This Is What It Was Like Learning To Report Before Fake News Was The Biggest Problem In The World
A thoughtful story about writing stories, describing lessons learned as a foreign correspondent in Belarus twenty years ago.
Wings of Desire: Why is an Obsessive British Collector Risking Jail to Kill Rare Butterflies
A look at the past and present of lepidopterists in Britain. That collectors of butterflies can risk prison time to capture endangered species for their collections, speaks both to the enduring fascination that these creatures have inspired in us, and to their market value.
Promethea Unbound
A fine piece looking at the difficulties experienced by a child genius, including a financial benefactor trying to kill her mother.
The Gambler Who Cracked the Horse-Racing Code
A gambler made a fortune betting on the trickiest of markets – horses. This piece tells the story of how he made close to a billion dollars betting on Hong Kong races.
Fishing in Guantanamo Bay
The recent history of Caimanera, the fishing town immediately adjacent to the US military base and prison at Guantanamo Bay.
The Dark, Dangerous World of Illegal Mining
The horrendously dangerous existence of illegal miners in South Africa working outside the law.
Saddam’s cake
A crackling piece from 2000, recounting the author’s experience attending the birthday party of a “global pariah”. Sample guest – a Bulgarian MP who has brought him a sniper rifle as a present. The 17 subsequent years of Iraq’s history make for a dark prism through which to read the story.
The Strange Brain of the World’s Greatest Solo Climber
Alex Honnold is a legend in the world of free solo climbing, where climbers scale massive peaks with no ropes or protective equipment. This article examines his brain in detail and makes some surprising discoveries.
The Last of the Iron Lungs
A profile of three of the last polio sufferers in the US using an iron lung. The piece examines what life is like spent in one of these contraptions, used in a medical context for nearly 100 years.