The 10 best long reads that you may have missed in 2018

21 Dec The 10 best long reads that you may have missed in 2018

It’s been a tumultuous year in media: Trump’s “enemy of the people” attacks, huge cutbacks at newsrooms across the country, and an increase in threats against and even killings of journalists. But 2018 also saw some of the most powerful and impactful stories that I’ve ever read–an outpouring of amazing investigative reporting, in-depth enterprise stories, and poignant profiles.

Here are just a few of those that touched our hearts and moved our minds the most in 2018:

“Why America’s Black Mothers and Babies Are in a Life-or-Death Crisis”
Aa devastating and important story about an ongoing crisis that doesn’t usually make the headlines. (New York Times)

“The Teens Who Hacked Microsoft’s Videogame Empire–And Went Too Far”
A crazy tale that takes you deep into the dark side of video game culture, complete with informants, fugitives from the law, and murder. (Wired)

“The Gambler Who Cracked the Horse-Racing Code”
Another wild tale, this one about an extremely reclusive genius who wrote an algorithm that couldn’t lose at the track and tells his story for the first time. (Bloomberg)

“What Do We Owe Her Now?”
The unbelievably heartbreaking story of Amber Wyatt, who was raped in high school but few believed her and her hometown turned against her. Until a classmate of hers went back 12 years later to figure out what happened. (Washington Post)

“A Kingdom From Dust”
The tale of the biggest farmer in the country–and how he’s tried to hide the massive influence he’s had over our eating habits and California’s landscape. (The California Sunday Magazine)

“Bias detectives: the researchers striving to make algorithms fair”
How scientists are trying to help ward off injustice and prevent machine learning from repeating all-too-human flaws. (Nature)

“How Energy Companies and Allies Are Turning the Law Against Protesters”
Eye-opening investigative story that describes how, since the Standing Rock protests, more states have introduced bills to target environmental activism. (Inside Climate News)

“Evictionland”
This incredibly moving story gets to the heart of gentrification’s human toll–and what it’s really like to get kicked out of your home. (Curbed)

“Targeted: A Family and the Quest to Stop the Next School Shooter”
This investigative opus gets to the heart of the school shooting epidemic, and a Oregon family whose teenage son has been singled out for scrutiny. (The Oregonian)

“A Business With No End: Where does this strange empire start or stop?”
A fascinating interactive dive that goes deep down the internet rabbit hole. (The New York Times)

Source: Fast Company