Hi 👋 

Here we are at the end of the year, and what a ride it’s been!

The last few weeks have been an extreme drag (my body went into holiday mode way earlier than it should have), but this year still feels like it flew by.

2024 was an extra bumpy ride for me. There were lots of ups and downs—mostly downs, really, but the ups were absolutely glorious, so I can’t complain about my year too much. One thing that stands out as an especially bright spot is the birth of The Lazy Reader.

This is going to get a bit sentimental, so if you would indulge me (or feel free to skip the wall of text):

I’ve never been the passionate type. I spend almost all of my free time (not much of that lately) in the gym or playing video games or napping. My creative outlet consists entirely of annoying my friends with crass, corny jokes. So it was a massive surprise (and relief, I’d wager) to everyone around me—and myself, most of all—that I started The Lazy Reader. This is my first adult passion project, and I’m extremely glad that it’s turned out really well so far.

I won’t lie, though: Running this newsletter has been a lot. I read, on average, 20 longform stories per week, which often eats the same number of hours, give or take. Then I still have to sit down and make sense of my thoughts, write the newsletter up, and assemble assets for posting on social platforms. In practice, TLR feels like a pretty loaded part-time job. Which, when you’re running a thankfully busy full-time freelance writing business, can feel very overhwelming.

But the work kept me centered and grounded and consistent. I went into 2024 with the simple goal to read more, and TLR became both my passion project and my accountability mechanism for that. The results have been much, much better than I expected, though: I’m now reading more longform than I was when I first came across the genre years ago, when I was young and jobless and had too much time on my hands. I’ve also rekindled my love for books. Books! I’ve finished 15 books this year, which is 15 more than the number of books I’ve read in the last five years combined. Overall, it’s been a rewarding experience.

And that’s to say nothing at all of the absolutely incredible stories I’ve read this year. And there were a lot of those. I discovered new subgenres that I enjoyed—math, art and culture, fashion—and confirmed that I truly am a massive sucker for science and crime stories. All the reading that I did this year even changed my opinion about essays: I now don’t automatically despise a first-person story.

That’s what this week’s newsletter is for: To look back on an amazing year of reading and spotlight the best stories we’ve read. The picks below are in no particular order, and I’ll try to keep my blurbs as short as possible so you can jump right into the reading.

This is going to be an absolutely massive list, so enough of my babbling and let’s get into it!

TLR’s Top 5

Very strong contender for my favorite story of 2024.

This is a very raw, emotional, and deeply personal look at what it’s like to be homeless in America, the (often self-professed) greatest nation on the planet. So much to unpack and digest here. A few that stand out: We’re all so perilously close to homelessness and financial desperation, even if we think ourselves to be professionals in a relatively comfortable place. And yet, for some reason, we see the poor and homeless as lower than us. They disgust us. We’re afraid of them. Maybe that’s the reason.

Very long. Very heavy. Very important. I’d set aside more than an hour.

I’ve always looked up to Tom Junod. I used to use his longform pieces as learning material back when I was still starting out as a writer. This one, in particular, has stuck with me all these years. That’s why it was one of the very first stories I revisited when I started The Lazy Reader.

This story is long and winding, spanning decades and thousands of miles. And it is absolutely riveting. Tom has his magical way of tracing pain through time and space, and bearing it all out in the present, often to heart-rending effect.

Massive story. Also comfortably more than an hour. Maybe even two. 

I’ve said it on TLR once but I am a huge fan of experiential journalism. Of reporters doing extensive legwork to chase down facts and stories.

Evan Ratliff (been a massive fan for a long, long time) takes this to the extreme in his story for WIRED. In fact, he makes himself the subject of the story by erasing all traces of himself and then challenging the Internet—cyber sleuths, amateur investigators, the average rando online—to chase him down.

I realize that essentially breaches a cardinal rule of journalism, which I think is a fair critique. But that does nothing to shake the fact that this remains one of the best tech pieces of all time.

Long, but extremely gripping. This will go by quickly. Maybe 30 minutes if you can stay focused. 

This story is both heart-breaking and heart-warming, each to their own respective extreme degrees. And it will make you cry of pain and of loss, and of catharsis. Or at least, it made me cry many complicated tears.

On a more procedural level: This I think is the pinnacle of local community journalism. Not that the Seattle Met is exactly a tiny rural pub, but the point still stands, I think. Stories like these can only be told in such an effective and empathetic and personal way if the writer has been steeped in the local community for a long time.

A wholly pleasant reading experience. And the story isn’t excessively long, too. Maybe 30 minutes. 

This one is also a really powerful story, though almost entirely because of how harrowing it is. This story holds no punches. It lets the details flow freely, no matter how painful or graphic they are. At the center of the story is the titular woman who, after reading through this, you’ll agree is the picture definition of bravery and strength. The way she stands in front of hundreds of eyes, reliving each shameful detail of the crime, all so she can seek justice for her partner, will forever stay with me.

