The 10 Most Popular Narratively Stories of 2020
From an around-the-world manhunt to medieval penis investigators, these are the stories our readers were most excited to dive into this year.
It's been a loooooong year and it's safe to say everyone is ready for a little distraction. If you need a break from the news cycle as 2020 comes to a close, curl up with one of our top 10 most-read stories from the past 12 months.
1. The Deadliest Marksman’s Cold, Brave Stand Story by Michael Stahl
Eighty years ago this winter, a freezing Finnish farm boy took aim at the unstoppable Red Army — and became the greatest sharpshooter the world has ever seen.
2. The Distinguished Medieval Penis Investigators Story by Carissa Harris
In fourteenth-century England, one of the only ways a woman could get a divorce was if her husband was impotent. But first, she had to prove it in court.
3. I Quit My Job at 50 to Reinvent Myself. Pro Tip: Don’t Do This. Story by Ivy Eisenberg
My fantasy was to escape from the corporate grind. After a taste of freedom and months of hare-brained schemes, I begged to be captured again.
4. My Father, the QAnon Conspiracy Theorist Story by Reed Ryley Grable
After my parents got divorced, Dad began a slow slide into isolation. Eventually he found consolation in the darkest corners of the web. Can I help him get back out?
5. The (Literally) Unbelievable Story of the Original Fake News Network Story by Sylvia Brindis Snow & Shane Snow
Once upon a time in Guatemala, the CIA hired a cocky American actor and two radio DJs to launch a revolution and oust a president. Their playbook is being used against the U.S. right now.
6. The Pirates of the Highways Story by Dylan Taylor-Lehman
On America’s interstates, brazen bands of thieves steal 18-wheelers filled with computers, cell phones, even toilet paper. And select law enforcement teams are tasked with tracking them down.
7. How the World’s Most Venomous Fish Convinced Me to Stop Working Myself to Death Story by Ali Francis
I spent years practically glued to my computer. Then one heartstopping encounter left me thankful to be alive – and made me realize I wanted to live much differently.
8. America’s Most Flamboyant Private Eye and the 8,000-Mile Manhunt
Story by Dylan Taylor-Lehman
Jay J. Armes is a legendary and controversial Texan investigator with hooks for hands and six decades chasing criminals. This was his most epic murder case ever.
9. Secret Life of a Broke Personal Finance Guru Story by Brianna Bell
Our family was featured in a national newspaper as the picture of fiscal responsibility. A few months later we were drowning in debt, and I realized we were looking at everything dead wrong.
10. My Secret Life as a Personal Assistant to “America’s Most Eligible Man” Story by Joanna Greenberg
He was the former star of an uber-popular reality dating show. I was a feminist lesbian 19-year-old — a.k.a. the least likely person on Earth to become his coach in life and love.