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.
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.