longform
Why We Need Public Libraries Now More than Ever
It’s 10 o’clock on a bright summer morning, and the Boston Public Library—175 years old and more vital and necessary than ever—is up and running, […]
Confessions of a Twitcher
I used to do cocaine. A lot of it. As in, five out of seven nights a week. It might not be immediately apparent what […]
The Karen Read Case in Canton: The Killing That Tore a Town Apart
Snow had just started to fall as John O’Keefe and Karen Read stepped into the Waterfall Bar & Grille on Washington Street, Canton’s main drag, […]
Can the Edward M. Kennedy Institute Save Democracy?
In early June, black cars ferrying 10 former U.S. senators—five Republicans and five Democrats—rolled past weathered wooden fences and old salt-box houses that line the […]
It’s Time to Get to Know Sam Slater
The first thing I notice as I make my way through the minimalist Boston headquarters of Slater Family Holdings are the cupcakes. There are two […]
Meet Noah Kahan, the Voice of an Emotionally Evolved Generation
Noah Kahan thinks everyone here should be in therapy. The 26-year-old singer-songwriter is onstage at Boston Calling Music Festival, a 10-minute drive from his Watertown […]
The Heartrending Tale of Kitt the Police Dog and His Human Partner
Bill Cushing was exercising in his home gym when he got the call. It was a little before 1 p.m. on June 4, 2021, and […]
The Untenable Misery of Shoe Shopping for New England Weather
WHEN YOU GROW UP in Massachusetts, you grow up with weather. Sure, every place has it, but not like here. We got the best. It’s […]
It’s Officially Time to Revamp Massachusetts’ State Symbols
I might rag on my state for the usual reasons, like the lousy winters, the traffic, and the drivers who create it. But deep down, […]
The Many Faces of Boston Rap Star Oompa
It’s a Friday night in late March, and Oompa, the Roxbury-born artist, rapper, and performer is working out some excess energy, pacing around the makeshift […]
The Mysterious Origins of Steak Tips, a Uniquely New England Dish
It’s just before 8 p.m. on a Wednesday, and I’m at a restaurant north of Boston that could be any New England sports bar and […]
The Secret Life of Cohasset Con Man Brian Walshe
On January 4, Cohasset police officers drove down a long, rocky driveway to check on a woman named Ana Walshe. The gray Colonial with a […]
Inside Boston’s Mysterious Drink-Spiking Crisis
On a cool October night, the second floor of a downtown bar was thrumming with weekend partiers blowing off steam after another long week of […]
Can This Man Blow up City Development without Destroying Boston?
On a chilly morning last April, some of Boston’s most successful developers descended on Beacon Hill’s storied Francis Parkman House for an invite-only reception held […]
Our 10 Most-Popular Longform Stories in 2022
Below you’ll find the 10 most-viewed longform stories we published this year, a handy list of things to (re-)read that includes Boston’s in-depth coverage of […]