Adobe builder, artist and chef Anita Rodríguez has lived a dynamic life from her home in Taos, New Mexico. Learn about her classic recipe for the “Chicana on the run” in “The Stovetop Enchiladas This New Mexican Grandma Has Been Making Her Whole Life.” www.allrecipes.com/anita-rodrig...

For the last 6 years I’ve been working as a Book Development Consultant. Whether you’re trying to write your memoir or finish your passion project novel, I can help you shape the manuscript for the big-time or for self-publication. Learn more at harrisonblackman.com/consulting

It was a joy to return to Taos, New Mexico this past summer and write about the dynamic changes to the legendary town, adding a new chapter to its historic, mystical place in the firmament of the Wild West. paw.princeton.edu/article/magi...

Kirsten Bakis' "The Lives of the Monster Dogs" may be the weirdest novel I've ever read. A riff on "Frankenstein" and "The Island of Dr. Moreau," "Monster Dogs" shouldn't work, but does. Here's why. www.theusonian.com/p/monster-dogs

“I've never seen so many trees in my life." Check out my travelogue of visiting the real-life inspiration for Twin Peaks (subscribe to Usonian+ to read the whole post). #TheUsonian www.theusonian.com/p/now-enteri...

How should we package narrative time while writing fiction? Joan Silber has some answers. harrisonblackman.substack.com/p/joan-silbe...

Achille Tenkiang '17 has founded the Baldwin Institute to foster literacy and creative resistance through the work of James Baldwin. paw.princeton.edu/article/achi...

If I subscribe to MS Office, will I also get access to MS NOW?

Want to write for an L.A.-themed food zine? To-Go Zine is now accepting pitches till 8/25/25. Pitch guide here: docs.google.com/document/d/1...

The best sci-fi novel I’ve read in years is the debut of Case Q. Kerns: interconnected stories that entangle and cascade in ways reminiscent of Philip K. Dick and David Mitchell. Learn more from my conversation with this new, exciting voice. www.theusonian.com/p/case-q-ker...

If J. Robert Oppenheimer knew that the Manhattan Project would result in transforming his beloved Los Alamos into a creepy strip mall, maybe he would’ve thought twice about building the bomb? Read my impressions in The Usonian+. www.theusonian.com/p/now-enteri...

When I started reading Neal Stephenson’s CRYPTONOMICON, I had no idea that I was about to embark on one of the most exhausting and tedious literary experiences of my life. harrisonblackman.substack.com/p/cryptonomi...

It was an extraordinary experience to return to Taos (where I began my writing career) and be invited to comment on the "New Taos" scene. www.taosnews.com/tempo/cultur...

As a neuroscientist, Joel Finkelstein studied mind control in mice. But when he realized social media was influencing human behavior, he set out to build an early warning system for hate. My latest for Princeton Alumni Weekly—and my most ambitious feature to date. paw.princeton.edu/article/joel...

Fascism is on the rise. But a classic YA novel from Greece may hold advice for how to resist. Literary translator Karen Emmerich on her recent translation of Alki Zei’s wonderful and transporting “The Wildcat Behind Glass." www.theusonian.com/p/the-wildca...

People often ask me about my favorite novel. Since I couldn't decide—here are four good ones. www.theusonian.com/p/mount-rush...

Like a strobe light throbbing in a red-curtained room, film and TV was forever altered and energized by David Lynch. www.theusonian.com/p/david-lynch

The Trump Administration's war on intellectual curiosity will have profound impacts on the future of our country. www.nytimes.com/2025/06/11/u...

“Night Film,” Marisha Pessl’s 2013 thriller, is intriguing for its use of paratextual devices that deliver exposition and advance the mystery about an enigmatic, Brian De Palma-esque director. www.theusonian.com/p/night-film

It turns out Princeton had its own "Conclave"-esque thriller, about the selection of its university president. paw.princeton.edu/article/trag...

For PAW, I wrote about the intensifying debate over free speech and academic freedom at Princeton. paw.princeton.edu/article/unde...

Maybe you've heard of "Zebra Striping," but have you heard of "Tiger Striping?" This year's Princeton Reunions will reflect NA beer's time in the spotlight. paw.princeton.edu/article/clas...

In Turin, you can visit one of the most delightful museums in the world, next to two of the scariest. www.theusonian.com/p/the-museum...

At Princeton, Allison Light was involved in musical theater and improv comedy spaces. She never expected to find a career in audiobooks, but has found a passion in adapting works for audio audiences. paw.princeton.edu/article/form...

