1. The ‘real Lord of the Flies’: a survivor’s story of shipwreck and salvation
‘When they returned to Tonga, the boys were imprisoned – the boat they had taken more than a year previously was stolen and the boat’s owner decided to press charges – and it was Warner who helped to secure their release. He discovered they had been locked up when, after returning them to Nuku‘alofa, they had not shown up on his boat for a party he was throwing in their honour.’
2. Faithless electors: US supreme court to weigh role of electoral college members
‘Unlike direct democracies, US presidents are not elected by the popular vote of the people. Instead, they are selected by 538 members of the electoral college – electors as they are known – who are in turn selected by political parties in each state. That anomaly led to the victory of Trump by 306 electoral votes to 232 for Clinton, even though she attracted the support of almost 3 million more Americans in the popular vote.’
3. English youth rugby’s obsession with size stunts the progress of talent
‘Last week we highlighted the problem of England’s wasted rugby youth and wondered if the topic might chime with a few people. The ensuing days have been revealing and hugely instructive: messages have cascaded in from former internationals, from schoolboy coaches and from concerned parents alike, many raising more stark questions for those in charge of developing young players.’
4. Melissa Leong on MasterChef, diversity and tabloids: ‘I will never, ever let this stuff shake me’
‘These episodes are yet to air, but Leong – a food writer – is already being noticed for her inventive way with words. Social media is regularly flooded with praise for her evocative descriptions of food, her passion and style, and her “human decency”. At a time when Australians are craving familiarity and normalcy, it’s Leong – one of the newer parts of MasterChef Australia – who is providing the most comfort.’
5. Noise and smoke: how Silverstone gave F1 blastoff 70 years ago
‘The race lasted for almost two and a quarter hours over 70 laps and was dominated by the “Alfetta” Alfa Romeo 158s that ruled the era. Alfa, whose cars had been driven to Silverstone illegally on public roads from Banbury, had a formidable lineup in Giuseppe Farina, Juan Manuel Fangio and Luigi Fagioli, with the Briton Reg Parnell as their fourth driver.’
6. Nova Scotia shooting: ex-neighbours say they warned police about gunman
‘Former neighbours of the gunman who killed 22 people in Canada’s worst shooting have said they warned police he was violent and had a collection of illegal firearms – but that little action was taken by authorities.’
7. Death of five surfers in storm shocks Netherlands
‘The group of men, aged between 22 and 38, were among 10 surfers and swimmers who took to the water in Scheveningen on Monday evening in heavy weather that generated a thick layer of sea foam and hampered rescue efforts.’
8. My favourite film aged 12: Mrs Doubtfire
‘I watched Mrs Doubtfire one Saturday in 1994 on a battered paisley sofa in our living room. I watched it again the next morning before we had to return it. Then I saved up and bought my own VHS with my pocket money, and watched it again. I started secondary school. I watched it again. My parents got divorced. I watched it again.’
9. The 100 greatest UK No 1s: No 18, Ian Dury and the Blockheads – Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick
‘With its distinctive 16-notes-to-the-bar bassline and unashamedly honky sax solo (played on two saxes at once), Ian Dury and the Blockheads’ signature hit was certainly one of the more idiosyncratic No 1s of the 1970s. The same could be said of their inimitable frontman, who exemplified the post-punk era’s particular ability to allow unlikely and extraordinary characters to infiltrate the mainstream.’
10. Baby born during Kabul hospital attack survived, charity says
‘As gunmen rampaged through a Kabul maternity hospital on Tuesday, shooting new mothers, pregnant women and nurses, labour continued despite the slaughter, with one baby born during the attack, a charity has said.’
How we create the antidote
Every day we measure not only how many people click on individual stories but also how long they spend reading them. This list is created by comparing the attention time with the length of each article, to come up with a ranking for the stories people read most deeply.
