Clippings: Automythology: A writer drives west

One of my favorite writers is Ernest Hebert, author of seven novels in his Darby Chronicles series, and a number of other works of fiction. Hebert grew up in working class Keene, N.H., and writes authoritatively about this section of New England. He taught for many years at Dartmouth College and declares on his Dartmouth webpage: “It’s been my mission as a novelist to write about working people without idealizing or demeaning them.” He knows whereof he writes. Just about my favorite novel ever is his “The D … (read more)

On his first day on the job at Bard College, my son David met Mackie, the director of admissions. It was love at first sight and it blossomed: after a year, they bought a house near campus and then married last summer. It’s a great house, with a path thro … (read more)

I tire at times of people who rhapsodize about their dogs, posting pictures on social media and making every conversation dog-talk. “They’re dogs,” I grumble. “Animals. Not people. They lick their genitals, in public. They live to eat and poop and hump. T … (read more)

I appreciate journalism as an occupation because it provides an opportunity to dive into perspectives I wouldn’t otherwise have a reason to understand. Sources open the door and allow reporters to question personal details about their lives. As farmers ar … (read more)

When I was applying to colleges, I spent a good amount of time poking around on different institutions’ websites. Scrolling through Middlebury College’s newsfeed, I stumbled upon a video about a student-run nonprofit — Middlebury Foods. The video opened w … (read more)