What Everybody Gets Wrong About Nancy Pelosi (Review #2)
Molly Ball’s biography of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi explores the pride the San Francisco Democrat takes in her profession and achievements without reckoning with its downsides. Read more
Home » Journalism »
Journalism
Interviewing the Little People is Underrated
Many journalists act as if access to the Great Man or Woman is everything. This is a mistake. Reporters can write great stuff by talking with ordinary people. Just ask Gay Talese, who wrote one of the most celebrated articles in American history. Read more
A Modest Proposal to Renew the Nonfiction World
The nonfiction world has become stale and tired; decadent you might say. Here is a modest proposal to reinvigorate and renew it. Read more
How to Write about a Trump-like Leader
Writing about a divisive political leader like former President Trump is possible. Witness David Brinkley’s under-recognized essay on the infamous labor leader Jimmy Hoffa. Read more
How to Develop a Genius Writing Skill: Using Objects as Symbols
The TV show “Better Call Saul” uses a powerful literary technique: presenting objects as not only things in themselves but also as symbols. While rarely discussed, this novelistic device can make your writing stand out. Read more
Reversing Roe v. Wade Would Be More Popular than You Think
Any fair-minded parsing of poll results and statistics shows support for overturning Roe v. Wade would be a lot more popular than media outlets would have us believe. Read more
For Writer’s Block, Take Two Treatments
The root of writer’s block is organizational rather than romantic. Some writers imagine themselves as uniquely tortured souls, like Prometheus chained to a rock while an eagle devoured his liver every day. The reality is, they are poor administrators. They lack a reliable technique to produce good first drafts. Read more
Did Ronan Farrow Miss Out on Taking Down NBC News?
Mr. Farrow shone a light into a dark corner of a household American institution, NBC News, which, by all accounts, had a deplorable workplace culture where young women were targeted sexually. His fortitude is to his eternal credit. If only he had shown more fairness toward his former employer, the light might still be on it. Read more
Give a Devil Her Due: “Bad Blood” on Theranos’ Elizabeth Holmes
Author John Carreyrou’s fairness toward Elizabeth Holmes is the defining feature of “Bad Blood.” It raises the stakes. The story is more than that of a corporate crook and fraudster. It’s also the story of a young woman who could have done good but did bad instead. Read more
The Adult Amid the Hippies: Why You Should Read Joan Didion’s Early Essays
To anyone curious which of Joan Didion’s books you should start reading, I recommend her first two collections of essays, not only for their style but also their insight into a cultural and civic problem Americans face today. Read more