ISSUE 81 · SEPTEMBER 4, 2026

STORIES. ART. WIT. LEISURE.

READING FOR WHEN TIME IS TIGHT.
NO ADS, POP-UPS OR DISTRACTIONS.

SPONSORED BY

WHAT THIS IS

ONE HUNDRED WORDS | 71

COOL HAND FRANK
Artwork: "daisies and dandelions" by Obscure Nonspecifics, all rights reserved.
A serialized thriller told in precise 100-word installments, this tale follows a successful attorney accustomed to control navigating increasingly dangerous threats to his professional and personal worlds.
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PEOPLE WHO DIED: DOLLY PARTON

COOL HAND FRANK
Artwork: “Dolly” by Kirk Stansbury.

JAN. 19, 1946-AUG. 25, 2026
A tribute to Dolly Parton (1946–2026), the country icon whose songwriting, acting, philanthropy and business sense carried her through six decades of American music.
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YOUR CLOTHES HAVE NOWHERE TO GO: FUNCTION AS THE FOUNDATION OF STYLE

EMILY SLEPSKY · ATLANTA, GA.
Artwork: “Glimpse of Her” by ELIKYA Art, all rights reserved.
Why does personal style feel thinner lately? A cultural essay traces fashion's lost function, from trench coats and jeans to the Birkin bag, and asks what happens when outfits only have to survive a photo.
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GRAMMATIC NOISE

EMANUEL (MANI) ISLER · DENVER, COLO.
Photo: "message number two" by Obscure Nonspecifics, all rights reserved.
A humorous personal essay about one writer's compulsive urge to correct every grammar mistake he encounters — even when he knows better. What starts as an ordinary day takes an increasingly absurd turn.
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FEATURED WRITER SELECTIONS

MARIANNA GAVURMADZHYAN · BOSTON, MASS. 4/17/26 MARIANNA GAVURMADZHYAN · BOSTON, MASS. 4/17/26

THE “ART” OF NONCHALANCE

MARIANNA GAVURMADZHYAN · BOSTON, MASS.

This accompanying artwork is the original, protected, and sole property of artist Ray Brilli Fine Art and held under copyright. Ray Brilli Fine Art’s images, artwork, and content on this website and his website may not be copied, collected, or used for personal or professional gain without prior written authorization from him.

Why do people find nonchalance attractive? Explore how social media destroyed mystery and why emotional withholding has become the new currency of cool—and what it costs genuine connection.

EMANUEL (MANI) ISLER · DENVER, COLO. 1/23/26 EMANUEL (MANI) ISLER · DENVER, COLO. 1/23/26

WANNA BET?

EMANUEL (MANI) ISLER · DENVER, COLO.

This accompanying artwork is the original, protected, and sole property of artist Marilyn Binder Silverman and held under copyright. Marilyn Binder Silverman’s images, artwork, and content on this website and her website may not be copied, collected, or used for personal or professional gain without written authorization from her.

Sports used to sell beer and razors. Now they sell the promise of easy money. A witty personal essay on gambling’s grip on modern culture.

ALYSE ANDREE · NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. 10/17/25 ALYSE ANDREE · NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. 10/17/25

“WE WERE TOGETHER”

ALYSE ANDREE · NEW YORK CITY, N.Y.

Artwork: “four flowers” by Kirk Stansbury.

In a drought-ravaged California village, four teenage girls cling to memory, survival, and each other. "We Were Together" is a haunting story of friendship, loss, and fragile hope at the end of the world.

EMILY SLEPSKY · ATLANTA, GA. 9/26/25 EMILY SLEPSKY · ATLANTA, GA. 9/26/25

WHEN LOVING THE SEASON BECOMES A LITTLE UNHINGED

EMILY SLEPSKY · ATLANTA, GA.

A witty take on fall obsession, from Pinterest craft fails and pumpkin spice chardonnay runs to sweater martyrdom in 85-degree heat.

JASON ROGERS · KENNESAW, GA. 1/17/25 JASON ROGERS · KENNESAW, GA. 1/17/25

IT’S A VINYL WORLD, AND I LIVE IN IT

JASON ROGERS · KENNESAW, GA.

Artwork: "GOSPEL LIGHT" by Kirk Stansbury.

A personal journey from compact discs to vinyl obsession—finding Holy Grails, making friends in record stores, and discovering the joy of truly listening to music.

ARTIST GALLERY PREVIEW