The best of the long read in 2024

Nicholas Saunders was a pioneer of the counterculture with an endless stream of quixotic schemes and a desire to spread knowledge – but his true legacy is a total reworking of the way Britain eats.

Doctors are pushing the boundaries of science and human biology to save more extremely premature babies than ever before. But if so few survive, do we let them suffer unnecessarily?

As a Spanish reporter, Pablo González managed to work his way into Russian opposition circles and report on Putin’s wars. He was subsequently arrested in 2022 on suspicion of espionage. Many former employees now believe he betrayed them

The cases heard at the Old Bailey provide a vivid, often grim portrait of contemporary England and Wales. What happens when there is no one left to tell these stories?

By the time my wife was diagnosed, her long and distressing decline had already begun. By the end I was in awe of her

For forty years, Amit Shah has been by Narendra Modi’s side – his confidant, consigliere and enforcer. Today he is the second most powerful man in India, and he is reshaping the country in radical ways

At a moment of crisis for the industry, Heather Wildman is touring the country to help farmers confront the toughest questions – not just about the future of their business, but about their family, their identity and even their mortality.

After his wife and two of his children were killed in Gaza, Al Jazeera journalist Wael al-Dahdouh became famous around the world for his decision to continue reporting. But this was just the beginning of his heartbreaking journey

In 2024, libraries will be unofficial daycare centers, homeless shelters, language schools and asylum support providers – filling the gaps left by a state that has abdicated its responsibilities

The French cement giant began operating in Syria just before the civil war broke out. When Islamic State took over the region, Lafarge paid them protection money so that trade could continue. The consequences are still playing out

In avatar therapy, a doctor gives a voice to the inner demons of his patients. For some participants in a new trial, the results were astonishing

Eighteen months ago, Hindus and Muslims clashed in the streets of one of Britain’s most diverse cities. What was behind the violence?

It started as a routine investigation into a multinational company called ENRC. It became a decade-long saga that has rocked Britain’s financial crime agency. Now new documents highlight a case that has rewritten British law and will end with a huge bill being handed to taxpayers

Stuart Potts is an unlikely benefactor: a former crack addict who has hit rock bottom more than once. But since 2020, he’s offered hundreds of homeless people a bed in his tiny flat – and for many of them it’s been life-changing

Canonization has long been a way for the Catholic Church to shape its image. The Vatican is preparing to anoint its first millennial saint, but how will it decide who is worthy?

In the past, it was only hardcore bodybuilders who pumped themselves up with testosterone. Nowadays it is no longer a niche. But how dangerous is it?

This summer, one of my lectures was protested by far-right students. Their rhetoric was reminiscent of some of the darkest moments in 20th century history – and shockingly overlapped with mainstream Israeli views

When Putin invaded, a historian in Kiev saw that Ukraine’s cultural heritage was in danger. That’s why he tried to save as much of it as possible

From football clubs to water companies, from music catalogs to nursing homes, private equity has infiltrated almost every facet of modern life in its endless quest to maximize profit.

John Burton was just 27 when he was put in charge of creating the largest project ever built at Thorpe Park. How did he, once too afraid to drive himself, become the architect of so many daredevils’ dreams?

And finally: in case you’re curious, these were our Top 10 most read pieces of 2024 and these were the 10 most read pieces from our archive. And here are our best deals for 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016 and 2015.

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