Novel looks at the wacky US, composed by an American doctor
Get my free weekly newsletter, The Friday Mix
Latest Articles

The Best Polish Restaurant in Buffalo
What should we expect from the books we read anyway? The Best Polish Restaurant in Buffalo had me asking that

Are These Your Places of Tourism?
You’ve worked hard. Now, politics and tariffs aside, it’s time to make your list of places of tourism. First, you

Rebranding Rochester
After years of writing about this place, I’ve realized that there’s only one way of successfully rebranding Rochester (the one

WNBA Cities by Population
In Connecticut, where I grew up, watching women’s basketball is a way of life. Thanks to Caitlin Clark, the rest

Lisbon: Just Not the One You’re Thinking About
I just went to Lisbon, the one you are thinking about. I walked the narrow streets, climbed the endless hills,

The Most Confusing Weekend of My Life
I’m still thinking about that confusing weekend because, well, how could I not be? It all started with a short

What Is a Primate City?
I stand firmly against the primate city. The good news, as you’ll see, is that I don’t live with one.

What Is a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)?
In the US, cities are nothing without metropolitan areas, and metropolitan areas are defined by their anchor cities. In other

What the Heck Is the Third Chapter?!
The best part of being a writer is that you can make stuff up, even when it’s real. That’s why

Syracuse: Is There Actually Hope?!
First impressions, when suboptimal, can be the nail in the tourism coffin. Such was the fate of Syracuse when I,

The Best Polish Restaurant in Buffalo
What should we expect from the books we read anyway? The Best Polish Restaurant in Buffalo had me asking that

Are These Your Places of Tourism?
You’ve worked hard. Now, politics and tariffs aside, it’s time to make your list of places of tourism. First, you

Rebranding Rochester
After years of writing about this place, I’ve realized that there’s only one way of successfully rebranding Rochester (the one

WNBA Cities by Population
In Connecticut, where I grew up, watching women’s basketball is a way of life. Thanks to Caitlin Clark, the rest

Lisbon: Just Not the One You’re Thinking About
I just went to Lisbon, the one you are thinking about. I walked the narrow streets, climbed the endless hills,

The Most Confusing Weekend of My Life
I’m still thinking about that confusing weekend because, well, how could I not be? It all started with a short

What Is a Primate City?
I stand firmly against the primate city. The good news, as you’ll see, is that I don’t live with one.

What Is a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)?
In the US, cities are nothing without metropolitan areas, and metropolitan areas are defined by their anchor cities. In other

What the Heck Is the Third Chapter?!
The best part of being a writer is that you can make stuff up, even when it’s real. That’s why

Syracuse: Is There Actually Hope?!
First impressions, when suboptimal, can be the nail in the tourism coffin. Such was the fate of Syracuse when I,