The Forgotten Phenom
The lost dream of Korleone Young, a high school basketball star who skipped college and flamed out after only one NBA season.
Pleasures of the Fur
Adventures at a gathering of furries.
The Last Laugh
How Norman Mailer and other writers wanted to go out.
Coach Fitz's Management Theory
On the best teacher the writer ever had.
The Honey Launderers
On the biggest food fraud in U.S. history.
Use Only as Directed
During the last decade, more than 1,500 Americans died after accidentally taking too much of a drug renowned for its safety: acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol.
Last Meals
“It’s just like putting gas in a car that don’t have no motor.”
A Big Heart Open to God
An interview with Pope Francis.
Public Enemies
How social media is fueling gang activity in Chicago.
Letter from Selma
A voting rights march, from Selma to the statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama.
Sponsored
Sponsor: Pitt Writers
This week’s sponsor is Pitt Writers, the fantastic, digitally focused MFA program at the University of Pittsburgh. A longtime partner of ours, Pitt Writers is now accepting applications for 2014. Here’s what you’ll get during your three years:
• World-class instruction and individual attention from award-winning writers of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction, including Jeanne Marie Laskas of GQ
• Opportunity to pitch book and story ideas to literary agents and editors in New York
• Classes in digital media
• A chance to intern with Longform
• Funding packages of up to $16,700 available
Get yourself in the mix: Apply by December 10th and follow Pitt Writers on Twitter and Facebook.
An Unwanted Guest
Illness, love and jellyfish.
Tomato Can Blues
Charlie Rowan was a small-time cage fighter who couldn’t catch a break. He owed money to impatient people and needed to start over. Late one night, he came up with a plan.
Hamilton Morris is the science editor for Vice and a contributor to Harper's.
"It's a shame that there isn't more of an interdisciplinary approach to a lot of scientific investigations, because often the result is that misinformation is produced. Again, there's misinformation in journalism and there's misinformation in science. And if you combine the best elements of both of those disciplines you can come a little bit closer to the truth. If you want to understand a drug phenomenon, you're going to need to look at it medically, chemically, anthropologically, you need to talk to people, you need to interview people, you need to look at the drug policy, the chemistry, the history—there's a lot of different factors that need to be examined in order to understand even the most simple, minute drug phenomenon. And if you're approaching something purely as a scientist, as an academic, there are huge limitations as to what you can do."
Thanks to TinyLetter and Hulu Plus for sponsoring this week's episode.
Blood Spore
What a secret audio tape revealed about the murder of mycologist and magic mushroom pioneer Steven Pollock.
Sexting, Shame and Suicide
The story of 15-year-old Audrie Pott, who took her own life after nude photos of her were circulated at school.
Eat, Pray, Love, Get Rich, Write a Novel No One Expects
A profile of Elizabeth Gilbert, whose bestselling memoir may have sunk her literary career.
Mysteries of Thoreau, Unsolved
On dirty laundry and the meaning of freedom.
19: The True Story of the Yarnell Fire
The Granite Mountain Hotshots, an outfit of professional wildland firefighters, had 20 members. On June 30, 19 of them lost their lives.
Inside the National Suicide Hotline
Trying to prevent the next tragedy.
On Philly Schools
“It is overwhelmingly young people of color, and those who work in their schools, who will bear the brunt of these closings and witness the worst effects of the budget cuts. Over the last six months, the SDP and the state of Pennsylvania have decided, again and again, that this is acceptable.”
Conflict Minerals
“Turns out your laptop—or camera or gaming system or gold necklace—may have a smidgen of Congo’s pain somewhere in it.”
"A Town Destroyed for What Two People Did"
One year later, a dispatch from Steubenville.
How Detroit Went Broke: The Answers May Surprise You
Auditing a bankrupt city.
Why Is Zambia So Poor?
“The only thing I’m able to conclude after my trip here is that it’s incredibly difficult for a poor country to go about getting un-poor.”
