A profile of Messi.

Pelé as religous experience.

Why Neymar, one of the world’s best talents hasn’t taken the money and run.

The glory days of the New York Cosmos.

Sixty years ago, the U.S. upset England in the World Cup on a goal from Joe Gaetjens. In most countries he would have been idolized. Instead, he was ignored in America and marked for death in his native Haiti.

Collusion, sabotage, violence—inside Montreal’s no-holds-barred snow removal racket.

First chill, then stupor, then letting go.

In 1912, 300 miles deep on a trek into the uncharted Antarctic wilderness, Douglas Mawson lost most of his crew and supplies. This is the story of how he got back.

A dispatch from eastern Siberia, a realm of steel-shattering cold and nullifying vastness sometimes called “the white hell.”

In 2001, a young Japanese woman walked into the North Dakota woods. Had she come in search of the $1 million dollars buried by a fictional character in the film Fargo?

How the ski town of the super-rich responds to global warming.

The avalanche at Tunnel Creek.

A trip to the Iditarod.

After being diagnosed with metastatic liver cancer at age 43, Williams resolves to make the most of her “bonus time” with her young children between visits to specialists.

The weeks following a near-death experience.

On terminal inmates and those trying to save them.

On identifying the man who encouraged strangers to kill themselves over the Internet.

A step-by-step account.

On a mother’s decision to donate her daughter’s organs.

Detailing the rise and fall of the most prolific star in the history of porn, Sager’s 12,500-worder helped inspire Boogie Nights.

A self-published snapshot of the industry following the Great Recession.

The former entertainment editor at Hustler describes the psychological impact of his half-decade as a porn reviewer.

The story of an appearance by porn star Sasha Grey—referred to here as “Tasha”—on The Tyra Banks Show.

An essay on what Internet porn has done to American sexuality.

As the war begins to end, Iraqis confront a broken country.

As U.S. troops departed, Baghdad in ruins.

Inside the safe houses where Syrian youth protesters have retreated since the uprising.

An account of captivity.

An interview with Shadid.

On his enduring relevance.

A scholarly look at the 2004 hit.

A transcript of an interview timed to the release of Jay-Z’s book, Decoded.

An early profile.

David Johnson’s unrequited correspondence with Jay-Z.

On the psychological considerations behind breast augmentation.

During World War I, surgeon Harold Gillies and sculptor Anna Coleman Ladd created masks for disfigured soldiers. Gillies’ work, especially, served as the basis for modern surgical techniques.

A profile of the controversial “Dr. Schnoz,” author of My Beautiful Mommy, a children’s book about plastic surgery, and the doctor behind “Operation Chuppah,” which gave Orthodox Jewish women free nose jobs to attract husbands.

After learning that his twin girls will be born with cleft palates, Chernoff and his wife begin the long process of preparing for corrective surgery.

Plastic surgery on the parts most people don’t see.

A young Allen writes jokes for supper club comedians, decides he will never make it as a performer and then does, idolizes and is snubbed by Mort Sahl, and develops the comic persona which will make him a star.

Allen, a huge basketball fan, wrote this profile of his favorite player.

Didion on what she calls Allen’s “serious” movies.

Allen, in his own words, on his work.

A sympathetic profile, written as Allen hit 70.

Lessons learned from the complete Allen catalog, save Midnight in Paris.