Popular Culture Journalism (JOUR494): Class recap for Sept. 17 — with guest stars
My very good friends Leslie Yazel (deputy editor of the “Personal Journal” features section of the Wall Street Journal) and her husband Jeremy Egner (producer and writer in the arts & leisure department of the New York Times) came to class on Monday to talk about their careers, their work, the state of online and…
Read MoreToo much about the tube of plenty
Call the midwife! I’ve once again assisted in the birth of another FALL TV ISSUE (would you believe my fourth?). You can read every last bit of it online by going here. But if you’re in Washington, won’t you do us the kindness of buying a paper? This year included reviews of all the new…
Read MorePopular Culture Journalism (JOUR494): Class recap for Sept. 12 — writing criticism
She may be the fairy godmother of all film criticism, but the work of Pauline Kael (1919-2001) went over like a lead balloon as we began our sequence of classes on criticism/reviews. (Let me just say: I remember having pretty much the same reaction when I had to read her as a college sophomore in…
Read MorePopular Culture Journalism (JOUR494): Class recap for Sept. 10 — essay ideas
At the beginning of each class, ideally to limber up our brains, I randomly ask the roundtable of students to verbally “tweet out” a thought about something they’ve seen or done or had a mental blip about since we last met. (I totally, totally stole this idea from American University writing prof/lecturer Glenn Moomau, whose…
Read MorePopular Culture Journalism (JOUR494): Class recap for Sept. 5 — reported essays (Dam!)
Moving forward with trying to figure out how to approach the reported essay. We discussed some good ones today, mentioning their weaknesses as well: Didion on the Hoover Dam: An example of how to write about something that is beautiful and yet creeps you out. When something amazes and frightens you, you’re headed in the…
Read MorePopular Culture Journalism (JOUR494): Class recap for Aug. 29 — the reported essay
Wednesday in class we talked more about the reported essay, which the students are beginning to work on and will file on Sept. 17. What the heck is a reported essay? I think the adjective “reported” is there mainly to make those of us with journalism degrees feel a tiny bit better about publishing essays…
Read MoreMontana!
Let me bring you up to speed and then slow it way down: I’ve left D.C. behind for the next four months and driven 2,500 miles to beautiful Missoula, Mont., to be the 2012 T. Anthony Pollner Professor at the University of Montana’s excellent School of Journalism. The professorship is the gift of the Pollner…
Read MoreI’m giving away THREE free copies of Lou Berney’s new book — these’ll go so fast you’ll get WHIPLASH!
Hey. Five months since I blogged? Five?? Forgive me. But I come bearing another TONSIL book giveaway as small penance — perfect summertime reading. It’s Lou Berney‘s new book, Whiplash River, the sequel to his very enjoyable Gutshot Straight. Already! Lou is one of a kind: Born n’ raised in Oklahoma City, went to Bishop…
Read MoreGet your shine on with a FREE copy of Anne-Marie O’Connor’s ‘The Lady in Gold’! (Yours to kleempt!)
Let me make up for my dereliction of duty as a blogger with this chance to win one of THREE free copies of my friend Anne-Marie O’Connor’s new book The Lady in Gold: The Extraordinary Tale of Gustav Klimt’s Masterpiece, ‘Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer.‘ Yes, it’s another TONSIL book giveaway! Anne-Marie has been working on…
Read MoreAnother travel, PS: an epilogue about Barb Page, and a gentle request…
Back in May I wrote about the death of my good friend and mentor Barbara Kerr Page, with whom I had the pleasure of working with at The Albuquerque Tribune. If you missed that, it’s here. Many of you who didn’t know Barb wrote very nice notes to me. Some of you had a Barb-like…
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