Best of 2024 … so far: Hippy, capitalist, guru, grocer: the forgotten genius who changed British food
Every Friday in August we will publish some of our favourite audio long reads of 2024, in case you missed them, with an introduction from the editorial team to explain why we’ve chosen it. This week, ...
9 Aug 202450min
Revolution in the air: how laughing gas changed the world
Since its discovery in the 18th century, nitrous oxide has gone from vaudeville gimmick to pioneering anaesthetic to modern party drug. By Mark Miodownik. Help support our independent journalism at th...
5 Aug 202427min
From Nobel peace prize to civil war: how Ethiopia’s leader beguiled the world
When Abiy Ahmed took power in Ethiopia, he was feted at home and abroad as a great unifier and reformer. Two years later, terrible violence was raging. How did people get him so wrong? By Tom Gardner....
2 Aug 202433min
From the archive: From Game of Thrones to The Crown: the woman who turns actors into stars
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 2018: Nina Gold’s role is invisible, and yet h...
31 Jul 202441min
Chortle chortle, scribble scribble: inside the Old Bailey with Britain’s last court reporters
The cases heard at the Old Bailey offer a vivid, often grim portrait of England and Wales today. What happens when there is no one left to tell these stories? By Sophie Elmhirst. Help support our inde...
29 Jul 202436min
‘I’m good, I promise’: the loneliness of the low-ranking tennis player
I was once Ireland’s No 1 player, and tried for years to climb the global ranks. But life at the bottom of the top can be brutal. By Conor Niland. Help support our independent journalism at theguardia...
26 Jul 202425min
From the archive: ‘As borders closed, I became trapped in my Americanness’: China, the US and me
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: I’ve long nursed vague plans of moving b...
24 Jul 202435min
‘If there’s nowhere else to go, this is where they come’: how Britain’s libraries provide much more than books
In 2024, libraries are unofficial creches, homeless shelters, language schools and asylum support providers – filling the gaps left by a state that has reneged on its responsibilities. By Aida Edemari...
22 Jul 202433min
