This piece would be even better with clear point or “take.” We wondered: How does the author want us to think about this story? What themes could he have explored? But the story’s a good example of what can come … Read more
This piece is built around an extraordinary character, an extraordinary setting—Gee’s Bend, Ala.—and tells an extraordinary history. Moehringer’s voice does the subject justice: The voice is at once eloquent and plain, like the language of his protagonist, Mary Lee. The … Read more
This is a finely reconstructed account of a charismatic leader who moved into a town and changed nearly everything about it. We like Lewan’s opening paragraphs: His language suggests legend or origin myth—the tribal elder saying, “Have a seat, young … Read more
This series got a lot of attention: The Plain Dealer’s Web traffic increased dramatically during the week of its publication, says Stuart Warner, an editor and writing coach at the paper. Warner believes that thousands of young people were drawn … Read more
Benham strikes the right tone in this piece—friendly and a touch ironic. The piece is punctuated by creative passages and playful quips. But there’s substance here, too: The playfulness is supported by the concrete details of her reporting. We like, … 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
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 a huge, abstract topic, can make us readers feel we’re … 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
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, then an authoritative composite of her main character, Katherine. We … Read more
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 carefully telling the tale of Chang’s life and her suicide, … Read more
