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Home›Topics›Personal

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Personal

733 articles, 189 rated

The best personal articles and essays on the internet, ranked and collected by readers on ponder.

Trending

Surviving What I Can’t Forgive

Writer Grace Spulak became a foster parent because she believed in second chances. Then the 17-year-old she took in attacked her after running away. Now she’s struggling to get back there.

Grace Spulak·The Cut·September 20269.4(5)

(7)

Surviving What I Can’t Forgive

"Cat Person" and Me

"Cat Person" and Me

Alexis Nowicki·Slate·July 2021

3.0(1)

Promethea Unbound

Promethea Unbound

Mike Mariani·The Atavist Magazine·October 2017

9.3(3)(1)

The Best American Essays

The year’s best, collected annually. Pick up a volume:

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Newest

They Fled Trump’s America. Now They Regret It

They Fled Trump’s America. Now They Regret It

Sarah Manavis·Wired·October 2026

5.0(1)

The Danger of Getting Too Close to a Source

All Articles & Essays

Top Rated Most Read Most Recent Oldest A–Z

The Reckoning

The Reckoning

Andrew Solomon·The New Yorker·March 2014

10.0(5)

Forever Young

Forever Young

William Dettloff·Pacific Standard·May 2015

10.0(1)(1)

The Danger of Getting Too Close to a Source

Bob Woodward·The New Yorker·October 2026

0.0

My Education on the Border of the Syrian War

My Education on the Border of the Syrian War

Ben Taub·The New Yorker·October 2026

0.0

The confusing psychology of Megyn Kelly

The confusing psychology of Megyn Kelly

Holly Baxter·The Independent·October 2026

0.0

My Second Child Is Perfect. He Ruined My Life

My Second Child Is Perfect. He Ruined My Life

Zach Baron&Louis Heilbronn·GQ·October 2026

1.0(1)

(1)

How AI replaced me

How AI replaced me

Stephanie Uchino-Beach·Oakland Review of Books·October 2026

0.0

The Image of the Great Flood That Stuck With Me: Caskets Floating Away

The Image of the Great Flood That Stuck With Me: Caskets Floating Away

Isabel Wilkerson·The New York Times·October 2026

0.0

(1)

These Women Were Trying to Escape Domestic Abuse. ICE Detained Them Instead.

These Women Were Trying to Escape Domestic Abuse. ICE Detained Them Instead.

Melissa Sanchez&Anna Clark&Antoine Maillard·ProPublica·October 2026

0.0

(8)

As My Wife Was Dying of Cancer, My Best Friend Moved In to Help. He Changed Everything.

As My Wife Was Dying of Cancer, My Best Friend Moved In to Help. He Changed Everything.

Matthew Teague·Esquire·May 2015

10.0(2)

(2)

Sixteen Failed Attempts to Write a Eulogy for my Father

Sixteen Failed Attempts to Write a Eulogy for my Father

Jude Doyle·The Jude Doyle Newsletter Experience·August 2024

10.0(2)

(2)

In Memory of Nicole Brown Simpson

In Memory of Nicole Brown Simpson

Andrea Dworkin·Evergreen Review·June 1994

10.0(1)

(3)

The Day I Bet Against God And Lost A $30 Million Lottery Jackpot

The Day I Bet Against God And Lost A $30 Million Lottery Jackpot

Jeff Edelstein·Lottery Geeks·December 2024

10.0(1)

Forever Young

Forever Young

William Dettloff·Pacific Standard·May 2015

10.0(1)

(1)

My Dad's Friendship With Charles Barkley

My Dad's Friendship With Charles Barkley

Shirley Wang·WBUR·December 2018

10.0(1)

My Dinner with Ali

My Dinner with Ali

Davis Miller·The Louisville Courier-Journal·January 1989

10.0(1)

(1)

When Everyday Sound Becomes Torture

When Everyday Sound Becomes Torture

Joyce Cohen·BuzzFeed·March 2013

10.0(1)

The High Is Always the Pain and the Pain Is Always the High

The High Is Always the Pain and the Pain Is Always the High

Jay Kang·The Morning News·October 2010

10.0(1)

I'm Kenyan. I Don't Write Like ChatGPT. ChatGPT Writes Like Me.

I'm Kenyan. I Don't Write Like ChatGPT. ChatGPT Writes Like Me.

Marcus Olang'·this man's mind·July 2025

10.0(1)

(1)

The body and the poem and the demon all walk into a bar

The body and the poem and the demon all walk into a bar

Helen Hindpere·Substack·October 2023

10.0(1)

(1)

A Night Living in Penn Station

A Night Living in Penn Station

Anand Giridharadas·The New Yorker·September 2026

10.0(1)

(5)

Laugh, Kookaburra

Laugh, Kookaburra

David Sedaris·The New Yorker·August 2009

10.0(1)

Derek Boogaard: A Boy Learns to Brawl

Derek Boogaard: A Boy Learns to Brawl

John Branch·The New York Times·December 2011

10.0(1)

(1)

Spalding Gray’s Catastrophe

Spalding Gray’s Catastrophe

Oliver Sacks·The New Yorker·April 2015

10.0(1)

(4)

The Art of the Impersonal Essay

The Art of the Impersonal Essay

Zadie Smith·The New Yorker·September 2025

10.0(1)

(3)

Suleika Jaouad’s Art of Survival

Suleika Jaouad’s Art of Survival

Jennifer Senior·The Atlantic·May 2024

10.0(1)

(1)

VISUAL MEDITATION

VISUAL MEDITATION

Paul G. Chandler·Paul G. Chandler·May 2025

10.0(1)

Mother, Stranger

Mother, Stranger

Cris Beam·The Atavist Magazine·January 2012

10.0(1)

(3)

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