Readbug 1st Birthday - Our top 10 stories from year one

Our independent magazines regularly serve up incredible articles, but some seem to particularly strike a chord. Here are 10 of the most popular from our first year.

Harnaam Kaur photographed here by Heather Shuker for Things & Ink.

This first person tale from Harnaam Kaur, a Slough teaching assistant, was an instant addition to our list. She talks about a childhood of bullying and self-harm, but is now a body confidence activist. A top read.

This article was originally featured in Things & Ink.

Is it a bird? Fellow cyclists stare at Richie T’s 20ft tall bike.

2. Closer to the sky

In the cycling world the ‘tall bike’ is yesterday’s news. Richie T realised this and really raised the bar. Here he shows off his 20ft tall masterpiece, ‘Stoopidtaller’.

This article was originally featured in Boneshaker.

Ethiopia’s Samburu warriors survey the plains of the Rift Valley, photographed by Jimmy Nelson.

3. Vanishing cultures

Jimmy Nelson spent three years documenting some of the world’s most remote cultures. You’ll have seen his pictures in numerous mags, but here he talks to Sidetracked about his experiences.

This article was originally featured in Sidetracked.

If walls could talk. Shamsia Hassani is painting over the cracks in Afghanistan.

4. Women, war, and walls

Meet Shamsia Hassani. She’s Afghanistan’s first female graffiti artist. She hopes her street art will mask the memories of war etched into the walls of Kabul.

This article was originally featured in Ours.

A Cuban woman enjoys one of the local delicacies, photographed by Jose Villa.

5. Discovering Cuba

For American Jose Villa, Cuba has a extra special appeal. Here he documents the undiscovered country, and the people who make it tick.

This article was originally featured in Hearth.

Raleigh Ritchie photographed for issue 9 of Boys By Girls by editor Cecilie Harris.

6. Raleigh Ritchie

Game of Thrones star and musician Raleigh Ritchie gets the Boys By Girls treatment. He opens up about life on set, songwriting and obviously styles out a fantastic photo shoot with BBG editor, Cecilie.

This article was originally featured in Boys By Girls.

Posdnous, Dave and Maseo of De La Soul, featured in issue 10 of Bonafide.

7. De la Soul never dies

Having penned one of hip hop’s all-time classic albums, 1989’s 3 Feet High and Rising, De la Soul are back and crowdfunding a new record. Bonafide track the early day’s of these three, self-confessed ‘nerdy kids’.

This article was originally featured in Bonafide.

This ponyskin jacket with Impala horns featured in McQueen’s A/W97 collection.

8. McQueen (AnOther)

Susannah Frankel knows Alexander McQueen better than most. Here she recounts some of their most revealing conversations alongside some of his more interesting designs.

This article was originally featured in AnOther.

The residents of his hometown, Calcutta, are the subjects of work by Avijit Halder.

9. Avijit Halder, The red light kid

Having been born in a brothel in Calcutta to a heroin addict father, an unlikely friendship with a photographer enabled Avijit Halder to discover a very different life.

This article was originally featured in Huck.

Blind football legend Silvio Velo features in issue 10 of The Blizzard.

10. Golden vision

Meet a footballer who has won two World Cups but has never seen a ball. When he plays there are no cheers from the stands. The Blizzard meet Silvio Velo, Argentinian’s 5-a-side blind football captain.

This article was originally featured in The Blizzard.

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