Mr. Mike's America
A cross-country drive with Michael O'Donoghue, the first head writer of Saturday Night Live.
Previously: The Longform Guide to SNL.
A cross-country drive with Michael O'Donoghue, the first head writer of Saturday Night Live.
Previously: The Longform Guide to SNL.
Paul Slansky Playboy Mar 1983 Permalink
A reclusive hacker wages a shadow war against payday loan cyber-extortioners.
Danny Bradbury Matter Apr 2014 20min Permalink
A young writer grows up with Alice Munro.
Cheryl Strayed The Missouri Review Jun 2009 15min Permalink
A profile of the Los Angeles Clippers owner, an oft-sued real estate baron with a documented racist streak and a penchant for heckling his own players, on the occasion of him winning an NAACP lifetime achievement award.
Peter Keating ESPN Jun 2009 20min Permalink
Tourism at the site of the worst nuclear disaster in history.
Alexander Nazaryan Newsweek Apr 2014 Permalink
How airlines woo the rich.
David Owen New Yorker Apr 2014 20min Permalink
A series of one-sided international love letters.
For a daily short story recommendation from our editors, try Longform Fiction or follow @longformfiction on Twitter.
Fayroze Lutta Specter Magazine Apr 2014 15min Permalink
A profile of DJ Larry Levan, whose sets at New York’s Paradise Garage in the 80s had an almost religious appeal.
The life and death of Pat Tillman.
Gary Smith Sports Illustrated Sep 2006 Permalink
Life after a scandal.
Lillian Cunningham Washington Post Apr 2014 15min Permalink
An investigation into violence against Mexican citizens by the U.S. Border Patrol.
Nate Blakeslee Texas Monthly May 2014 25min Permalink
How the Google co-founder, forced out of a leadership role in 2001, came back to run the company 10 years later.
Nicholas Carlson Business Insider Apr 2014 40min Permalink
The unequal risk of climbing Mount Everest.
Jon Krakauer New Yorker Apr 2014 10min Permalink
Is a well-received work of William Faulkner scholarship a hoax?
Maria Bustillos The Awl Apr 2014 15min Permalink
Sponsored
Our sponsor this week is Open Road Integrated Media, a digital publisher with a soft spot for the kind of classic writing we highlight every day on Longform.
In addition to new work, Open Road has published ebooks by legendary authors including William Styron, Gloria Steinem and David Halberstam. And starting today, we'll be making a monthly pick from their archives, a favorite book of ours that Open Road will make make available to Longform readers at a deep discount.
Up first: Rachel Carson's 1951 bible of the enviornmental movement, The Sea Around Us. Buy it today for 66% off or read an excerpt.
How the world failed on climate change.
Brad Plumer Vox Apr 2014 15min Permalink
Did Thomas Pynchon write a series of letters to Northern California newspapers under the pseudonym “Wanda Tinasky”?
Scott McLemee Lingua Franca Oct 1995 15min Permalink
An interview with Joseph Stalin.
H G Wells, Joseph Stalin The New Statesman Oct 1934 50min Permalink
The dark side of startup life in Silicon Valley.
An extended version of this story is available as an ebook.</em></p>
Gideon Lewis-Kraus Wired Apr 2014 40min Permalink
Alice Gregory has written for GQ, The New York Times, n+1 and Harper's.
"If you don't have a real story with a beginning, middle and an end, you owe it to the reader to kind of serve as their chaperone."
Thanks to TinyLetter and EA SPORTS FIFA WORLD CUP for sponsoring this week's episode.
Apr 2014 Permalink
Twelve years ago, Michael Stewart killed his mother during a psychotic episode. How he and his family are coping today.
Amy Dempsey The Toronto Star Apr 2014 Permalink
The first living ex-pope in 600 years watches as the successor he enabled dismantles his legacy.
Paul Elie The Atlantic May 2014 20min Permalink
A profile of the reclusive billionaire who orchestrated a collectible toy craze.
Bryan Smith Chicago Magazine Apr 2014 20min Permalink
An interview with Barry Diller about Aereo and the past, present and future of TV.
Previously: Vanessa Grigoriadis on the Longform Podcast.
Vanessa Grigoriadis New York May 2012 10min Permalink
The scientists working to free those trapped between life and death.
Roger Highfield Mosaic Apr 2014 35min Permalink