1. The Man With the Golden Airline Ticket
Story by Caroline Rothstein
My dad was one of the only people with a good-for-life, go-anywhere American Airlines pass. Then they took it away.
2. The Curious Case of the Socialite Who Sterilized Her Daughter
Story by Audrey Clare Farley
Did Maryon Cooper Hewitt want to suppress “bad genes” or steal her child’s inheritance?
3. The Curse of the Ship of Gold
Story by Dylan Taylor-Lehman
How a brilliant scientist went from discovering a mother lode of treasure at the bottom of the sea to fleeing from authorities with suitcases full of cash.
4. The Real Story of Black Martha’s Vineyard
Story by Genelle Levy
Beyond the beautiful beaches and glitzy galas, Oak Bluffs is a complex community that elite families, working-class locals and social-climbing summerers all claim as their own.
5. America’s Next Top Male Model Wears a Size XXXXL
Story by Jordan Daniels
Ady del Valle grew up idolizing the fashion industry, but never saw anyone in it who looked like him. He decided to change that.
6. The Plot Against the Principality of Sealand
Story by Dylan Taylor-Lehman
How the world’s quirkiest micro-nation got pulled into one of history’s most epic intercontinental frauds.
7. Confessions of a Professional Fake Shopper
Story by Sam Dunnington
When desperate storeowners want to convince passersby to stop in, they hire fun, happy people to pose as shoppers. They’re actually out-of-work actors, retirees, and me.
8. The Rapid Rise and Sudden Fall of a Kratom Kingpin
Story by Evan Haddad
He built at $60,000-a-month business selling opioid alternatives out of his apartment. His clients say he saves lives. The government wants to shut him down.
9. My Secret Life as a Mysterious Multimillionaire’s Personal Assistant
Story by DW McKinney
It started with a simple Craigslist ad. Before long I was being sent on sketchy tasks, pocketing wads of cash, and trying not to think about where his money came from.
10. The Portly Victorian Undertaker Who Launched the World’s First Low-Carb Craze
Story by Betsy Golden Kellem
William Banting tried every 19th century weight-loss fad, from caustic laxatives to vapor shampoos. Polite society was shocked when he unveiled the method that finally worked.
Want more “Best of Narratively” for 2019? Check out this year’s Editors’ Picks.
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