Writing Portfolio

Here are some of my clips that are accessible online. Asterisks indicate personal favorites.

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Reported or Researched Essays

What Terrible Movies Can Teach Us Zócalo Public Square

“Our Spam Emails, Ourselves.” JSTOR Daily* — Our Spam Emails, Ourselves*
JSTOR Daily

“Should Gloriously Terrible Movies Like The Room Be Considered ‘Outsider Art’?” TheAtlantic.com. Reported essay on the cult film The Room and the bestselling book about its production, The Disaster Artist.* — Should Gloriously Terrible Movies Like The Room Be Considered ‘Outsider Art’?
TheAtlantic.com

“Pity the Poor, Unloved Elite.” Wilson Quarterly* — Pity the Poor, Unloved Elite
Wilson Quarterly

“The Rabbi Who Knew Too Much.” Los Angeles Review of Books. Reported essay on Harry Kemelman’s Rabbi Small mystery series on its 50th anniversary.* — The Rabbi Who Knew Too Much*
Los Angeles Review of Books. Reported essay on Harry Kemelman’s Rabbi Small mystery series on its 50th anniversary.

“Putting the Pulp in Pulp.” Essay on the history of pulp literature and its place in the movie Pulp Fiction. Included in the book Pulp Fiction: The Complete Story of Quentin Tarantino’s Masterpiece by New York Times film critic Jason Bailey (Voyageu… — Putting the Pulp in Pulp
Essay on the history of pulp literature and its place in the movie Pulp Fiction. Included in the book Pulp Fiction: The Complete Story of Quentin Tarantino’s Masterpiece by New York Times film critic Jason Bailey (Voyageur Press, 2013).

“In the Age of Trump, What Does it Mean to be ‘Classy’?” Wilson Quarterly — In the Age of Trump, What Does it Mean to be ‘Classy’?*
Wilson Quarterly

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Personal Essays

“Finding Faith in Sukkot.” Tablet Magazine* — Finding Faith in Sukkot*
Tablet Magazine

“Meeting My Online Doppleganger.” Michigan Alumnus* — Meeting My Online Doppleganger* Michigan Alumnus

“A Tale of David Simon and Two Jewish Lawyers.” The Forward — A Tale of David Simon and Two Jewish Lawyers
The Forward

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Book Reviews

“When the Hunters Get Hunted.” The Life Sentence. Review of The Killing Kind by Chris Holm. — When the Hunters Get Hunted
The Life Sentence. Review of The Killing Kind by Chris Holm.

“Start Snitching.” The Life Sentence. Review of Canary by Duane Swierczynski. — Start Snitching
The Life Sentence. Review of Canary by Duane Swierczynski.

“When Going Back to the Land Goes Wrong.” Los Angeles Review of Books. Review of Against the Country by Ben Metcalf.* — When Going Back to the Land Goes Wrong*
Los Angeles Review of Books. Review of Against the Country by Ben Metcalf.

“A Rabbi and a Hit Man Walk Into a Subdivision.” Los Angeles Review of Books. Review of Gangsterland by Tod Goldberg. — A Rabbi and a Hit Man Walk Into a Subdivision
Los Angeles Review of Books. Review of Gangsterland by Tod Goldberg.

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Op-Eds

“When Neighbors Attack.” Mountain Xpress (Asheville’s alternative weekly)* — When Neighbors Attack*
Mountain Xpress (Asheville’s alternative weekly)

“NIMBY Town.” Mountain Xpress — NIMBY Town
Mountain Xpress

“Who’s Afraid of Lana Del Rey?” The Awl. Essay. (This piece was discussed by NPR and CNN.)* — Who’s Afraid of Lana Del Rey?*
The Awl. (This piece was discussed by NPR and CNN.)

Why You Should Consider a University Press for Your Book
JaneFriedman.com guest post

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Features

The Push to Get ‘Ha Ha You’re Old!’ Jokes Out of Birthday Cards*
Wall Street Journal (front page A-hed feature)

Brevard honors groundbreaking comic Moms Mabley with historical marker
Mountain Xpress

The Strange Story of Why Belize is Full of Chicago Cubs Fans Atlas Obscura. (I was interviewed about this story by Chicago news channel WGN.)* — The Strange Story of Why Belize is Full of Chicago Cubs Fans*
Atlas Obscura. (I was interviewed about this story by Chicago news channel WGN.)

