For several years, I have had a hunger to write this piece about the arrival of the Library of America…

Women are more correct and more with-it: A piece inspired by reading Matt Gordon’s primer on the work of the…

My Humanities essay on the rise of cool, the American slang term that took on new life beginning in the…

I am not an acrostic afficianado, but was delighted to learn there is a type of crossword that is used…

I wrote an article about the history of the term redskin for Lexicon Valley, the language blog on Slate. (Lexicon…

When it happens I feel as if I have stepped into a Far Side cartoon. I am a magazine editor,…

Last week I drove to historic Chestertown to talk about The Story of Ain’t with a nonfiction reading group at…

(from the April 30, 2012, Weekly Standard) “You’re going to Spain with or without your kids?” That was the question…

(From the April 25, 2005, Weekly Standard) AN OLD WOODEN DESK SITS in my basement, on which I write and…

(From the April 12 – April 19, 2004, Weekly Standard) I HAVEN’T HAD MUCH EXPERIENCE shopping for women’s clothing. And on…