Had a wonderful night at Boston Athenæum, where more than 100 people came to hear me talk about my John McPhee book. Many long-time McPhee readers were there and I had the great chance to be in conversation with Cullen Murphy of The Atlantic. Thanks to the Athaeneum crew & Beacon Hill Books.

The New Yorker had a great article on the magazine's legendary fact checking process. It recounts a dramatic story on how a John McPhee article on World War II & a Japanese incendiary balloon was fact checked. I remember when McPhee told me the story--I was on the edge of my seat. bit.ly/472ropL

My John McPhee book is the subject of the latest episode of "Conversations from Pointed Firs,"a wonderful monthly podcast & radio show from WERU-FM in Maine (link: bit.ly/47wBhgh). The show is on people & work that invokes "the spirit of Maine," and I was thrilled McPhee and my book are included.

As my book tour takes a summer pause, I thank conversation partners on 8 stops so far: John Timpane, Jennifer Weiner, Kevin Lerner, Stacey Vanek Smith, Philip Eil, Marc Fisher, Dave Carner, & Jeff Gordinier. Thanks @princetonupress.bsky.social & all who attended, Princeton to LA. More in the fall!

Looking forward to being at the wonderful Blue Hill Library in Maine July 15 at 7pm to talk about my John McPhee book--his Maine writing and far beyond. It's cosponsored by the splendid Blue Hill Books & I'll be in conversation with one of their great booksellers, Dave Carner. bit.ly/4lzdxvD

Happy 4th! Spent a wonderful part of the day at my favorite bookstore in Washington, the great Politics and Prose. And thanks to them for treating my John McPhee book so well.

Thanks for the comment from @lawrencecphd.bsky.social, who himself has done important environmental history writing.

John McPhee's writing on LA & California is as relevant now as when he wrote it. More evidence: @altajournal.bsky.social made "California Against the Sea" by Rosanna Xia July's selection for its California Book Club. She says the title is “a nod to John McPhee’s ‘Los Angeles Against the Mountains.’"

John McPhee has a wonderful new article in the latest New Yorker telling how at age 10 he first appeared in the magazine and was drawn into its orbit. It's McPhee's 166th time in the magazine going back to 1963. The story is also recounted in my book, leading off the section on his New Yorker work.

New from Princeton Alumni Weekly on my McPhee book: bit.ly/4nds7KL "New Book Chronicles the Career of Prolific Writer and Professor John McPhee ’53. Looking for a Story offers the first comprehensive inventory of the Princeton professor’s writings, beginning with his high school and college works."

Nonfiction writing lost a huge talent with the death of William Langewiesche, award-winning magazine & book author. He was inspired by John McPhee:"Here was this guy writing about these obscure subjects, making a living doing it, and by the way it was beautiful," he told the San Francisco Chronicle.

It was a great night talking about my John McPhee book at DC's Politics and Prose Bookstore--an honor to be there. My wonderful conversation partner was Marc Fisher, columnist for the Washington Post & former McPhee student at Princeton. Thanks to the audience for coming & having terrific questions.

Looking forward to a great evening. Thanks @princetonupress.bsky.social

I'm honored to be in the Washington Post Literary Calendar today for my Politics and Prose Bookstore (Wharf Branch) event this Wednesday, June 18, at 7pm. I'll be in conversation with Marc Fisher, a terrific Post columnist and former John McPhee student at Princeton.

A friend sent me this photo of the John McPhee section of his personal library. I am honored. My book tour goes next to Politics and Prose in DC on June 18, and then DIESEL books in Los Angeles on July 23.

Today I had a great John McPhee book event at the Brown University Bookstore in Providence--so special to be back at the alma mater I care so deeply about. Thanks to the staff of the bookstore and my wonderful conversation partner (and talented book author) @phileil.bsky.social.

@calebzakarin.bsky.social, editor of the @newbooksnetwork.bsky.social, interviewed me for a podcast about my John McPhee book. It's a wide-ranging conversation, including talking about what makes McPhee so extraordinary and the many discoveries in the book. bit.ly/3SyEvXT

Thanks to @princetonupress.bsky.social and to @calebzakarin.bsky.social, a terrific interviewer.

My John McPhee book event at @bookculture.com in NYC was a wonderful success. Stacey Vanek Smith of Bloomberg Audio (and a former McPhee student) was a spectacular conversation partner. Thanks to all who attended and a great bookstore. Next up on my tour: the Brown Bookstore, Providence, June 5.

Thanks to my publisher, @princetonupress.bsky.social, which I appreciate so much. Looking forward to Book Culture.

Today I had the honor of giving the keynote speech at the International Association of Literary Journalism Studies conference, held at Marist University in Poughkeepsie, NY. The group included many professors from around the world & it was a pleasure to talk with them on my new book on John McPhee.

Thanks for the praise from the spectacular author of Prescription for Pain (Steerforth). Looking forward to being with him in Providence June 5 at the Brown Bookstore.

Thanks, @phileil.bsky.social, look forward to seeing you in PVD on 6/5. This week. at 7pm on May 29, I am in conversation about my John McPhee book with @bloomberg.com Stacey Vanek Smith at @bookculture.com 112th St. in NYC.

Literary Hub has published an excerpt from the beautiful foreword that Peter Hessler (a former John McPhee student and wonderful New Yorker writer and author in his own right) did for my Looking for a Story book. Hessler gets to the heart of McPhee's genius and humanity. bit.ly/4kCjQOH

Thank you Head House Books in Philadelphia for hosting my John McPhee book event with best-selling novelist & former McPhee student Jennifer Weiner. It was great to have a group there from @princetonupress.bsky.social, including editorial director Christie Henry & board chair Elizabeth Widdicombe.

