This piece depends on its strong, admirable protagonist, Artie Folse, who refuses to say die. As other homes fester and are torn down around his, he gets to work and, a year after Hurricane Katrina, is close to returning his … Read more
This short narrative tells a wonderful, heartwarming tale; it’s built on essential, particular details; it pursues themes—in this case, of generosity, goodwill and small-town charm. Add Barry’s genius for structuring his reader’s experience, his easy voice, and you’ve got an … Read more
This is a beautiful example of writing well about endangered children. Wilkerson’s voice is at once poised, solemn, compassionate and engaging. The detail she has gathered and included is fine and telling. Her scenes tell us much about her character, … Read more
Wilkerson wrote about Angela Whitiker’s son in her Pulitzer Prize-winning story "First Born, Fast Grown." Twelve years later, she chronicles his mother’s successful struggle to earn a nurse’s degree and move from poverty into the middle class. What makes the … Read more
We like this series for its scrupulous attention to detail. Its descriptive passages pop with verbs; we are right there, walking with the imam as he starts his morning. Elliott balances narrative action and context, reminding the reader what the … Read more
We like the spareness of this story’s telling, the nodding at the theme of human connection, but the stepping back from it, just as the events themselves do. We like the quirky details of Klein and the wonderfully timed line … Read more
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