Hi 👋 

We’re back again with another reading list of some of the best longform journalism across the internet ✨

I was way too absorbed with work last week (and this coming week to, I suspect). Reading took a bit of a back seat, and I had to put in a few extra hours at night to make sure that I had something good to run for this edition.

But I think it paid off—if I do say so myself. Lots of really compelling stories in this week’s edition, plus the stories here have a lot more… uhh… let’s call it personality, as compared to our usual fare. End-to-end, this list should give you a few good hours of enjoyable reading. Great way to stop yourself from doomscrolling, or to give your sanity a break from all the bleak news that’s out there.

In any case, if last week’s email landed in your spam folder (or you were too busy to open it—no hard feelings!), here’s what you missed:

• A man who cheated death—and the system.

• A nun on a mission.

• The death of the Internet and the three boys behind it.

ALSO: I’m still looking for feedback on new types of content you’d like to see from TLR. Interviews? Other types of reading recommendations? Games or quizzes?

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!

Story in Spotlight

Had this one in my to-be-read pile for months now. Kept putting it off because there was always something shiny that popped up, but also I was afraid of how heavy it would be.

And I mean… I wasn’t wrong.

This is one very long story that gets really deep into the history of eugenics in the U.S. and how thousands of victims are still alive today, struggling to have their voices heard. And to find even just the tiniest bit of justice for what they were put through. It’s morbid and hard to read. And infuriating, too, especially once you see how dismissive many legislators are of the victims.

There’s a lot that can be said about how this story is produced. Prose and structure are top-notch (usual for Longreads), and visuals are a nice touch. Not something I usually find to be important in an article, but good to have. But the research is what stands out to me, though. This one, I think, is a perfect blend of first-person and reported storytelling, especially since the writer also apparently struggled with infertility herself.

Once that realization hits, the story took on a completely different color for me. It almost felt like the writer was working through her own pain by writing this piece.

Of course, there’s that massive elephant we have to address: Yes, American eugenics was (and still is) a thing. Yes, it got so bad that some of Nazi Germany’s policies were patterned after the U.S. practice. These are some important truths that we have to come to grips with so we can see our history as clear-eyed as possible. And so we know how to spot shadows of eugenics in our modern society. I promise you there are still ghosts lingering. It’s easy enough to spot if we really look.

Very, very long. Also very difficult. I recommend carving out two hours at least, to give yourself enough time to step away for a bit to breathe if you need to. 

The Longform List

Why Progressive Gestures From Big Business aren’t Just Useless – They’re Dangerous | The Guardian, Free

Absolutely adored this one. Always have been skeptical of corporations that posture progressively, because it’s an obvious marketing grift. But this piece expanded my view beyond that. After all, co-opting activist speak for sales purposes is, ultimately, benign. But the writer here argues that when businesses position themselves as a political force, they pose a legitimate danger to democracy. I’ll admit that some arguments here felt a bit too abstract to me.

Unfortunately, with a literal businessman at the head of the world’s most powerful political entity, we’re likely about to see many of these theories play out painfully in reality.

The Troubling Business of Bounty Hunting | GQ, $

“Troubling” might be a bit of a stretch here, but this is otherwise a really good read. Prose is self-indulgent and unapologetic, which can be a put-off for some, but I found it entertaining. It helps that the writer was very irreverent, even towards himself, so it’s clear that he wasn’t just sh*tting on other people.

Woud have wanted a deeper dive into the private security industry, rather than just a straight-up essay for what seems like 90% of the story. That wider context would have made the story much better.

The Great Cajun Turtle Heist | TexasMonthly, $

Loved how this story opened with the POV of the turtle, and how it circled back to the story of the animals. Otherwise, this reads as a typical True Crime story about animal trafficking. Strong reporting and prose, as is usual for TexasMonthly.

Islands of the Feral Pigs | bioGraphic, Free

Interesting. Usually, it’s humans that are the problem. But here, it’s the feral pig, whose population has been decimating local flora and fauna in Hawaii—and has also become somewhat of a flashpoint among conservationists, Indigenous populations, and landowners.

Big plus for tackling the colonial nature of conservation (and science at large, but I digress). That’s always tomething that’s at the back of my head, and I enjoy seeing stories like these challenge and stretch and wrestle with that notion.

The Trenchcoat Robbers | The New Yorker, $

Really good story about two of the U.S.’s most infamous bank robbers. Solid reporting and writing, as is typical of The New Yorker, but if I’m being honest, there’s nothing special about it. That might be unfair given how high expectations are for the magazine. Just felt like the piece could have done more to make the story more exciting.

Israel’s Invisible Filipino Work Force | The New York Times, $

Good exploration of an invisible labor force in Israel, though it feels pretty cursory if I’m being honest. Lots of story threads here that are worth much deeper exploration—the legal and social landmine of foreign work in Israel, for one, or the comfort with which Filipino migrant workers seem to embrace Israeli culture. I know that isn’t the point of this story, but I just found myself wishing at many turns that this went deeper than it did.

Two Nations, a Horrible Accident, and the Urgent Need to Understand the Laws of Space | WIRED, $

Now that I’m looking back at it, this article doesn’t really match its headline. The title gives it a sort of dark, sinister vibe. But that’s not how it is at all. There’s talk about the space contest between Russia and the U.S., sure, but I felt like that was almost just tangential to the story, which focused more on this scrappy team of law students blazing a trail in space law. There are some shades of Hidden Figures here. Really fun, mostly feel-good piece if you're looking for something light.

I Worked in Antarctica for Three Years. My Sexual Harasser Was Never Caught | Scientific American, Free

Pretty short one. And I honestly debated putting it on here, not just for its length but also because it was so strongly worded in some spots that it started to feel like it wasn’t journalism. But then I reminded myself that sexual assault and stalking are extremely serious, and they both definitely deserve the gravity of the writing here. And much more.

Suffice it to say, this story can be triggering. Be careful when reading.

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! 👋