weekly posts recommending well-written narrative nonfiction/longform articles. The Man Who Saves You from Yourself: Going undercover with a cult infiltrator by Nathaniel Rich, Harper’s David Sullivan, a private investigator in LA who specialized in cults, passed away last October, shortly before this article was published. The piece tells the story ofContinue reading “Good Reads: Investigating cults, drug mules, and Martin Luther King”
Meredith Sell 