two-panel collage with photo of woman in blue shirt on left and illustration that reads "The Longreads Questionnaire: Maria Popova" on the right

New Longreads Essays and Features

The Endless Self

Exploring animal life beyond the limits of human understanding.

When Hannibal Lecter Took Over

With “The Silence of the Lambs” hitting theaters, Orion wanted a hit. They didn’t anticipate an antihero.

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.

Recent Editors’ Picks

Echoic Memory

CMarie Fuhrman | Emergence Magazine | February 12, 2026 | 2,507 words

“I am a person of ground. This is not to say grounded, but of earth, attached to the earth.”

My Mother’s Body

Louise Bokkenheuser | Virginia Quarterly Review | February 12, 2026 | 6,133 words

“The Mysteries of a Loved Oneโ€™s Case File.”

ICE Is Pushing Minneapolis Underground

Gaby Del Valle | The Verge | February 12, 2026 | 6,519 words

“After ICE raids, tear gassing protestors, and two killings, DHS ‘border czar’ Tom Homan arrived in the Twin Cities to announce a winding down of immigration enforcement. But the battleโ€ฆ

Compost Modernity!

Yogi Hale Hendlin | Aeon | February 10, 2026 | 3,208 words

“The vision of solarpunk: joining nature with technology in vibrantly inclusive ways to create a world that truly blooms.”

Soapbox

Dan Kois | Slate | February 17, 2026 | 7,868 words

“The humble bar of soap used to define the American way. Now itโ€™s dying. I will not let it go down without a fight.”

Don’t Close Your Teeth

Cynthia Zarin | Los Angeles Review of Books | November 17, 2025 | 3,349 words

“Cynthia Zarin traces the rise of fascism through the diary entries of Virginia Woolf.”

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.

Weekly Top 5

The Top 5 Longreads of the Week

Showcasing stories from Eve Fairbanks, Gideon Lewis-Kraus, Rochelle L. Johnson, Joseph Winters and Tik Root, and Miles Ellingham.

The Top 5 Longreads of the Week

Showcasing stories from Andy Greenberg, Darshana Narayanan, Lauren Lee White, Sarah Stillman, and Gabriel Furshong.

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.

an image of a webpage that says "Find Your Next Great Read"

Learn to Love Your Search Results Again.

Introducing the Longreads Story Recommender.

More Longreads Essays and Features

By All Measures

Our problems are too vast, our distance from them too great. How do we navigate our derangement of scale?

Anatomy of Absolute Power

The people of Wilcox County, Alabama, remember a longtime sheriff as a god or a monsterโ€”it just depends on who you ask.

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.

Longreads Reading Lists

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.

Join Longreads today to access our Top 5 archive

Become a paid member to browse our weekly recommendations, along with other benefits.

Gift this article