On the "Musical Innertube" podcast with the sharp (and funny) John Timpane and Don Rooney, I had a chance to talk about some of my discoveries about John McPhee in my book and how I was able to weave biography into the book. bit.ly/3Hjyr2T

I'm proud to be a member of the National Press Club in DC, considered to be world's leading professional groups for journalists. I was the guest of its latest Update-1 podcast, discussing my John McPhee book. They managed in just 11 minutes to get to the core of my book and McPhee. bit.ly/3FluF8A

Research was at the core of my Looking for a Story: A Complete Guide to the Writings of John McPhee. I loved every minute & every one of the dozen libraries it brought me to. Here's an essay on how I went about finding the world of John McPhee. Many thanks to all the great libraries. bit.ly/3YK1enl

Last night's launch of my Looking for a Story in John McPhee's Princeton, was a great success. Thanks to moderator John Timpane, & former McPhee student Diana Weymar. And many books were signed. Next up: May 22, Head House Books, Philadelphia w/ novelist (and former McPhee student) Jennifer Weiner.

I celebrated publication day of my John McPhee book by going to my favorite DC local bookstore @politicsprose.bsky.social. You'll see I'm in great company on the shelves. I'll be back at Politics & Prose (Wharf Branch) for a June 18 book event. Thanks to all who helped me get to this wonderful day.

Many thanks to a terrific publisher.

In the latest issue of @airmail.news, Jim Kelly, the former managing editor of Time magazine and Time Inc., gives a “Best” to my new book on John McPhee. Kelly, who was a student of McPhee’s at Princeton, says, “Rubinton has panned gold from streams long forgotten.” bit.ly/4mc2jOR

Michael Dirda, Pulitzer Prize-winning book critic and columnist for the Washington Post, cites my John McPhee book as his top to-read book now. Dirda wrote a wonderful weekly column for the Post for 30 years, now is just writing occasionally. I am honored to be one of his occasions. wapo.st/437OdoZ

An annotated guide to the work of the Pulitzer Prize–winning writer, teacher, and pioneer of creative nonfiction. Looking for a Story is a reader’s guide to John McPhee’s vast published work. Looking for a Story from @noelrubinton.bsky.social publishes May 13: press.princeton.edu/books/hardco...

It's a few weeks and other John McPhee book events from now, but the Brown University Bookstore has my June 5 event on its coming attractions window. My book launches May 13, more information at noel rubinton dot com for Looking for a Story: A Complete Guide to the Writings of John McPhee.

Makes me even more proud to be a @princetonupress.bsky.social author. Congratulations to all involved in an important book.

Congratulations to The New Yorker, an extraordinary magazine and home to the subject of my book, John McPhee, for more than 60 years now.

On a new episode of Now It's History, I talk about my new book (publishing May 13) about John McPhee and how he's reshaped the landscape of nonfiction writing. And how I found some work of his never before attributed to him. More about the book on noelrubinton.com. bit.ly/4d82OFw

I'm betting @noelrubinton.bsky.social 's book is going to be a necessary guide to the master of creative nonfiction and environmental storytelling. Congratulations Noel and @princetonupress.bsky.social

Spoiler alert: those interested in John McPhee might want to check out 46 Down in the New York Times crossword puzzle today (4/17). nyti.ms/4ip3dob

A fascinating, inspiring essay from David Brooks in @nytimes.com about how we decide what to do in life, and how we do it. nyti.ms/3E1HrIQ

This book sounds like a must: "It remains to be seen if the book will be a monument to the past or an invitation to the future. But the fact remains that you can still learn to write a sentence from McPhee: Readers can use this book as a guide."

As part of its centennial, The New Yorker is revisiting classic articles. Staff writer Elizabeth Kolbert writes on John McPhee's 1971 Encounters with the Archdruid (which many rate among his best work). She praises McPhee's skill & "evenhandedness" on controversies on the environment. bit.ly/4ce4cWz

I'm pleased to share the Kirkus review of my book on John McPhee due out May 13 from @princetonupress.bsky.social and now available for pre-order. bit.ly/4hHN90r

My @washingtonpost.com obituary today of Nita Lowey, the powerful former Congress member from Westchester, who broke many barriers and sponsored more than 500 pieces of legislation. wapo.st/41zaxHm

In an @orionmagazine.bsky.social essay via @longreads.com , Patrick Madden writes of trying to capture the sound of the call of the zorzal bird and what it says of depicting reality. bit.ly/416ZSTR

To many people, Japan is about zen design and minimalism. But there is a glorious clutter side to Japanese culture, say Matt Alt in @aeon.co bit.ly/4jheWXn

Another from @longreads.com Best of 2024 list is novelist/essayist @nicholasbaker.bsky.social in New York magazine on the great debate about UFOs. nym.ag/4fRpppK

One of @longreads.com top stories of 2024 is a fascinating, beautiful piece by Laurence Gonzales in @chicagomag.bsky.social about the creation of a kitchen blade by a master knife maker. bit.ly/3BTnCCt

A beautiful example of how sports is often much more than a game. @colgateuniversity.bsky.social men's basketball team takes on national #5 @kentuckybasketball.bsky.social Dec. 11, and it's a tribute to a late professor who shared his love with both Kentucky and Colgate. bit.ly/3ZL0WNQ