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Nicholas Schmidle

Nicholas Schmidle has written for The New Yorker since 2011. His most recent book is “ Test Gods: Virgin Galactic and the Making of a Modern Astronaut.”

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7 picks · 2011–2018

Featured Picks

Virgin Galactic’s Rocket Man
a reporter at large ·

Nicholas Schmidle writes about the ace pilot risking his life to fulfill Richard Branson’s billion-dollar quest to make commercial space travel a reality.

Ten Borders
a reporter at large ·

Nicholas Schmidle on the seven-thousand mile journey of a Syrian refugee to seek asylum in Sweden.

Crime Fiction
a reporter at large ·

Nicholas Schmidle on the case of Tyrone Hood, who is in prison for the 1993 murder of Marshall Morgan and has always maintained his innocence. Did the Chicago police coerce witnesses into pinpointing the wrong man for homicide—allowing a serial killer to commit more murders?

A Very Rare Book
a reporter at large ·

The mystery surrounding a copy of Galileo’s pivotal treatise.

In the Crosshairs
a reporter at large ·

Nicholas Schmidle writes about the military career and murder of Chris Kyle, a decorated sniper who was shot by a troubled veteran he took under his wing.

Disarming Viktor Bout
a reporter at large ·

The rise and fall of the world’s most notorious weapons trafficker.

Getting Bin Laden
a reporter at large ·

What happened that night in Abbottabad.