If you thought the world's first author was Homer, think again. The first known author was a priestess of the Akkadian Empire—Enheduana. Learn about Sophus Helle's excellent, modern translation that transports readers to a distant past. www.theusonian.com/p/enheduana

okay this is an emergency assistance thread for anyone who got this National Endowment for the Arts email today some of you can still get your money and I’m going to tell you how article to come later this weekend but here is the Cliffs Notes version:

Ian McEwan is one of the most lauded novelists of the 21st century, thanks to his masterpiece, ATONEMENT. Then there’s his climate change satire, SOLAR. There’s a lot to unpack from the icepack! www.theusonian.com/p/solar

A new book on phosphorus owes its origins to a summer of thesis research in the South Pacific. My latest for PAW. paw.princeton.edu/article/summ...

AWP25 hit L.A. with all the exciting hallmarks of the major writing conference. But dark clouds are on the horizon for American arts and letters. www.theusonian.com/p/poetrys-bi...

It was a big honor to discuss the life and legacy of David Lynch alongside Frederick Elmes, Rick Moody, Shana Moulton, Robert Cozzolino, Yelena Yemchuck and Rail editors Ed Mendez and Laura Velenza. Watch out: The owls are not what they seem! youtube.com/watch?v=OTrE...

One of the best recent books about the history of the fascinating Mediterranean island of Cyprus is Alex Christofi's CYPRIA (Bloomsbury, 2024). Read my conversation with the author here—and learn all about writing 1,000 words about halloumi. @christofi.bsky.social www.theusonian.com/p/cypria

The most dramatic example of Cyprus' division is the ghost town of Varosha. Left to decay in place for 50 years, various figures have proposed alternatives for the decayed beach resort's future, and one of the most intriguing was the Famagusta Eco-City Project. www.theusonian.com/p/famagusta-...

Excited to be part of this panel next Thursday about the legacy of the master of the surreal, David Lynch. Register here to watch: brooklynrail.org/event/2025/0...

Though Ann Patchett's "State of Wonder" presents itself as feminist retelling of "Heart of Darkness," the novel's execution of that goal raises some questions. This week in The Usonian. www.theusonian.com/p/state-of-w...

All writers know about the style textbook Strunk & White. What you may not know is that Strunk's son Oliver founded the field of musicology in the United States. paw.princeton.edu/article/lega...

What exactly is a cult? I found out while reporting another article. So, here’s what I uncovered. www.theusonian.com/p/how-to-rec...

New flattering review of my novel BLOOD FALLS on THE BLACK LIST. blcklst.com/dashboard/pr...

What makes a society resilient? After the Bronze Age collapse, only a few civilizations endured into the next age. Eric Cline on his recent book, "After 1177 B.C." @princetonupress.bsky.social

Friday deadline for this CFPs, so get yer archaeological horror on

What compelled two men to devote their lives in a dueling quest to visit the South Pole? Huntford’s masterpiece, “The Last Place on Earth” offers some answers, in a masterclass of narrative nonfiction writing. www.theusonian.com/p/the-last-p...

Participating in the Fulbright program was one of the greatest honors and joys of my career thus far. For it to fall victim to this administration's malicious incompetence is a disgrace to the program's international legacy for more than 75 years. www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...

Hunterbrook may have cracked this one wide open. newsletter.hntrbrk.com/p/cracking-b...

At the time of its inception in the 1960s, Eastwick, Philadelphia was the largest urban redevelopment project in American history. It had a sophisticated design by leading planner Constantinos Doxiadis, and its supporters included Robert Kennedy. What went wrong? www.theusonian.com/p/the-vision...

Crazy that Elizabeth Sparkle lost the Best Actress Oscar to Sue!

YELLOWJACKETS featuring a Candlebox song is their most deep-cut GenX choice yet

Charles-Édouard Jeanneret’s 1911 trip to Greece changed his view of architecture forever. It made him Le Corbusier, and it persuaded him to change modern architecture. Read more from a work-in-progress. Usonian+ subscribers only. www.theusonian.com/p/the-clockm...

"I think the reason I’m interested in utopia as an idea is because, for me, utopia is always about alternatives." An illuminating conversation with Aaron Robertson about his rich portrait of Black countercultural figures in his much-lauded book, THE BLACK UTOPIANS. www.theusonian.com/p/the-black-...

Helen Park '18 always wanted to develop a better seaweed-based pasta. After visiting a seaweed market in Qingdao, China, Park realized the dream was possible. My latest for PAW: paw.princeton.edu/article/hele...

USAID doesn't just provide foodstuffs and medical assistance to people around the world, it also sponsors the restoration of monuments of important cultural heritage. My latest in The Usonian. www.theusonian.com/p/heritage-u...

Frank and Deborah Popper co-taught one of my favorite classes at Princeton. www.dailyprincetonian.com/article/2025...