And Now: 31 Notable WIRED Long-Form Stories of 2021

If 2020 was a weird, exhausting year, 2021 was the strange year that came after. But for writers of long-form narratives, weirdness brings opportunity. Strangeness brings stories to the surface—some of them about the ever-present pandemic, some of them bubbling up through the fissures the pandemic opened. This year’s list of standout WIRED features is drawn from readers, who voted with their clicks, and editors, who generally refuse to admit loving any one of their children more than another. Through weird times and not, one thing remains true: We define ourselves by the stories we tell. Herewith, for your holiday-reading delectation, a list of 31 notable long-form pieces from 2021. (Yes, 31. We know: perfectly weird.)