The amused view on this piece’s topic makes it an entertaining read—while taking inventory of the consequences of high urban rents. It also acknowledges that not all crises are washed in tears. Read “Talk About Renting a … Read more
This piece was among several for which Barry was a finalist for a 2006 Pulitzer Prize.We appreciated Barry’s reporting for irony and detail, a sort of writing that is hard to find in journalism. It seemed to us that Barry … Read more
Here’s an example of a piece that has a narrative feel despite not having exactly a narrative arc. Its voice and humor and neat scenes make for an engaging read. Read “Fixing Nemo,” by Rebecca Skloot … Read more
This is a wonderfully consistent profile, with thorough and effective characterization. Lewin provides telling details that stick to a theme, and yet the portrayal is not simplistic. Her material is particular and intimate. We liked, for example, the protagonist Della … Read more
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 at this cross-class marriage, gives the piece the feel of … Read more
Dick Cheney’s 2004 campaign has denied Lyman a seat on Air Force Two, so he hopscotches around the country by commercial plane, trying to keep up. It’s a case in which writing a how-I-got-the-story story can work—and in this case, … Read more
In the series of which this piece is a part, the Times used narrative and insightful reporting to uncover the often hidden ways that race is “lived” in America. Egan writes about two Washington State politicians—Gary Locke, a Chinese-American, and … Read more
This is a long-term narrative that shows the asymmetrical courses taken by former business partners—one black, one white—after selling their company. The story traces not just the defining moments of their careers but also the points at which race became … Read more
There are many things to admire in Bearak’s collection of pieces for which he won a 2002 Pulitzer. We’ll just point out, for this piece about pre-9/11 Pakistan, his tone: It’s dry, almost wry, which allows for both the seriousness … Read more
Skloot explores the parallel political, cultural and gastronomic universes of two restaurants: a locally owned, eccentric bistro and a Bob Evans. We happened to read this piece not long after reading “Just Getting By,” a first-person account in The (Cleveland) … Read more
