Stories that inspire me

Links to some of my favorite pieces from around the interwebs.

I Got high with my mom at hempcon / Taffy Brodesser-akner

I went to the library one day to get ideas for future issues of Jewish in Seattle, and I ended up spending half my time just reading this story about the time the author brought her Hasidic mother to a pot convention. Everything Taffy writes is gold, but this one is at the top of my list for its humor, personal narrative, insight, and the delightful clash of civilizations.

Alex Hebert: Talking trash with the First Lady of Online Gaming / Jennifer Warnick

When I struggle to put words together, especially when it comes to profiles, I turn to Jen Warnick's pieces for Microsoft Story Labs. Her interview skills and ability to inject life into words are almost unparalleled.

Caul me by your name / Edith Zimmerman

I love every feature that Taste magazine puts out. This is one example of delicious food writing — above and beyond the vanilla reviews and tasting notes that so often pepper tiresome food blogs. (At the risk of sounding somewhat non-human, I admit I'm not a fan of most food writing.) Who knew cauliflower was an actual threat to the rice industry? High drama, low stakes, humor, solid reporting, and a personal touch. Almost makes me want to make a cauliflower-crust pizza. Almost.  

And more...

Pink Starbursts and Brownie Edges: How Our Quirky Preferences Are Driving the Future of Snacking / Leah Mennies

Light as Cool Whip yet calorie-dense with research insights into how brands change to meet (odd) consumer demands.

Strip Clubs, Salvation and Sonic Drive-In / Tiffany Langston

A beautiful example of food writing that's actually about something else. The writer reflects on the time she witnessed relational violence while working the drive-thru window of a Sonic carhop. The ending withers a little, but the story punches out some powerful moments that stick.

The Outcast / Rachel Aviv

I'll read anything by Rachel Aviv. Anything. Every story of hers stays with me for years, including this one, about sexual abuse in a Hasidic community.

Thanksgiving in Mongolia / Ariel Levy

If this story does not haunt you, then you are not human.