The Top 5 articles of *2024*
Happy New Year!
Dear Friends,
2024 is coming to a close already.
I love putting together our annual end-of-the-year roundup of the best articles. This year, I went back and combed through the analytics and found *your* top five by seeking which ones were clicked the most. They’re ranked in order. Each bonus article is my favorite and Michael’s favorite of the year.
Thanks for sticking with us. Thanks for weathering the ups and downs of our public life with us. We look forward to serving you in 2025.
Happy New Year!
Melissa
The Top 5 articles of 2024
“Rich Inner Life” (Substack)
Because Samuel James over at Digital Liturgies contributes a perspective that sits at the intersection of current debates on “main character syndrome,” the crisis of men, mental illness, and gentle parenting.
“The “Disney adult” industrial complex” (The New Statesman)
Because Amelia Tait explores the pejorative term - “disney adult” - and how this isn’t so much of a phenomenon as it is a marketing outcome that the Disney company has purposefully pursued for decades.
“Lewis Takes Manhattan” (Ad Fontes)
Because Mark Noll looks back on CS Lewis not as he is viewed today, but how he was viewed through his staunchest critics during 20th century America.
“Have the Liberal Arts Gone Conservative?” (The New Yorker)
Because Emma Green writes about the rise of classical schooling in this fascinating essay.
“An American Girlhood in the Ozempic Era” (The Cut)
Because Lisa Miller follows the life of a girl named Maggie in Missouri who is one of the first kids to be put on a GLP-1 drug like Ozempic.
Melissa’s top article:
“God’s Doctors” The Atlantic. Because photographer Matt Eich and journalist Bryce Covert investigate how faith-based nonprofits and volunteers are stepping into the gap providing healthcare to those without financial access across Virginia. This article stayed with me the entire year
Michael’s top article:
“Joe Biden’s Interrupted Presidency” The New York Times. Because Robert Draper is one of the best long-form political writers of his generation, and this profile of Joe Biden is a fitting window into the national political dynamics of the year.
Ummm…Robert Draper’s masterpiece? Let’s see, through that "window," Michael must be seeing a magical land where Biden’s every stumble is a graceful dance move, and every gaffe is a stroke of genius. Draper’s article paints Biden as the wise old sage, valiantly steering the ship of state through turbulent waters, while conveniently glossing over any signs of wear and tear, incompetence, dishonesty, dementia, etc.
Robert Draper’s article is a true testament to Biden’s unparalleled brilliance. Clearly, the man’s occasional lapses in memory are just his way of keeping us all on our toes. And those moments where he seems a bit lost? Pure strategy to lull his opponents into a false sense of security. Draper’s portrayal of Biden as the epitome of presidential excellence is just what we needed to remind us that everything is perfectly fine in the land of make-believe. It’s a nice place to visit, but we certainly can’t live there…
Oh, Michael…how can this be your favorite?