Author

“I’d rather go down in history as one lone Negro who dared to tell the government that it had done a dastardly thing than to save my skin by taking back what I said.”

Why is it so great? I found this quote from the absolutely amazing Ida B. Wells after The New York Times righted an old wrong by publishing her obit —…
March 28, 2018
Amy Padnani on The New York Times' “Overlooked” obituary series

Amy Padnani on The New York Times’ “Overlooked” obituary series

The digital editor of obituaries talks about finally giving women and people of color their due -- and how she's been "blown away" by the reaction
March 27, 2018
In Sicily, an old oral storytelling tradition tries to renew itself in the 21st century

In Sicily, an old oral storytelling tradition tries to renew itself in the 21st century

The once-popular puppet shows, which showcase the Italian island's rich heritage, hopes to win new audiences with modern themes
March 22, 2018

“The Revolutionary Hill Estates had not been designed to accommodate a tragedy.”

This 1961 book has haunted me since I first read it about 15 years ago. Written at the birth of suburbia, and the accompanying conformity of such neighborhoods, it tells…
March 21, 2018
Katharine Seelye and "Life on an Island: Silence, Beauty and a Long Wait for the Ferry"

Katharine Seelye and “Life on an Island: Silence, Beauty and a Long Wait for the Ferry”

In a lyrical New York Times story that resonated with readers, the writer juxtaposes the hardship and the loveliness of winter on a remote Maine island
March 20, 2018
Eva Holland and "Get Schooled in the No-Nonsense Art of Survival"

Eva Holland and “Get Schooled in the No-Nonsense Art of Survival”

Writing for Outside magazine on an "Extreme Polar" camp, she decides to focus on fun -- and wonder -- instead of macho explorer suffering
March 15, 2018

“If I were hauling 600 miles across the Arctic, I’d choose J. for stamina and his uncomplaining nature … “

“If I were hauling 600 miles across the Arctic, I’d choose J. for stamina and his uncomplaining nature; A. for her medical skills and ability to play music; N. because…
March 14, 2018
Writing through a whiteout: David Grann and "The White Darkness"

Writing through a whiteout: David Grann and “The White Darkness”

In his New Yorker piece on an explorer following Shackleton's footsteps in Antarctica, the reporter struggled through his own writing blizzard
March 13, 2018
Syria's "selfie teen" highlights the devastation of war -- and the fog of war

Syria’s “selfie teen” highlights the devastation of war — and the fog of war

The blond, baby-faced 15-year-old has captured international attention with his videos and tweets, but it's hard to piece together the whole story
March 8, 2018

“The American people want someone to articulate their rage for them.”

Why is it so great? I recently watched the movie “Network” again, and it could have been written in 2018 instead of more than 40 years earlier. This line almost…
March 7, 2018