In this open letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook, Matt Zoller Seitz explains why the company’s recent “Crush” ad—which promotes the new iPad Pro—is disturbing, destructive, and a slap in the face to all artists, musicians, and people who (try to) create for a living. Sonny and Cher sing “All I Ever Need is You” as the device destroys some of the most...

In this piece for The New York Review of Books, Mike Jay reports on the shifting science and cultural attitudes around MDMA, and how today’s research is overwhelmingly positive. The once-demonized designer club drug of the ’80s and ’90s has shown so much psychotherapy potential in the past few decades, as well as social benefits at the individual and...

This is a lovely insight into the world of Bill Berloni, an animal trainer who has seen it all after decades of working in Hollywood. Concentrating on his experience with Bing, a Great Dane who is starring in an adaptation of “The Friend” by Sigrid Nunez, we see Berloni’s passion—and Bing’s professionalism. In February, 2020, Berloni, Siegel,...

Mystery, theft, backstabbing, a cute cat—it’s all in the story of Kitty Snows, a community cat that went missing, to the chagrin of her multiple guardians. Discovered to be in a high-rise apartment, the debate on whether she was cat-napped or rescued is still raging. Read this compelling piece to decide for yourself. Over the next 2½ years,...

The staff of the Columbia Daily Spectator had a front-row seat to the encampments and crackdowns that shook US politics. They were better positioned than anyone to cover what happened on their campus—and that’s why New York gave them a cover story. This is a tremendous first draft of history, told through quotes, reflections, and photographs: ...

This story was funded by our members. Join Longreads and help us to support more writers. In this week’s edition: Military influencers and warrior-culture capitalism. The joy of science, imagination, and discovery. Booking a table at a hot restaurant—for a price. The one-euro-house scheme that changed...