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

It’s been a crazy week for me. Lots of traveling, lots of deadlines, lots of stress. And not enough rest. Which is a recipe for disaster. That’s why I’ve spent the last three days with a bad headache and the threat of a fever.

I’m typically good at powering through episodes like these, but it got to me last week.

Still, I’m happy to report that even if this week’s list is obviously shorter than usual, it more than makes up for it with quality. This week’s edition has a reasonably strong claim to being the densest, most absolutely packed newsletter I’ve sent out since staring TLR. There’s so much depth in our picks this week. I’m excited for all of you to work through them.

If you missed last week’s email, here are some choice selections:

• Boring bounty hunters.

• Turtle thieves

• The dark legacy of eugenics in America.

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 - Thanks to The Hustle for supporting this week’s edition of TLR. Please, please consider clicking their ad link after the fold below or at the banner above. It’s a huge help for me. Thank you!

Story in Spotlight

Been a while since we last shared a piece from The Atavist.

That’s because they typically take ask a lot more from the reader: they’re almost always at least 10,000 words long, and the reporting goes so deep that it requires you to pay attention. The storytelling is usually very involved, too: Atavist stories aren’t afraid to pile on the details (not needlessly, of course) and they’re brave enough to try unorthodox structures if it serves the story well.

All of that to say is that you can always rely on The Atavist to deliver a top-notch longform experience. And this one is no different.

There’s so much happening here upfront that it takes a heroic effort from the writer to unpack everything and lay them out in a neat and compelling narrative. Immediately, the person at the center of everything is positioned as an oddity—a telekinetic teen that got thrust into her 15 minutes of fame before fading back into her fraught family life. What follows is a series of tragedies that puts her life in a tailspin.

The fact that Boyer is allegedly telekinetic almost seems like an afterthought until you hit the last third of the story and the writer finds the best, most poetic way of bringing it back into the narrative. Really expertly done, in my opinion.

All told, this piece has the trappings of a True Crime story—but is not. (At least, I don’t think it is). Without revealing too much, this one reads to me more like a profile. Of the troubled teen, yes, but also of the human impuls to help, and how that’s so easily corruptible.

Very long, very gripping. Allot 1 hour and 30 minutes, at least.

The Longform List

Trapped | Outside, $

Incredible essay. Would have loved it even if it went on for 10,000 more words—in fact, I wish it did. The ending was the worst part because it just felt like it dropped off out of nowhere. But don’t let that discourage you. If you’re looking for a story that’s evocative and raw and packs one hell of an emotional punch, this is it.

The Zambian “Afronaut” Who Wanted to Join the Space Race | The New Yorker, $

Strong contender for the spotlight this week, mostly because of the sheer complexity of its subtexts. This one on its surface is about a nut who wanted to go to space, but then is actually about the troubled history of Zambia, the West’s violently colonial designs in Africa, and the heroism of freedom fighters (as opposed to insurgents, which they’re so glibly labeled as).

But then it also touches on many other things, like the foolishness of throwing billions of dollars into the space race even as millions on Earth suffer and go hungry.

My Time Inside a Group Where Men Confront Their Feelings | GQ, $

Went into this one expecting to love it, but came out a bit torn. But that, surprisingly, is a good thing—it’s in part a result of how thoughtfully the writer picked apart this emotional support group and its (and his own) privilege. Not sure I like where he ended up though. Regardless, this is a powerful essay that also reads as an investigation of the self and of society.

The Hunt for the Serial Killer of Laredo | TexasMonthly, $

Ahh Skip. Always a reliable True Crime writer. This one is a contemporary classic of the genre and hits many of its core beats really well: Interesting and well-fleshed-out back stories to cultivate empathy for the characters; and a powerful twist that’s well-telegraphed but still hits hard. There’s a reason Hollandsworth is revered the way he is.

Leave No Trace: How a Teenage Hacker Lost Himself Online | The Guardian, Free

Been reading a lot of cybercrime and hacking stories of late, and what I noticed is that they tend to blur into each other. Not so much for this one, which stands out from the rest of my library by being darker and more tragic. And the teen here actually brushes against greatness: At one point, he finds himself in the orbit of one of the biggest hacker groups in the world

How Germans Buy New Kidneys in Kenya | DER SPIEGEL, Free

As a testament to how strong this week’s list is, this top-notch investigation from Der Spiegel is so low, when it’d be a solid contender for the feature spot in other lists. Aside from a few nitpicks about tone and prose, I have nothing bad to say about this story. Investigation was solid and the actual storytelling was also gripping. Plus points here because I know how difficult it is to trace down the illicit organ trade.

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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! 👋