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Children of War

As Russia invaded Ukraine, three women from the same family became pregnant at the same time. Then the war tore them apart.

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Our year-end collection

The top longreads of the year, selected by our editors.

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Editors’ Picks

For Decades, a Florida Woman Had No Sense of Smell. Can She Get It Back?

Lane DeGregory | Tampa Bay Times | November 30, 2023 | 4,445 words

“As the pandemic stole millions of people’s “fifth sense,” Barbara Walker’s seemed to be coming back. But why?”

�?A Mass Assassination Factory’: Inside Israel’s Calculated Bombing of Gaza

Yuval Abraham | +972 | November 30, 2023 | 7,219 words

Permissive airstrikes on non-military targets and the use of an artificial intelligence system have enabled the Israeli army to carry out its deadliest war on Gaza, a +972 and Local…

Did Bad Fire Science Send Tim and Deb Nicholls to Prison?

Robert Sanchez | 5280 Magazine | November 26, 2023 | 8,296 words

“When he opens the bedroom window, there’s smoke billowing past his head. The next thing he recalls is waking up outside to a nightmare.”

Is It Okay to Like Chik-fil-A?

Clint Rainey | Fast Company | November 30, 2023 | 4,722 words

“Boycotted for years by liberals—and now by conservatives, too—the Christian-driven brand is trying to walk the narrow path toward growth. What happens next will be enlightening for businesses everywhere.”

Ride Sounds

Joe Lindsey | Escape Collective | November 28, 2023 | 4,226 words

“Going deaf changed my relationship with cycling, even after I regained my hearing.”

The Librarian Who Couldn’t Take It Anymore

Ruby Cramer | The Washington Post | November 11, 2023 | 3,317 words

“She loved books. And in a time of spreading book bans in public schools, that’s why this Florida librarian had to quit.”

How Sandra Hüller Approached Playing a Nazi

Rebecca Mead | The New Yorker | November 27, 2023 | 6,211 words

The German actress probes characters with unusual depth. But to portray a Fascist wife, in “The Zone of Interest,” she reversed her usual approach—and withheld her empathy.

What Happens to a School Shooter’s Sister?

Jennifer Gonnerman | The New Yorker | November 27, 2023 | 8,655 words

“Twenty-five years ago, Kristin Kinkel’s brother, Kip, killed their parents and opened fire at their high school. Today, she is close with Kip—and still reckoning with his crimes.”

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Essays and Features

Signs of Ghosts

What do we do when there are whole cities full of ghosts, each one with their own unique story to tell, each one with something left undone?

by Colin Dickey October 26, 2023October 26, 2023

Poets in the Machine

Why does the literary world still hold online writing at arm’s length?

by Megan Marz October 24, 2023November 30, 2023

In this Field of Orbs

“Like a good independent woman, I contain multitudes but never the ones I’ve drawn for myself.”

by Mariam Quraishi October 19, 2023October 18, 2023

True Crime, Jersey Shore Style

How I (possibly) solved a cold case on my summer vacation.

by Longreads October 5, 2023October 2, 2023

Fast Times on America’s Slowest Train

A surreal train ride between Chicago and New Orleans proves that Amtrak still has a lot to offer. (Not including speed or the food.)

by Harrison Scott Key October 3, 2023September 29, 2023

I Remember Arthur

A writer examines his own depression and suicidal ideation after losing an enigmatic friend and a deeply personal book draft.

by Kevin Sampsell September 26, 2023September 22, 2023

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Reading Lists

The Soundtrack of Our Lives: A Reading List on Pop Concerts

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Children of War

Our year-end collection

The top longreads of the year, selected by our editors.

Editors’ Picks

For Decades, a Florida Woman Had No Sense of Smell. Can She Get It Back?

�?A Mass Assassination Factory’: Inside Israel’s Calculated Bombing of Gaza

Did Bad Fire Science Send Tim and Deb Nicholls to Prison?

Is It Okay to Like Chik-fil-A?

Ride Sounds

The Librarian Who Couldn’t Take It Anymore

How Sandra Hüller Approached Playing a Nazi

What Happens to a School Shooter’s Sister?

Essays and Features

Signs of Ghosts

Poets in the Machine

In this Field of Orbs

True Crime, Jersey Shore Style

Fast Times on America’s Slowest Train

I Remember Arthur

Reading Lists

The Soundtrack of Our Lives: A Reading List on Pop Concerts

Buon Appetito: A Reading List on Italian Food

The Specters on Screen, The Monsters Among Us: An October Longreads Collection

Imperial Eras: A Taylor Swift Studies Reading List

Librarians on the Front Lines: A Reading List for Library Lovers and Realists

The Parent Dilemma: Should I Have a Child?

Get the Longreads Top 5 Email