Look back: Briefreads' 2010 brief reads

Here's a look back at our top brief reads lists of 2010!

Matt

"Dear Mr. President," by Eli Saslow, Washington Post, March 31
Clocking in at just under 3000 words (in other words just brief enough to be a brief read),Eli Saslow writes about Jennifer Cline who writes a letter to President Obama and receives a reply. The story weaves in a narratives about the 20,000 letters and emails Obama receives per day and the channels they must go through for somebody to receive a reply. Saslow is the best feature/politics writer you've never heard of.

"The last of Leeville: Chances grow slim for a wide spot in the road in La." by Dan Zak, Washington Post, June 18
Dan Zak several excellent stories detailing the way the oil spill ruined businesses and lives. He owned that beat. His final piece de resistance, a feature on the dying coastal town of Leesville, La., captured best the frustrations and sorrows brought on by the Deepwater Horizon leak.

"Lonely, stressed and frustrated: inside the mind of the Pinellas monkey," by Michael Kruse, St. Pete Times, May 16
There's an absurd amount of excellent narrative storytelling in the St. Pete Times, but I went with this monkey-on-the-run story due to its unique subject matter and the way Kruse tells part of the monkey's tale through the monkey's point of view: Scared, alone and freaked out. This could easily have been a kooky offbeat story about a goofy monkey stirring up trouble, but Kruse adds depth to the story.

"A love of story was my Dad's gift to me," by Roy Wenzl, Wichita Eagle, June 20
Sad, sad story that also makes you so appreciative for journalism and superb narrative storytelling."

"A Facebook story: A mother's joy and a family's sorrow," by Ian Shapira, Washington Post, Dec. 9
For its innovation alone this story deserves to be commended. Ian Shapira tells a story through a woman's facebook updates. And - just as Facebook itself is prone to do - this story sucks you in right up until the heartwrenching final post.

"The meaning of family, alternative Thanksgivings and all," by Chris Jones, Esquire, Nov. 24
If you're going to read Chris Jones, of course don't skimp on the his longform (The Things That Carried Him, The Essential Man, etc.), but Jones' new Esquire blog, which muses on just about anything, already seems to have its own cult following. This blog first went viral with a moving post on people-watching and Thanksgiving.

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Eddie

"Oil spill sloshes over spirits at waterside Mississippi restaurant" by Dan Zak

"A little girl's signature kept by time," by Lane DeGregory

"The Chilean miners," by Tommy Tomlinson

"'Playboy' wasn't in Woody's playbook," by Mike Harden
I met Mike Harden once, this summer. Although he was retired, he wrote columns until he died in October. I only said, "Thank you," for a lunch meeting. Thanks for everything else.

"Politics devolves into blood sport in Philippines," by Chico Harlan
And what didn't make the paper: ("So let's start with the facts, blameless and final.")

-matt