Novel looks at the Rust Belt, composed by an American doctor
Get my free weekly newsletter, The Friday Mix
Latest Articles
Why Lebron James Chose Syracuse
Lebron James, by text, is a very candid man. The following thread has been abridged for the sake of brevity.*
What Parenting Taught Me About the Rust Belt
I’m no parenting guru. In fact, about a decade from now, I’ll find out how I f****d it up royally.
I Hate You IKEA—but Thank You
Nostalgia, they say, comes with rose-colored glasses. But in the case of IKEA, it can also come with nausea—and not
How The Odyssey Saved Rochester, NY
You know The Odyssey—that Christopher Nolan film with Matt Damon and Anne Hathaway. And you know Rochester, NY—that rusty town
Why Spain Is Actually Playing Italy
Don’t fall for the hype about Spain playing Argentina. (Or, if you’re reading this after July 19, 2026, I hope
Confessions of a Rust Belt Addict
The Rust Belt addict, mercifully, is not always found with a needle in his arm. The addicted, I’ve learned, get
How Being a Writer Ruined the World Cup
Being a writer, as you must know by now, is a dream. By that, I mean it’s a nightmare, something
Thank You, European, for Being So Damn Smart
Dear European, I know you’re smarter than me. How do I know? Because you tell me. Anyway, I’ve come across
These World Cup Population Numbers Will Blow Your Mind
World Cup population numbers are for the worldly—and the weirdly obsessive. Without formally committing to either category, I’ve created this
I’m Officially an Idiot
On June 26, 2026, it became official—I’m an idiot. I’d like to thank my fellow human beings—without you, I would
Bring Back the Instrumental Songs!
There must be a reason, I thought. But I was wrong. The fate of instrumental songs, it turns out, was
The Best Graduation Song of All Time
I had heard the best graduation song of all time hundreds of times before. It’s just that for me to
Bible Study With Sohan
I had this vision the other day. When my son—at his Christ-centered university—heard people asking questions like Is Psalms 78
Nashville Hot Chicken: A Love Story
With a firstborn approaching high school graduation and a move down South, one might imagine the timing is right for
The NBA Finals: A Right Winger’s Paradise
The NBA Finals in 2025 What should I even be saying? Some new stars have apparently arrived But most people
48 Hours (or so) in Rochester, NY
I knew I was in trouble, and I only had 48 hours to silence my critics. The whole fiasco was
I Survived Rural America!
On May 31, 2025, danger notwithstanding, I turned off CNN and took the risk of a lifetime: I went to
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