In this edited extract from One Garden Against the World: In Search of Hope in a Changing Climate, Kate Bradbury examines the distressing rate at which gardens in the United Kingdon are disappearing. It is an important reminder that our properties can be home to more than just us. Years later I was living in Brighton and took a trip to Manchester...

In this stunning essay, Wei Tchou turns to ferns as a lens through which to better understand herself and her place in her family, amid the turmoil of her brother’s mental illness. Names, for me, use certainty as their lure. They’re above and beneath us, a universal interface, a boulder on the earth. The safest place I find myself is in a heavy...

This story was funded by our members. Join Longreads and help us to support more writers. Krista Diamond | Longreads | May 30, 2024 | 9 minutes (2,660 words) Before I climb the mountain, I stop at 7-Eleven and buy a sandwich. The 7-Eleven is in Tromsø, Norway—technically the northernmost 7-Eleven on earth, but what’s really...

When Sara Franklin embarked on gathering oral histories from Judith Jones, she was not expecting the gorgeous lunches they would prepare together before each interview. This lovely piece entwines food and friendship to create something truly satisfying. When I see Judith on the day of the sauce gribiche, the tantalizing tease of spring hangs...

The American Dream mall in East Rutherford, New Jersey, is home to the largest indoor surfing wave pool in the U.S. What’s the experience like for someone who grew up surfing in San Diego . . . outside? Are predictable artificial waves the future of this coastal pastime? Alexander Sammon writes an enjoyable, thoughtful essay on the trend, as well as...

Since 2020, orcas off the Iberian coast, particularly in the Strait of Gibraltar, have taken up a hobby: ramming boats. Sailors have reported almost a thousand attacks. This behavior is atypical, as killer whales have rarely targeted boats in the past. Tomas Weber visits the region to understand what might be going on, and various orca experts and animal...