Topic: Personal essays

(Getty Images)

Delicious (low heat) fried chicken

Bex Brian
(Getty Images)

Romancing Christmas

Lucian K. Truscott IV
A photo of the author (lower right), covering Chris Christie's visit to Mexico City, Sept. 4, 2014. (AP/Rebecca Blackwell)

Twin campaigns

Heather Haddon
(Sarah Walker)

Ryan O'Connell's "I'm Special"

Jenny Kutner

Great literary essays of 2014

Laura Miller
Meghan Daum (meghandaum.com/David Zaugh)

Meghan Daum won't apologize

Lydia Kiesling
(<a href='http://www.shutterstock.com/gallery-482764p1.html'>luckyraccoon</a> via <a href='http://www.shutterstock.com/'>Shutterstock</a>)

L. Pham - Full Stop
Paula and her son Cody in POV Documentary "Neurotypical" (Courtesy of Neurotypical)

Autism and the rest of us

Andrew O'Hehir
Wilson Pickett plays at the Acura stage at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival on Friday, May 4, 2001, in New Orleans. (AP/Douglas Mason)

Patrick Wensink - The Weeklings

Remembering Brando (2000-2013)

Ken Foster
(<a href='http://www.shutterstock.com/gallery-334180p1.html'>Gelpi</a>, <a href='http://www.shutterstock.com/gallery-64885p1.html'>Cheryl E. Davis</a> via <a href='http://www.shutterstock.com/'>Shutterstock</a>/Salon)

Keep your comments off my baby

Kate Fridkis
(<a href='http://www.shutterstock.com/gallery-841159p1.html'>refleXtions</a> via <a href='http://www.shutterstock.com/'>Shutterstock</a>)

Never show them your back

Sarah Hepola