Nell Lake

Like another series by Nutt on this site, “The Seekers,” this piece is not truly narrative. But it shows how a companionable voice and a sense of destination, applied to…

In this fourth installment in the Times’ series on class, Lewin provides lots of quotes, and not much dialogue or scene—and yet the intimate reporting, the insightful and probing look…

We particularly like the first several sections of this piece. Earls provides an effective sequential experience for her readers: first a cliffhanger beginning, then an efficient summary of the topic,…

This is as much a story about suicide and those affected by it as it is a story about the particular life and death of a passionate, brilliant writer. By…

By spending a day with Army recruiters, Moehringer shows us much about the hurdles the Army faces in keeping up with the war in Iraq. At the same time, Moehringer’s…

We like to see a profile of an inspiring character that’s also fun and engaging rather than sentimental. We like the casual, affectionate tone of this piece, with its lively…

McKay’s march of harsh details form a bleak and informative picture. She writes in a frank, detached tone, with strong verbs and tight sentences. She shows that intimate reporting can…

Ana Flores was walking with her three-year-old daughter in downtown Chicago when a piece of window glass got loose from a building, fell and killed Ana.Kiernan writes about the incident…

This is an efficient, well-paced and engaging series about the kidnapping of an 88-year-old woman. It’s a crime tale, classic in its what’s-gonna-happen-next unfolding. It’s plot-driven—this is not a piece…

This piece originally appeared in The Harford Courant. The nonfiction journal River Teeth published a reprint. It’s an intimate portrayal of individuals living in a pocket of poverty in wealthy…