For many years the prevailing debate about the Maya centred upon why their civilisation collapsed. Now, many scholars are asking: how did the Maya survive? By Marcus Haraldsson. Read by Diana Bermudez. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod
We are raiding the Guardian long read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors. This week, from 2020: Frank Fisher, now 90, was a traditional high street butcher his whole working life – as were three generations of his family before him. How does a man dedicated to serving his community decide when it’s time to hang up his white coat? By Tom Lamont. Read by Jonathan Andrew Hume. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/...
His novel was praised for giving a voice to the victims of Algeria’s brutal civil war. But one woman has accused Kamel Daoud of having stolen her story – and the ensuing legal battle has become about much more than literary ethics By Madeleine Schwartz. Read by Kate Handford. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod
Steeped in gaming and rightwing culture wars, Musk and his team of teenage coders set out to defeat the enemy of the United States: its people By Ben Tarnoff and Quinn Slobodian. Read by Vincent Lai. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod
We are raiding the Guardian long read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors. This week, from 2022: A wave of bestselling authors claim that global affairs are still ultimately governed by the immutable facts of geography – mountains, oceans, rivers, resources. But the world has changed more than they realise By Daniel Immerwahr. Read by Christopher Ragland. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod...
When Nato helped overthrow Gaddafi in 2011, there were hopes of a new beginning. More than a decade later, a former CIA asset runs the country – and Libya has become yet another lesson in the unintended consequences of foreign intervention By Anas El Gomati. Read by Mo Ayoub. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod
On the evening of 29 December 2011, Officer Clifton Lewis was moonlighting as a security guard at a Chicago minimart when two men walked in. They shot Lewis several times, then took off with his gun and police star. A week later, police had their suspects: four men affiliated with a gang called the Spanish Cobras. For hours, under intense police questioning, they all said they didn’t do it. But that didn’t seem to matter. This is episode one of Off Duty, an investigation by the Guardian’s Meliss...
In a few isolated communities in central Nigeria, some babies are believed to be bad omens. Olusola and Chinwe Stevens run a thriving home for babies at risk. But what happens when the families want them back? By Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani. Read by Nneka Okoye. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod
We are raiding the Guardian long read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors. This week, from 2022: Austerity, the pandemic and now the cost of living crisis have left many schools in a parlous state. How hard do staff have to work to give kids the chances they deserve? By Aida Edemariam. Read by Lucy Scott. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod
Innocent people are being frozen out of basic banking services – and it all traces back to reforms rushed through after 9/11 By Oliver Bullough. Read by Elis James. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod
In spring 2003, exuberance at the fall of Saddam was swiftly followed by a descent into deadly chaos. Whether moving independently or embedded with troops, Guardian reporters witnessed the violence on the ground By Ian Mayes. Read by Karl Queensborough. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod
We are raiding the Guardian long read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors. This week, from 2021: Growing up in Essex, my summers in Iran felt like magical interludes from reality – but it was a spell that always had to be broken By Arianne Shahvisi. Read by Serena Manteghi. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod
In the 50 years since equal rights for women were enshrined in UK law, the campaigners have been reduced to caricatures, or forgotten. But their struggle is worth remembering By Susanna Rustin. Read by Carlyss Peer. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod
Our current approach to mental health labelling and diagnosis has brought benefits. But as a practising doctor, I am concerned that it may be doing more harm than good By Gavin Francis. Read by Noof Ousellam. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod
We are raiding the Guardian long read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors. This week, from 2022: Hu Xijin is China’s most famous propagandist. At the Global Times, he helped establish a chest-thumping new tone for China on the world stage – but can he keep up with the forces he has unleashed? By Han Zhang. Read by Emily Woo Zeller. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod...
Among the many people I met, there was a pervasive feeling of hopelessness and a sense that resistance is slowly becoming a memory By Ewen MacAskill. Read by Greg Stylianou-Burns. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod
Years of civil war have turned whole areas of the city into rows of empty husks. But after the fall of Assad, Syrians have returned to their old homes determined to rebuild By Ghaith Abdul-Ahad. Read by Mo Ayoub. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod
The episode discusses the origins of our "post-truth" era, marked by a pervasive distrust in mainstream media and a public desire for direct access to information. It examines how the explosion of digital data and visual evidence has paradoxically made consensus on truth harder to achieve, leading to conflicts over framing rather than facts. The piece connects this crisis to the rise of populism and the erosion of trust in democratic institutions, ultimately advocating for the defense of truly independent journalism over the illusion of unmediated reality.
