Small Gems
Websites that track newspapers' most popular stories show that readers like nicely written columns that set up intriguing situations and then implicitly ask, "How would you react if that happened to you?" For example, in "Brazen Meets Kind in a Courtroom," Colleen Jenkins of the St. Petersburg Times presents a tightly written account of a brief encounter between a thief and her victim. Jenkins' story quickly builds dramatic tension, then releases the tension in a surprising climax.
In "Delle Donne's Blind Sister Is the Family MVP," Jeff Jacobs of the Hartford Courant shows how a young basketball star's lifelong devotion to her handicapped sister has put her own talents into perspective. This column does not build to a dramatic climax, but offers a heartwarming story that transcends the sports pages.
Are there other small gems that you would recommend?
http://www.sptimes.com/2007/10/16/Hillsborough/Brazen_meets_kind_in_.shtml
http://www.courant.com/sports/hc-jeffcol1012.artoct12,0,1500613,full.column