The best of British longform —5 February 2016

The five best stories we’ve read this week

Any we’ve missed? Tweet us with your favourites at @Queue_Reads or email us at editors@thequeue.co.uk.

Escape from Isis

Erika Solomon, The Financial Times Magazine, 29 January

Bartered and bought, the Yazidi women are the forgotten victims of Islamic State’s terrorising rise. 5,000 of them became ISIS’s spoils of war in 2014 — and Erika Solomon tells the harrowing, heartbreaking story of two women who managed to flee.

18 minutes to change the world

Samantha Weinberg, Intelligent Life, January/February 2016

TED talks have become the symposia of the 21st century. But can you distil useful, learnable knowledge into an 18-minute Powerpoint presentation? Samantha Weinberg gives a TED talk in Iran, and learns about the benefits of the slick educational site.

Why did two parents murder their adopted child?

Giles Tremlett, The Guardian, 2 February

A Spanish family adopt a Chinese girl. Their life is idyllic, well-monied and well-educated. But then the girl begins missing school; she complains about being drugged. And a family falls apart, lies unspooling.

The Bouvier Affair

Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 8 & 15 February

The art world runs on discretion, but unscrupulous — or simply canny — dealers can capitalise. One oligarch gets swindled out of a small fortune in this tall tale.

Last boat to St Helena

Matthew Engel, The Financial Times Magazine, 29 January

St Helena is one of the world’s most remote islands, accessible by regular boats. But plans are afoot to build an airport. Matthew Engel visits the island to find out whether it’s welcomed, or people are wary.