In partnership with

Hi 👋 

Welcome back to The Lazy Reader, where we curate some of the best longform journalism from across the Web ✨ 

How’s everyone’s week been?

It’s been a bit crazy for me, but that seems to be the norm since the new year and I’ve been getting used to it. It’s been sickness after sickness, deadline after deadline, meeting after bullsh*t meeting. Chasing down unresponsive sources. Staying on top of errands, exercise, entertainment; trying to stay sane. Problems ad infinitum.

😓 I miss being bored. I miss the monotone.

Anyway!! Enough complaining. There’s still a lot for me to be thankful for. And while it may be difficult to conjure feelings of gratitude of late, I’m still taking some time each day to count and celebrate my blessings. Don’t want to give the impression that I’m a whiner.

Plus how can I stay sulky when I’ve been absolutely inundated by incredible reading material? And not just for TLR, too. Some of you may remember that I’m also running a personal project of reading at least one fiction book a month (that’s been going super well!), but now I’ve also gone back to reading manhwa. For those of you who are unfamiliar: That’s the Korean manga, some sort of comics.

I don’t have much downtime. I can only manage a few minutes here and there throughout my day. But I’ve been having an absolute blast with them.

Here’s a quick taste of what that looks like:

• A character that breaks free from a novelist’s control. Perfectly written.

• Going up against Tesla in China.

• What’s the thinking behind a multi-million medicine?

As with last week, please let me know what you think of the list this week by voting in the poll below.

Happy reading and see you again next Monday!

PS - Thank you to Lulu for supporting this week’s edition of TLR—and welcome to the family! Please, please consider clicking their ad below the fold (or the banner above). It’s a very easy and free way to help me out. Thanks so much! 🥰 

Story in Spotlight

If it isn’t clear from the title yet: This is a pretty heavy story, with themes that could be triggering for some. Be careful when reading through this.

I hesitate to call this a True Crime story (even though it is—that’s pretty undeniable) because it sort of doesn’t hit the typical—if not tired—story beats that a True Crime piece does. There’s not a gratuitous exposition of the crime scene, not a droning filler to make the story longer, not an unncessary crash course in local law and customs.

Except… there is a bit of those. But they never feel needless, never dragging. The writer did great work here. It seems like each word was carefully placed and thought through. Most important to me, though, was that, somehow, the piece put the human story at its center without feeling… vulturistic? (Not a word, but you get what I mean).

It was clear that the writer was respectful and compassionate, but also knew how to ask the difficult questions. The quotes here were enough proof of that.

The story itself was heartbreaking. A life snuffed out at its prime. A respectable man with respectable morals and respectable dreams. Lost. But I think what makes it all the more brutal is how there seems to be no reason to his death. That’s an uncomfortable line that the story teases out for its first half or so, but then walks really well when it hits.

So well, I’d argue, that it made me a bit introspective about how I think about death and life and meaning and purpose. It’s always… scary to read about death because it forces you to grapple with your own mortality. And with the mortality of those you love.

What does my life mean to me? What do their lives mean to me? Difficult, painful questions.

Long, but a really good time. 1 hour at most.

The Longform List

The Squid Hunter | The New Yorker, $

David Grann does it again. Incredible story about a person who is likely one of the most dedicated scientist of our time, going after what is likely the most mythical beast. Grann here shows a level of commitment to the craft that I don’t think I can ever achieve. Really truly top-notch journalism.

Conwoman | Truly*Adventurous, Free

Really enjoying Truly*Adventurous’ style of storytelling. Research is tight here, though have to admit that it’s probably their most cookie-cutter story so far. Not that that’s a bad thing, just worth pointing out, because this one goes a bit more predictably than the other Truly*Adventurous stories I’ve shared on TLR. Still an incredible read though.

Turkey Said it Would Become a ‘Zero Waste’ Nation. Instead, it Became a Dumping Ground for Europe’s Rubbish | The Guardian, Free

One of those stories that every person in the Developed World needs to read and to stew on—and every person in the Global South to let radicalize them. Truly crazy and infuriating how rich countries see us as rhetorical and literal trash.

Witching Water: In Search of the Unseen | Bitter Southerner, Free

Always love to discover these understated outlets that are able to run impressive, deeply reported, well-written longreads. This one is on dowsing, which is an old traditional practice that science tends to look down upon. Refreshing that this story not only takes it seriously but also puts so much value in it, especially in the context of the climate crisis.

Nakamoto's Neighbor: My Hunt For Bitcoin's Creator Led To A Paralyzed Crypto Genius | Forbes, $

Interesting deep-dive into the history-adjacent of Bitcoin; managed to keep me—someone who isn’t into Tech and who is largely against the concept of crypto—hooked. Turned out the be a really heart-warming profile of a mild-mannered genious who was there from Bitcoin’s Big Bang moment. Great human story.

What a $2 Million Per Dose Gene Therapy Reveals About Drug Pricing | ProPublica, Free

Shows really clearly the true colors of the pharma industry. Heartbreaking for the parents who gave so much to fund the gene therapy, and infuriating for everyone else. Impressive reporting from ProPublica here, though I’d have liked it a bit better if they put a bit more emphasis on how the typical pharma excuse—”high prices incentivize innovation”—is bullcrap, given how Federal money and charity bankrolled Zolgensma’s early days.

Don’t get swayed by all the industry talk about helping patients or whatever. It’s all about the money for them.

Her Parents Were Injured in a Tesla crash. She Ended Up Having to Pay Tesla Damages | ABC News, Free

Great investigative work here—especially given the difficulty of accessing records in China—but again, infuriating. Corporations have always had a firm hold over governments (it’s not just a China thing) but for some reason, it’s extra vexing when it’s Tesla. That man has been given too much power and influence.

The Cult of the Entrepreneur | The New Republic, Free (membership wall)

Eye-opening thinkpiece; learned a whole lot about the history of work and the hustle culture. Made me look inward, too, because I fashion myself as one of the self-employed people that the writer points to, and have often preached the lifestyle to friends.

Plus points for interesting takes on how the Left and Right often converge on labor-related flashpoints, but from different perspectives.

Stories I Used to Write | The Paris Review, Free

A bit out of the usual TLR wheelhouse and honestly if there was a grand point made here, it went over my head. But the prose is immaculate and the sentences and cadence pull you along so effectively. Wish more fiction writers did non-fiction stories.

Turn Your Ideas Into Profit with a Book

At Lulu, you’ll find affordable, high-quality print-on-demand solutions that make book publishing easy, allowing you to grow your brand and audience while keeping 100% of your profit.

Create Your Free Account Today

Thanks for reading! Please, please reach out if you have feedback, suggestions, or questions. Alternatively, you can fill out this super quick survey form. I promise it won’t even take five minutes of your time, and it’ll be a HUGE help!

ALSO: I know some of the stories I recommend might be behind paywalls, and maybe I can help you with access to those. Send me a message and let’s see what we can do 😊

Until next Monday! 👋