“I mean, writers are horribly envious and so nobody likes stars, we always feel like it’s a zero-sum game and whatever stardom somebody else has is being taken directly from us, so we hate the stars. But we also need them. Because the possibility of some level of stardom is what will continue to attract new writers to the game. If you’re a linguistically talented 22-year-old, there’s a list of things you can be: you can work in Hollywood, you can be a blogger, etc. And if being a novelist equates to some quaint thing like being a Morris dancer, who’s going to choose this?”

A glimpse into the life and death of a soldier who committed suicide while on duty in Afghanistan:

The Army recently announced that it was charging eight soldiers — an officer and seven enlisted men — in connection with Danny Chen’s death. Five of the eight have been charged with involuntary manslaughter and negligent homicide, and the coming court-martial promises a fuller picture of the harrowing abuse Chen endured. But even the basic details are enough to terrify: What could be worse than being stuck at a remote outpost, in the middle of a combat zone, tormented by your superiors, the very same people who are supposed to be looking out for you? And why did a nice, smart kid from Chinatown, who’d always shied from conflict and confrontation, seek out an environment ruled by the laws of aggression?

How volunteer firefighters responded to a lethal West, Texas explosion.

A eulogy of sorts for the King.

Remembering the loss of a parent and the birth of an addiction.

Adventures with a group of young Hasidic men looking for God in psychedelic drugs.

One man’s experience with a sex surrogate in gay-conversion therapy.

A family investigates.

A profile of New York Times obituary writer Alden Whitman.

A profile of the comedian.

Visiting Cambodia, and a Khmer Rouge prison camp, 30 years after the genocide.

A visit to Glenn Greenwald’s house in Rio.

The challenges of establishing a legal marijuana economy in Washington State.

He murdered his parents. Then he threw a party.

Unraveling a lucrative crime ring.

A murder involving the late actor leaves unanswered questions.

The murder of a rapper amid the rise of Greece’s fascist party.

On the experience of having a stroke.

A journalist on the troll who tried to destroy her.

A single pill could take the sting out of our memories of trauma.

The adventures of a pro bono gigolo.

Transgender voice therapy, an airline pilot, and what it means to sound like a woman.

“You are wondering what kind of people put their house pet in a cat show.”

A profile of Theo Epstein, the architect behind the Chicago Cubs.