A Conversation with Adam Rosen About Anthologies and the Worst Movie Ever Made
The Rumpus

Comedian Petey Smith-McDowell reels in the laughs
Mountain Xpress

Businesses put humor to work along Asheville’s ‘pun corridor’
Mountain Xpress

8 Months on a Cargo Ship Cal Maritime magazine

This N.C. Family Is Taking a “Gamble” on Farming in Appalachia
100 Days in Appalachia (3/3)

A New Generation of Appalachian Jewish Farmers Is Going Way Back to the Land 100 Days in Appalachia — A New Generation of Appalachian Jewish Farmers Is Going Way Back to the Land
100 Days in Appalachia (2/3)

Rice in Appalachia? Meet the Farmers Growing Traditional Laotian Foods in North Carolina’s Hills.* 100 Days in Appalachia (1/3)

Michigan Magic at App State.Michigan Alumnus — Michigan Magic at App State
Michigan Alumnus

Top Schef
Michigan Alumnus. Profile of ESPN NFL commentator Adam Schefter.

“Why Fighters Stare at Each Other So Intensely at the Pre-Bout Weigh-In Atlas Obscura — Why Fighters Stare at Each Other So Intensely at the Pre-Bout Weigh-In
Atlas Obscura

“Confessions of an Under-60 Amtrak MasterCard Holder The Billfold — Confessions of an Under-60 Amtrak MasterCard Holder The Billfold

The World’s Most Dangerous Music Atlas Obscura — The World’s Most Dangerous Music
Atlas Obscura

Interview with a Bookstore: Asheville’s Legendary Malaprop’s Literary Hub — Interview with a Bookstore: Asheville’s Legendary Malaprop’s
Literary Hub

Dirty Deals in American History Mental Floss. Front of book feature. — Dirty Deals in American History Mental Floss. Front of book feature.

Breaking Birding Records Out Here magazine — Breaking Birding Records Out Here magazine

Focus On: The Blues Oxford University Press’s African American Studies Center (AASC). Researched photo essay on the origins and evolution of the blues. — Focus On: The Blues
Oxford University Press’s African American Studies Center (AASC). Researched photo essay on the origins and evolution of the blues.

Focus On: Motown Oxford University Press’s African American Studies Center (AASC). Researched photo essay on Motown. — Focus On: Motown
Oxford University Press’s African American Studies Center. Researched photo essay on Motown.

Air Guitar Hero Gelf Magazine. Reported feature from behind the scenes at the 2007 U.S. National Air Guitar Championship.* — Air Guitar Hero*
Gelf Magazine. Reported feature from behind the scenes at the 2007 U.S. National Air Guitar Championship.

The Blaxploitation Reader Gelf Magazine. Interview with Josiah Howard, author of Blaxploitation Cinema. — The Blaxploitation Reader Gelf Magazine. Interview with Josiah Howard, author of Blaxploitation Cinema.

“It’s Open Season on Hipsters! The Brooklyn Paper — It’s Open Season on Hipsters!
The Brooklyn Paper

A Ship for the Modern Age Cal Maritime magazine

Suddenly Supply Chain is Sexy
Cal Maritime magazine

“‘Nerd’ is the Word.” OUPblog, Oxford University Press’s blog — “Nerd” is the Word
OUPblog, Oxford University Press’s blog

LaZoom Through Asheville The Asheville Post — LaZoom Through Asheville The Asheville Post

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Short Stories

“China Pearl.” Short story included in indie publisher Akashic Books’s online noir series, Mondays are Murder — “China Pearl.”
Short story included in indie publisher Akashic Books’s online noir series, Mondays are Murder

“Death at a Farmer’s Market.” Short story for Mondays are Murder — “Death at a Farmer’s Market.”
Short story for Mondays are Murder

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Misc.

“Breakthrough Heinz Bottle Shoots Ketchup With Laser-Like Precision.” Onion Radio News clip (I wrote the joke!) — “Breakthrough Heinz Bottle Shoots Ketchup With Laser-Like Precision.” Onion Radio News clip (I wrote the joke!)

Select Publications

What I've Worked On