‘What Kind of Man Would Abandon His Family By Pretending To Be Dead?’
A father’s disappearance, dark family secrets, and the hunt for Bigfoot.
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Our year-end collection
The top longreads of the year, selected by our editors.
Editors’ Picks
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?
Poets in the Machine
Why does the literary world still hold online writing at arm’s length?
In this Field of Orbs
“Like a good independent woman, I contain multitudes but never the ones I’ve drawn for myself.”
True Crime, Jersey Shore Style
How I (possibly) solved a cold case on my summer vacation.
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.)
I Remember Arthur
A writer examines his own depression and suicidal ideation after losing an enigmatic friend and a deeply personal book draft.
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Reading Lists
The Soundtrack of Our Lives: A Reading List on Pop ConcertsÂ
It’s been a huge year for live music, so let’s take a tour.Â
Buon Appetito: A Reading List on Italian Food
Six stories to challenge your assumptions about one of the world’s most iconic cuisines.
The Specters on Screen, The Monsters Among Us: An October Longreads Collection
Dive into stories of monsters and ghosts, both literal and metaphorical.
Imperial Eras: A Taylor Swift Studies Reading List
How Taylor Swift reflects every possible version of ourselves.
Librarians on the Front Lines: A Reading List for Library Lovers and Realists
Increasingly, being a librarian is less and less about books and more and more about community survival.
The Parent Dilemma: Should I Have a Child?
Clare Egan doesn’t know if she wants kids. Will this reading list help?
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