I Am Not Proof of the American Dream by Tara Westover In some quarters, Tara Westover’s runaway bestseller memoir, Educated, made her exemplar of the American ethos that rewards concerted effort no matter the station in life that is a … Continue reading Outside Reading — The Long Legacy of Claiborne Pell edition
Why I’ve Decided to Take My Podcast Off Spotify by Roxane Gay With characteristic clarity, Roxane Gay writes about removing her current podcast from Spotify, part of an exodus of major figures in response to the streaming audio provider’s generous … Continue reading Outside Reading — Censorship vs. Curation edition
As a Former ‘Buffy’ Obsessive, Watching Joss Whedon’s Downfall Feels Crushing — and Inevitable by Caroline Framke The protracted implosion of Joss Whedon’s reputation and career has been painful to watch for those who found their empowered voice in part … Continue reading Outside Reading — Now Leaving Sunnydale edition
In Defense of Shame by Julia Claire Writing for Gawker, Julia Claire makes the most important argument of our age, and she does it effectively and with enviable wit. The flagrant rejection of accountability and honest assessment of wrong social … Continue reading Outside Reading — Shame Game edition
The Downside of Raising a Feminist by Jessica Valenti Jessica Valenti writes for her own Substack newsletter, All in Her Head, about watching her tween daughter navigating the treacherous terrain of school environments filled with offhand misogyny and adrenalized boy … Continue reading Outside Reading — Girlhood edition
Every Saturday, this space is given over to extol the writing of others. Because this particular Saturday lands on the first day of the new year, it seems proper to call attention to some of the articles of 2021 that … Continue reading Outside Reading — Six from 2021
What’s in a Name? If It’s Omicron, a Minor Marketing Challenge. by Shane O’Neill Writing for The New York Times, Shane O’Neil offers a wry survey of the various businesses and organizations that have run into headaches as COVID-19 variant … Continue reading Outside Reading — I Am Lrrr, Ruler of the Planet Omicron Persei 8
I Was Raped by My Father. An Abortion Saved My Life. by Michele Goodwin During this week’s Supreme Court arguments about draconian laws that were obviously constructed to allow a partisan judicial branch to overturn fifty-year-old settled law, there was … Continue reading Outside Reading — Compassion edition
Give Your Loved One an Oyster I.O.U.: A Food-Themed Holiday Gift Guide by Helen Rosner As we rush headlong into the slice of the calendar years reserved for the most virulent consumerism, there is one only gift guide worth the … Continue reading Outside Reading — Tremendously Beautiful, Tremendously Useful, or Tremendously Absurd edition
The Trump Administration Created Its Own Reality on the Pandemic and Failed the Country by Charles P. Pierce Over seven hundred and fifty thousand dead in the United States from COVID-19, at a minimum. This enormous number was preventable. Instead, … Continue reading Outside Reading — Dereliction of Duty edition
Coffee for Two 