For the fourth year in a row, Jim Richardson has dominated the top of the charts. He has authored four of the five most read Saturday Essays of 2024.

At the end of each year we take a peak at the Google Analytics stats to see who is winning the literary popularity contest. Since 2020, Richardon’s essays have landed in 17 of the 25 top-five slots. As we’ve said before, “It makes sense, because he’s Lake Superior Aquaman. Superheroes get all the clicks.”

Before digging into the 2024 countdown, here’s the standard paragraph that spells out for the uninitiated how the “Saturday Essay” feature works:

PDD publishes an essay on most Saturdays — like, more than half of them anyway. Yours truly, Paul Lundgren, is the editor. A small group of writers are featured somewhat regularly, but anyone is welcome and encouraged to submit a piece for consideration. Of the 357 essays published so far, 49 different writers have been featured. We’re always looking to expand that roster, so anyone who has an original piece of literary excellence that seems to fit (or appropriately defy) the established format should email paul @ perfectduluthday.com for consideration.

And now, let the countdown begin …

#1: Jim Richardson’s “R.I.P. Burly Burlesque”
… in which the author eulogizes the late Ben Larson of Crew Jones and Southwire fame.

#2: Jim Richardson’s “Jesus Christ Meets Bob Dylan in a Hotel Room in Tucson, 1978”
… in which a plan to record three gospel albums is hatched.

#3: Jim Richardson’s “Attention Billionaires: Get Bent”
… in which the urine strikes the breakfast cereal and splatters in all directions.

#4: Jim Richardson’s “Build a Goddamn Bob Dylan Statue Already”
… in which the author asks why Duluth can’t have nice things.

#5: Eric Chandler’s “Remember Watson”
… in which a group of friends climb Mt. Elbert before their story even begins.

So there are the goods. Read or reread and enjoy. We’ll be back with new works of literary splendor in 2025 — the 10th year of the Saturday Essay.