How Astronaut Scott Kelly Wards Off Feelings of Isolation
The pandemic is taking a serious toll on our mental health. Here are a few tips on surviving this crazy...
7 True Stories About Funny Thanksgiving Mishaps
These true stories of snafus past will make you laugh—and breathe a little easier about your own Thanksgiving.
This Biker Was Attacked by a Bear with Only a Pocket Knife to Defend Himself
Alone and pinned under a grizzly, Colin Dowler reached for a pocket...
Incredible Generosity Makes Red Handed Tattoo in Shreveport the Nicest Place in Louisiana
Learn how the owner of one small-town tattoo shop made a big difference.
10 Valuable Items People Have Found by Accident
Ever stumble upon something valuable? It’s an incredible feeling.
A Teacher Told Her Students to Draw What They Were Thankful for—This Was One Student’s Moving ...
As this teacher learned, some of the most moving lessons are taught by students.
My Best Friend Scammed Me Out of $92,000, Forcing Me into Bankruptcy
She swindled me out of $92,000, forcing me into bankruptcy and destroying my once sunny outlook. But I finally...
The Story of the Very First War Dog Platoon
It’s 1943, the Battle of Bougainville. The Americans attacking this South 
Pacific island are outnumbered and outgunned. Their best hope...
7 Powerful Letters from Soldiers on the Front
A collection of war letters, from the Revolution to Iraq, helps us all share in the powerful dreams and...
Fighting COVID-19 and Racial Injustice, Buchanan, Michigan, Is the Nicest Place in America
In 2020, we received a record number 1,177 story submissions to our annual search for the Nicest Places in America...
A Bear Followed Me on a Camping Trip—And We Developed a Real Friendship
The author had heard about wild animals 
that bonded with humans. But this 
seven-foot Goliath had claws that could shred...
This Woman Was Trapped in Her Car on an Embankment for Days Before Concerned Neighbors Found Her
Trapped in her car down an embankment, Corine began to lose hope...
I Was Personally Blamed for the Terrorist Attacks on 9/11—Here’s What Happened
You've heard a whole host of stories about the terrorist attacks on 9/11, but you probably haven't heard this one.
How I Escaped from Cuba in 1969 in the Wheel Well of a Jet
This RD classic from 50 years ago tells the thrilling story of a teen who made
 a daring escape...
A Girl Wrote a Simple Thank You Note to Her Postman and Got Hundreds of Responses
The appreciation delivered by an 11-year-old girl is returned to sender—from grateful postal service employees nationwide.
This Tattoo Artist Helps People with Scars Love Their Body Again
The first fingernail tattoos started off as a joke—but soon he was getting the attention of people from all...
I’m the Only Black Person in My Office, Here’s What I Wish My Coworkers Knew
It can be really uncomfortable and isolating being the only Black person in your office, as this writer knows from...
How I Visited 20 Countries in One Year for $250 a Week
Country-hopping doesn't have to bring you to the brink of broke. You just have to know how to do it.
Here’s How I Survived a Shark Attack
Mike Coots was surfing with his buddies near his home in Kauai when he was attacked by a shark. He...
10 People Who Literally Came Back to Life
Thanks to state of the art medical technology—like defibrillators in nearly every place of business—life after death is more possible...
When 20 Miners Became Stranded in an Elevator Shaft, One Man Transported Them All to Safety
Below the trapped miners was an empty elevator shaft, 2,000 feet deep....
21 Extraordinary Stories of Generosity That Will Stay with You
These acts of kindness—big and small—speak to the generosity of the American spirit.
7 Inventors Who Regretted Their Inventions
What do Labradoodles, Mother’s Day, and emoticons have in common? Their creators rue the day they thought them up.
12 LGBTQ Activists Who Have Changed American History
It's hard to imagine where gay pride would be without the work and efforts of these LGBTQ leaders and countless...
Why It’s So Much Harder for Black Women to Make It in the Fashion World
A Black model explains why increasing diversity doesn’t just help those in the industry—it ensures that all people of color...
8 Hotel Mysteries That Are Still Unsolved
From murders to disappearances, these unsolved mysteries all have hotels in common.
13 True Stories That Show What Happens When You Don’t Social-Distance
Before you dismiss the guidelines as silly or unnecessary, read this.
I Was Isolated for a Year in Antarctica—Here’s What Surprised Me Most When I Came Back
While you may not have been quite this isolated over the last few months, reentry into life after lockdown...
5 Split-Second Decisions People Made That Saved Their Own Lives
Kidnapped at gunpoint? Cornered by a mountain lion? Stranded in a snowstorm? These everyday people saved their own lives with...