In 1978, Soviet scientists stumbled upon a family living in a remote part of Russia. They hadn’t interacted with outsiders for decades. Almost half a century later, one of them is still there By Sophie Pinkham. Read by Olga Koch. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod
Michael Pollan delves into the nature of consciousness by participating in Russell T. Hurlbert's Descriptive Experience Sampling experiment, which uses a beeper to capture immediate thoughts. The episode reveals the surprising diversity of inner experiences, challenging assumptions about inner speech. It also explores the limitations of introspection and introduces Kalina Christoph Hadji Livia's neurophenomenology, emphasizing the crucial role and scientific neglect of the unconscious in shaping our thoughts.
We are raiding the Guardian long read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors. This week, from 2022: Idealising the past is nothing new, but there is something peculiarly revealing about the way a certain generation of Facebook users look back fondly on tougher times By Dan Hancox. Read by Dermot Daly. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod
Decisions outsourced, chatbots for friends, the natural world an afterthought: Silicon Valley is giving us life void of connection. There is a way out – but it’s going to take collective effort By Rebecca Solnit. Read by Laurel Lefkow. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod
Whether it’s the financial crash, the climate emergency or the breakdown of the international order, historian Adam Tooze has become the go-to guide to the radical new world we’ve entered By Robert P Baird. Read by James Sobol Kelly. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod
This episode explores the ongoing scientific controversy over the need for a new theory of evolution. It traces the history from Darwin's initial challenges to the rise of the "Modern Synthesis," and its current critiques from proponents of the "Extended Evolutionary Synthesis" (EES). The discussion delves into how new discoveries in molecular biology, plasticity, and epigenetics are challenging established views, leading to a "culture war" within the field over what constitutes the core narrative of life.
This episode details the narcotrafficking scandal that embroiled the British Virgin Islands, triggered by Hurricane Irma and the subsequent premiership of Andrew Foy. It explores the escalating tensions between the British governor and Premier Foy over corruption and governance, culminating in a Commission of Inquiry and a dramatic DEA sting operation that exposed Foy's involvement in drug trafficking. The story reveals the complex interplay of postcolonial politics, crime, and the struggle for genuine reform in the BVI.
The president has vowed to kill off ‘woke’ in his second term in office, and the venerable cultural institution a few blocks from the White House is in his sights By Charlotte Higgins. Read by Evelyn Miller. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod
The author revisits his 2018 article on the "free speech panic," arguing that the narrative of censorship on campuses is largely fabricated by the right to push back against perceived left-wing influence and avoid addressing deeper conservative crises. The episode highlights the hypocrisy of "free speech" advocates who silence opposing views, details how media fabricates stories, and explores how the digital age has transformed communication into an attention economy where claiming censorship is a viral strategy. Ultimately, the panic serves as a substitute ideology for conservatism struggling with economic and demographic shifts.
The episode retraces the proposed route of HS2, examining the railway's escalating costs, significant delays, and its evolution from a high-speed commuter line to a capacity booster. It delves into the profound environmental and human toll on communities, farms, and ancient woodlands, juxtaposing HS2's mitigation efforts with local residents' deep frustrations over disruption and unresolved compensation, alongside rare instances of optimism amidst the colossal construction.
A former prison officer shares their harrowing experiences, detailing a stark increase in violence and murders within UK prisons that traumatizes both inmates and staff. The episode exposes systemic failures, inadequate support for officers, and policy shortcomings, leading the author to a conflicted view of the justice system. Despite the bleak reality, it concludes with a message that violence is not inevitable, highlighting the potential for positive change through purposeful activity and communication.
Delve into the fascinating story of Tsang Tsou-choi, known as the "King of Kowloon," a reclusive graffiti artist whose unique calligraphy transformed from a public nuisance into a revered symbol of Hong Kong's distinct identity. The episode traces his life, from his persistent street protests and eventual rise to cult status in the art and fashion worlds, to his influence on major pro-democracy movements. It also uncovers the secret efforts to preserve his ephemeral works and reflects on his prophetic insights into Hong Kong's ongoing struggle for autonomy under tightening national security laws.
