Some critics worry that smartphones and tablet computers will ruin our ability to focus on long form material. To fight this trend, we will have the editors of Longform.org pick an essay for your weekend reading pleasure every week.

For our inaugural post, editors Aaron Lammer and Max Linsky chose “Trapped” by Aron Ralston from the September 2004 issue of Outside magazine.

Here’s more about the article:  “You might remember Aron Ralston’s story. An experienced climber, he was alone in a remote canyon when a boulder shifted and pinned his hand. Nobody knew where he was. Help wasn’t coming. The boulder wasn’t budging. So Ralston was faced with only one option: amputating his own arm. It’s an grizzly, incredible story. And with the movie opening this weekend—127 Hours was directed by Danny Boyle and stars James Franco—it’s worth reading the original version. Here’s Ralston’s first-person account of his six-day ordeal.”