Very long and very painful to read. Might be triggering for you, so please be careful. Set aside an hour or so, so you can take breaks in between.

The Longform List

A Thousand Pounds of Dynamite, The Atavist

One of the very first longform stories that I ever read. Might have introduced me into the genre. Was a delight revisiting it this year.

Massive story. Will definitely take you way more than an hour.

The Nazi Anatomists, Slate

Radically changed my view of our biological knowledge—which is massive for me because I work in medical writing. Changed my view of science as a whole, too.

Very long. Probably an hour, a bit more.

The Cloud Under the Sea, The Verge

One of the best pieces of science writing. Not as fast-paced as others on this list, but a top contender for the most fascinating and intriguing. Likely the best, deepest informative piece on an important but invisible industry.

Long. Might be a bit slow if you aren’t into science or tech. I am. I took 30 minutes.

Insatiable: A Life Without Eating, Longreads

Mostly single-handedly reversed my view on essays (used to hate them). Raw, powerful, very emotional. Made me appreciate my digestive system much more deeply.

Not excessively long. Probably 40 minutes.

His Best Friend Was a 250-Pound Warthog. One Day It Decided to Kill Him., Texas Monthly

Hands-down the best animal story I read all year. Incredible detail; incredible gore. I still have no idea how the writer reported this out.

Long, can be difficult to read through. 40 minutes, maybe 50.

How a Big Pharma Company Stalled a Potentially Lifesaving Vaccine in Pursuit of Bigger Profits, ProPublica

Always knew Big Pharma was pure greed, but this solidified it for me. Impressive document-digging and number-crunching from ProPublica. Still get pissed off about this constantly.

Long, infuriating. Rage-readers rejoice. Maybe 40 minutes, maybe longer.

The Great Carbon Divide, The Guardian

Solid contender for the most radicalizing story I’ve read all year. Great breakdown of why climate justice should be at the center of the climate movement. Still get angry thinking about this, too.

Not too long. Maybe 20 to 30 minutes?

The Developed World Is Missing the Point About Modern Slavery, TIME

Also very radicalizing. Might shake your worldview if you live in a developed country and enjoy developed country things. Nothing new, though, if you live in the Global South.

Long, infuriating. Rage-readers like me will have a field day. 30 minutes ish.

The Case of the Missing Chacmools, Alta

Probably the first novella-length longform story I read after my years-long hiatus. Definitely reignited my love for the genre. Deeply riveting narrative.

Very, very long. Easily over an hour.

Pentagon Ran Secret Anti-Vax Campaign to Undermine China During Pandemic, Reuters

Top Reuters investigation this year, I believe. Makes it abundantly clear that those in power don’t care. They just want to play the geopolitics game, thousands of lives be damned.

Long, but not excessive. An hour tops, maybe even 50 minutes. 

I Gave Myself a Month to Make One New Friend. How Hard Could That Be?, Esquire

Absolutely adored this story at first, then got thoroughly crushed by it. Lots of complicated emotions. Perfect for people like me who have trouble making new friends as an adult.

Hmm. 45 minutes?

The Poet, Medium (Truly*Adventurous)

Truly crazy story. The twist was well-telegraphed but still floored me. Easily top three True Crime stories I read all year. Massive surprise from a Medium pub, too.

Long, but very riveting. 30 minutes ish.

The School Beneath the Wave: The Unimaginable Tragedy of Japan’s Tsunami, The Guardian

Heart-breaking and extremely frustrating. Very heavy read. This one has haunted me for years.

Not super long, but tough to read. 40 minutes, not counting the breaks you might need.

How the Recycling Symbol Lost its Meaning, Grist

Likely the most eye-opening environment story I read all year. I’ve always been a skeptic but I never even considered that recycling could be a corporate ploy. Really made me question so much.

Very important. Commit around 25 to 35 minutes.  

Raising the Dead, Outside

Such a haunting story. If I weren’t afraid of the depths before (I was), I definitely am now after reading this story.

Massive article. Lots of backstory, but it doesn’t feel dragging. 1 hour ish.

“I Don’t Want to Die”: Needing Mental Health Care, He Got Trapped in His Insurer’s Ghost Network, ProPublica

Very, very heartbreaking. And perfectly shows how cruel and heartless the U.S. healthcare system is, particularly for people with mental health problems. F*ck insurance executives who only care about money.

Long. Very hard read. But also very important. Set aside at least 30 minutes. 

The Monster of Florence, The Atlantic

Massive, massive, massive True Crime story. A pioneer of the genre. The writer ends up getting involved in the investigation, which is a minus for the story’s journalistic integrity but a huge plus for it’s overall impact. Loved the experience.

Incredibly long. Easily more than an hour. 

American Ghosts, Medium (Truly*Adventurous)

Yet another big pleasant surprise from Medium. Also one of the best Halloween stories I’ve ever read. Maybe haunted houses are real.

Reads a lot like a fiction story, but I promise you this is real. Probably 40 to 50 minutes.