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…

(From the October 26, 2009, Weekly Standard)  “As is” was the description attached to the garage when my wife Cynthia and…

(from the August 9, 2004, Weekly Standard) MOST WRITERS are desperate to coin a phrase–to tattoo a saying on the body…