I Almost Married a Con Man
The story of an experienced journalist’s doomed relationship with the man she called “The Commander”. She asks herself why she, someone trained to ask questions, didn’t see the warning signs.
The Other Side Of Paradise: How I Left A Buddhist Retreat In Handcuffs
The author writes about his experience going to a full-on meditation course where things didn’t end well for him.
Circle Or Sphere? Inside The UK’s First ‘Flat Earth’ Conference
A look at a conference for flat earth conspiracy theorists. A speaker at one of the events kicks off with “I don’t accept logic and reason”, which is a pretty good summary, all in all.
A Spy Story: Sergei Skripal Was a Little Fish. He Had a Big Enemy.
This story goes back in time to Sergei Skripal’s life in the Russian intelligence service, long before he was poisoned in Salisbury. It skilfully intersperses his story with that of the wider geopolitical climate, from the fall of the USSR to today.
The Real Heroes Are Dead
Seventeen years after 9/11, this fine piece of writing has lost none of its heartrending impact. The terrible context of the piece ties a knot in the reader’s stomach as they make their way through a love story, then war stories, to the narrative’s inevitable conclusion.
The Curse of the Bahia Emerald, a Giant Green Rock That Ruins Lives
The story of a huge gem, weighing over 300kg, that has attracted trouble ever since its discovery.
The Oil Cross: On Being Raised to Wage Spiritual Warfare
Life growing up in a family fighting demons on a daily basis.
Person of Interest 2016 Longlist
A delightfully caustic rundown of (in)famous people that have had a big impact this year – it manages to avoid some of the obvious choices and links to further reading on each entrant.
The Wetsuitman
Two bodies – one found in Norway, the other in the Netherlands, and both wearing Tribord wetsuits. The police were unable to identify them. This article, from Norwegian tabloid Dagbladet, tells their story. The translation is ever so slightly clunky in places, but this is a truly gripping and eye-opening view of how a global crisis affects people on an individual level.
A Natural History of Walter Rothschild
Beautifully written piece examining the life of a man who possessed a great fortune and an even greater interest in exotic animals. A man who “simply wanted to possess the world in all its endless variety.”