Author

“Why’s this so good?” No. 26: Moehringer KO's a mystery

“Why’s this so good?” No. 26: Moehringer KO's a mystery

The hell with my lede. Let’s start with his:I’m sitting in a hotel room in Columbus, Ohio, waiting for a call from a man who doesn’t trust me, hoping he’ll…

Nieman Storyboard's top 10 posts for 2011

During the last days of December, we’ve been tweeting down Storyboard’s top 10 posts for the year. In case you haven't been following along, here they are, all in one…
“Why’s this so good?” No. 25: Nick Paumgarten’s tower of terror

“Why’s this so good?” No. 25: Nick Paumgarten’s tower of terror

A few days ago I stepped onto an elevator, heading out for an afternoon coffee. The repairman was there, his tools spread out on the floor. Come on in, he…
December Editors’ Roundtable: Vanity Fair on U.S. money trouble

December Editors’ Roundtable: Vanity Fair on U.S. money trouble

Our last Roundtable of 2011 considers “California and Bust,” in which superstar business reporter Michael Lewis turns his keen eye away from analyzing European financial problems, looking instead toward the…
When journalists become authors: a few cautionary tips

When journalists become authors: a few cautionary tips

There's long-form narrative, and then there's book-length narrative. Both are "long," but a story that's 300 pages long is a different proposition, for both writer and reader, from one that's…

When I write the book: Nieman Reports on journalists who wrestle with long long-form

The Winter issue of Nieman Reports, with the theme “Writing the Book,” is now online. It includes contributions from digital publishers, narrative writers, and a passel of journalists who have…
“Why’s this so good?” No. 24: Gay Talese on Joe DiMaggio

“Why’s this so good?” No. 24: Gay Talese on Joe DiMaggio

“Do you know how George Washington died?” my girlfriend asked one evening last week. I was busy working on this piece, and in truth, I had no idea. Because after he…

Elegy for an enforcer

If you’ve been on the New York Times’ website at all this week, or even the Internet, chances are you’ve seen or heard something about our latest Notable Narrative, “Punched…
“Why’s this so good?” No. 23: William Langewiesche’s voice of experience

“Why’s this so good?” No. 23: William Langewiesche’s voice of experience

I’ve never met William Langewiesche, and I don’t know many of his secrets, but I know he and I have at least one thing in common: We’re guided by the…
Gay Talese has a Coke*: reflections of a narrative legend, in conversation with Esquire's Chris Jones

Gay Talese has a Coke*: reflections of a narrative legend, in conversation with Esquire’s Chris Jones

Continuing the Nieman Foundation narrative writing speaker series set up by Paige Williams, journalism legend Gay Talese appeared on campus two weeks ago in conversation with Esquire’s Chris Jones. The Harvard…