What Writers and Editors Are Reading: March 2023

Recommended by Susan Dominus: “Gonzo philosopher/reporter Virginia Heffernan unpacks the global and cultural meaning of the all-powerful semiconductor industry in Taiwan. I can’t think of another writer who can do this kind of dazzling virtuoso technological writing while also taking us to deep places about what it all means—all the while keeping the reader not just engaged, but entertained.”

Recommended by Justin Heckert: “It’s a story by one of my favorite writers about a small business—a sandwich shop—doing its best to deal with a situation that has overwhelmed the owners, with no easy fixes, no humane solutions. It’s quite a remarkable piece.”

Recommended by Gail Cornwall: “‘The pain research field is small, and fractured between different specialities,’ making Lucy Odling-Smee’s feat of amassing and collating evidence on pain treatment particularly impressive. ‘I struggle to understand why the health-care systems of the world’s richest countries are not yet using all the knowledge that science has provided to bring more help to…millions…living with pain,’ she writes in a powerful—and personal—call to action for Nature.”

Recommended by Kira Newman: “Alongside the stunning AI-generated images, it reminds us of the subtle ways that bias can creep into AI and how culture shapes our own emotional experiences.’”

Recommended by Simon Hill: “We always focus on the next big thing with tech, but as the devices we rely upon become harder to understand and fix, we throw away too much and lose something in the process. This ode to self-reliance unfolds through a road trip in a 1969 Dodge Travco motor home. It might just inspire you to take on a repair or restoration project.”

Recommended by Dan Moore: “Anyone who has ever rooted for a bad team—no matter the sport—will relish and relate to this wonderful, very funny essay from Maitreyi Anantharaman about the 2022 Detroit Tigers, which originally appeared in the 2023 Baseball Prospectus Annual. Maitreyi is a wonderful writer; no matter your favorite sport or team, you’ll love this piece.”

Recommended by Bilge Ebiri: “Eric Vilas-Boas’ piece entertainingly and informatively highlights something that some of us have occasionally thought about without knowing how to investigate it—animators’ frustration with the way that animated films are thought of, and the way that the Best Animated Feature category has become dominated by Disney and family-oriented fare. It’s beautifully written and argued, with revealing quotes from some really important people in animation.”

Recommended by Jaime Stathis: “I love this piece because it shows the complexities of love, death and letting go in a beautifully told essay. ”

Recommended by Derek Robertson: “In an essay on the recently-published “Birnam Wood” by Eleanor Catton, the writer B.D. McClay explores how, and why, plot remains a powerful narrative device in literary fiction. McClay deftly illustrates not just how the chain of human consequence works in this particular novel, but in our lives as technology increasingly alienates us from our very own decision-making. The piece unironically justifies the classic ironic quip from Whit Stillman’s “Metropolitan”: ‘I don’t read novels. I prefer good literary criticism. That way you get both the novelist’s ideas as well as the critic’s thinking.’”

Recommended by Dr. Andrea Wojnicki: “Do you hold grudges? Do you stew? (I know I do!) If yes, I encourage you to read this article. It left me feeling inspired. Forgiving that difficult colleague means taking away their power, even—or perhaps especially—when they aren’t sorry for their behavior. Being resentful and holding grudges can take a negative toll on our mental and physical health. “When we harbor resentment, spite, and other negative emotions, the person at whom we aim them isn’t suffering (and is likely oblivious to our feelings). The only one suffering is us.” Instead, follow the advice in this article to forgive. When we forgive, we empower ourselves to focus our limited cognitive capacity on positive and productive endeavors.”

Recommended by the author: “We constantly hear about the microbiome and how important it is to our health. But did you know that we actually share our microbes with those that we spend the most time with? That means that other people have the power to shape our microbiomes—and potentially our health. Reporting this was fascinating for me, and I hope reading it will be fascinating for you!”

Recommended by Wolfgang Ruth: “Madeline Leung Coleman’s profile of Swarm’s Dominique Fishback—who plays “Dre,” a serial-killing superfan—shows why the actress’s character is someone who really just wants one thing: to be loved.”