Lunch Break Reads: October 16, 2025

Today’s lineup covers the full spectrum, from the darkest corners of power to the quiet beauty of failure and forgotten places. Vanity Fair shares a heartbreaking excerpt from Virginia Roberts Giuffre’s memoir, recounting how she was first drawn into Jeffrey Epstein’s orbit at Mar-a-Lago. From there, we head west, where one man has spent forty years trying—and failing—to kill an elk, and learned something profound in the process.

Also on deck: a lament for the lost art of industrial design, a journey through a Texas ghost town being reborn, and, in case you missed it, a reminder that your protein shake might come with a side of lead.

Grab your lunch, settle in, and let’s read.

Happy reading,
Brett

Virginia Roberts Giuffre’s Memoir Reveals How Ghislaine Maxwell Found the Teen at Mar-a-Lago and Sent Her to Jeffrey Epstein

Before she died by suicide earlier this year, Virginia Roberts Giuffre wrote Nobody’s Girl, a devastating memoir of her abuse, including at the hands of Jeffrey Epstein. This excerpt is her account of meeting Ghislaine Maxwell at Mar-a-Lago, and the life-altering ramifications of that encounter.

www.vanityfair.com/news/story/virginia-giuffre-memoir-maralago-ghislaine-epstein#intcid=_vanity-fair-right-rail_a3d2a8cc-6e59-4611-9a63-6b2f69f55677_popular4-2

40 Years, Zero Kills. We Spent a Weekend with Colorado's Least-Successful Elk Hunter.

Meet Carl Cocchiarella, Colorado’s least-successful elk hunter. After four decades of near misses, he’s learned that killing an animal isn’t the best part of a hunt.

www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/environment/colorado-loneliest-hunter

The Death Of Industrial Design And The Era Of Dull Electronics

It’s often said that what’s inside matters more than one’s looks, but it’s hard to argue that a product’s looks and its physical user experience are what makes it inst…

hackaday.com/2025/07/23/the-death-of-industrial-design-and-the-era-of-dull-electronics

The Quest to Resurrect a Texas Ghost Town

A journey to find a true ghost town reveals vanishing histories and locals working to bring them back to life

texashighways.com/travel/the-quest-to-resurrect-a-ghost-town

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Protein Powders and Shakes Contain High Levels of Lead - Consumer Reports

A lot of people were shocked by this reporting earlier this week. Re-upping it for anyone who missed it.

www.consumerreports.org/lead/protein-powders-and-shakes-contain-high-levels-of-lead-a4206364640

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Lunch Break Reads: October 16, 2025

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