Colson Whitehead and his assessment of writing as a profession now. Bleak. www.theringer.com/2026/07/21/b...
"New York is Whitehead’s cradle and his muse." Read more on COOL MACHINE from bsky.app/profile/trib... www.theringer.com/2026/07/21/b... via @theringer.com.web.brid.gy
How to Die and Be Reborn in Colson Whitehead’s New York
The Pulitzer Prize–winning author opens up about midlife, the state of writing, and how his new book, ‘Cool Machine,’ makes sense of the world
theringer.com
I try not to rage-post every little MAGA-enabling media obfuscation I come across—there are simply too many of them—but this might literally be the most irresponsible headline I've ever seen
I wrote a long feature on David Attenborough, one of the greatest voices of the century. www.theringer.com/2026/05/04/t...
The Voice That Revealed a Planet
David Attenborough turned a whisper into one of the most powerful voices in history. At 100, it carries both wonder and warning.
theringer.com
Some news: I’ve been laid off by The Ringer. It was a rewarding eight and a half years and I’m proud to have literally written the most articles in the site’s history. I’d love to keep writing about pop culture elsewhere — drop me a line: msurrey2 at gmail
Tonight is the State of the Union. We know the first year of the Trump regime been defined by lawlessness, violence, and a craven desire for ever more money and power. @theringer.com.web.brid.gy looks at its impact — including here in DC.
The State of the Union We Chose
What defines the past 400 days is not just the stories of those this administration has deemed to be insufficiently American. It’s what’s behind them.
theringer.com
Tonight, at the State of the Union, Trump will lie about the cruelty of his presidency. But the people Trump is attacking have faces, voices, and stories. They are the stories of this country. I was honored to have my story included alongside brave folks standing up to Trump.
The State of the Union We Chose
What defines the past 400 days is not just the stories of those this administration has deemed to be insufficiently American. It’s what’s behind them.
theringer.com
Jesse Jackson died Tuesday at the age of 84. The civil rights icon always held America to account—and never stopped fighting to preserve what he knew could be taken away. I wrote about how he saw our future so well.
Jesse Jackson Knew Better Than to Forget
The civil rights icon always held America to account—and never stopped fighting to preserve what he knew could be taken away
theringer.com
Went to Minneapolis and spent time in the homes of people hiding from ICE. Those who’ve been detained and who fear detainment, undocumented immigrants and American citizens, all fearful of the dangers outside their homes, all reliant on a remarkable network of care. www.theringer.com/2026/02/19/n...
Inside the Hidden Network of Resistance in Minneapolis
Waves of federal agents forced countless Minnesota residents into hiding. Countless more responded with a movement unlike any other. A deeper look reveals the heartbeat of resistance—and the soul of t...
theringer.com
*new* from me: As pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training, three front office staffers spoke to me about helping Latino baseball players and their families navigate an America ravaged by ICE raids. They say guidance from MLB has been “minimal” so their teams are getting creative.
How do MLB workers protect Latin players from Trump's ICE raids? By themselves.
Front office staffers told eyeblack about keeping immigrant players safe while league guidance is minimal and "Manfred kisses Trump's ass."
readeyeblack.com
Me on the death of the Washington Post sports section. This isn't a day to be nostalgic. It's a day to be angry. www.theringer.com/2026/02/04/m...
Death of a Sports Section
The Washington Post sports department was dismantled before its leaders gave it a chance to change
theringer.com
Absolutely incredible longread on 'sacrifice zones' in the South with intergenerational environmental racism shaping who lives, and how.
The Sins on the River Road Cannot Be Erased
How did a tiny industrial hub in Louisiana find itself at the center of America’s culture war? For St. John the Baptist Parish, the history is much deeper—and the costs of one age are stacked on the c...
theringer.com
Hello and welcome back! We've got some terrific stories to share today, starting with the first SLR Original of 2026. If you value this newsletter, we'd greatly appreciate you telling a friend (or three) about The Sunday Long Read! mailchi.mp/sundaylongre...
☀️ The Sunday Long Read: Two Chinatowns, Bathhouse Culture, Doomsday Clock
The week's best journalism. Every Sunday.
mailchi.mp
St. John the Baptist Parish is a small industrial hub whose residents face the highest likelihood of developing cancer through air pollution in the U.S. Why is it a battleground in America’s cultural war? @dvnjr.bsky.social's top pick by @tribecalledlex.bsky.social www.theringer.com/2026/01/21/f...
The Sins on the River Road Cannot Be Erased
How did a tiny industrial hub in Louisiana find itself at the center of America’s culture war? For St. John the Baptist Parish, the history is much deeper—and the costs of one age are stacked on the c...
theringer.com
What a piece. Perfect packaging by The Ringer, incredible reporting & photography by Pryor....but beyond that, I know its only January, but I don't see how this isn't in my top 10 magazine pieces of 2026, just amazingly written and moving stuff. A Must-Read piece.
lex pryor@tribecalledlex.bsky.social · 7mo agoWrote about a parish in Louisiana’s “Cancer Alley” called St. John the Baptist. It’s spent the last year caught in the middle of the culture war, but has been breaking and fueling hearts for centuries. www.theringer.com/2026/01/21/f...
"It’s numerically impossible for you to be related only to good people. You have too many ancestors.” www.theringer.com/2026/01/21/f...
The Sins on the River Road Cannot Be Erased
How did a tiny industrial hub in Louisiana find itself at the center of America’s culture war? For St. John the Baptist Parish, the history is much deeper—and the costs of one age are stacked on the c...
theringer.com
Wrote about a parish in Louisiana’s “Cancer Alley” called St. John the Baptist. It’s spent the last year caught in the middle of the culture war, but has been breaking and fueling hearts for centuries. www.theringer.com/2026/01/21/f...
The Sins on the River Road Cannot Be Erased
How did a tiny industrial hub in Louisiana find itself at the center of America’s culture war? For St. John the Baptist Parish, the history is much deeper—and the costs of one age are stacked on the c...
theringer.com
The Ringer is a weird website (complimentary) that publishes great sports pieces, weird pop culture lists j am too old to get, and long form reported features on environmental racism with gorgeous prose (so far, halfway through! Anything could happen) from @tribecalledlex.bsky.social
The Sins on the River Road Cannot Be Erased
How did a tiny industrial hub in Louisiana find itself at the center of America’s culture war? For St. John the Baptist Parish, the history is much deeper—and the costs of one age are stacked on the c...
theringer.com
Hanif Abdurraqib has curated an extraordinary collection showcasing incredible feats and diverse perspectives across the world of sports. We're honored to announce this year's featured writers! Pre-order The Year's Best Sports Writing 2025 today: buff.ly/7gs9meT
MLB is celebrating Jackie Robinson on the field. Off the field, it’s placating a president who wants to dismantle everything Jackie stood for. @tribecalledlex.bsky.social on the Dodgers’ White House visit, DEI and Trumpism, and Jackie’s legacy: www.theringer.com/2025/04/15/m...
Jackie Robinson Would Be Appalled
As baseball gets set to celebrate the trailblazer’s legacy, it’s also placating a president who wants to dismantle everything Jackie stood for
theringer.com
