The Environment, More or Less
The Artificial Leaf Daniel Nocera's vision for sustainable energy. The New Yorker, 5/14/2012.
The Efficiency Dilemma If our machines use less energy, will we just use them more? The New Yorker, 12/20-27/2010.
Green Manhattan Everywhere should be more like New York. The New Yorker, 12/18/2004.
The Dark Side Most Americans are no longer able to see the Milky Way in the sky above the place where they live. The New Yorker, 8/20/2007.
Comment: Economy vs. Environment Why the world's financial and environmental crises are connected. The New Yorker, 3/30/2009.
Ask the Author: Questions for David Owen A conversation with readers about the ecology of recessions. newyorker.com, 3/23/2009.
Green Collars Ironworkers in Queens watch a documentary about a green buliding in Boston. The New Yorker, 5/18/2009.
Wheeling Circumnavigating Manhattan by bicycle. The New Yorker, 12/1/2008.
The Shrinking of Lake Mead (An Earth Day Photo) What's happening behind the Hoover Dam. newyorker.com, 4/22/2009.
The Inventor's Dilemma An eco-minded engineer discovers the limits of innovation: a profile of Saul Griffith. The New Yorker, 5/17/2010
Drying Out Why golf needs to shrink. Golf Digest Index, November 2009.
Personal History
Call Me Loyd The power of nicknames. The New Yorker, 2/10/2008.
The Dime Store Floor What did childhood smell like? The New Yorker, 1/14/2010.
Scars A Life in Injuries, The New Yorker, 3/19/2012.
Getting Shot in Bogota
Survival of the Fitted The Rise of Bulletproof Couture. The New Yorker, 9/26/2011.
Our Farflung Correspondents
The Anti-Gravity Men Cecil Balmond and the structural engineers of Arup. The New Yorker, 6/25/2007.
Return of the Mogul John Calley is lured back to Hollywood. The New Yorker, 3/21/1994.
Going Solo Is Stella McCartney ready to launch her own label? The New Yorker, 9/17/2001.
Copies in Seconds The surprising history of xerography. The Atlantic Montly, February 1986.
Making Copies At first, nobody bought Chester Carlson's strange idea. Smithsonian, August 2004.
Penny Dreadful They're horrid and useless. Why do pennies persist? The New Yorker, 3/31/2008.
One-Ring Mud Show Traveling through New Jersey with a small circus. The New Yorker, 4/20/1992.
Booth Country A profile of the cartoonist George Booth. The New Yorker, 12/7-14/1998.
The Walls Around Us The joy of Sheetrock. The Atlantic Montly, May 1987.
The Pay Problem What's to be done about C.E.O. compensation? The New Yorker, 10/12/2009.
Jim Copp and His Things Songs for children which are the quirky products of a real imagination. The Atlantic Monthly, November 1993.
Opening Windows A profile of the indescribable Kenny Schaffer. The New Yorker, 12/2/1991.
Are You a Difficult Person? Dealing with Turtle Syndrome, among other ills. The Atlantic Monthly, October 1989.
Taking Humor Seriously George Meyer, the funniest man behind the funniest show on TV. The New Yorker, 5/13/ 2000.
Satellite Television Good news for people who love TV. The Atlantic Monthly, June 1985.
Concrete Jungle Giant wrecking balls, Mob contracts, and the cement thatholds the city together. The New Yorker, 11/10/2003.
Ephemeral States (Part I) At the frontiers of geography. The Atlantic Monthly, January 1988.
Ephemeral States (Part II) An update. The Atlantic Monthly, July 1988.
The Evidence Store Stephen Appelbaum sells visual aids and other supplies to trial lawyers. The Atlantic Monthly, April 1988.
Stuff An introduction to Alex Shear. The New Yorker, 4/20/1992.
The Sultan of Stuff Is Alex Shear's odd collection just junk or the key to American culture? The New Yorker, 7/19/1999.
Seeing Red Finding out what happened to everyone's favorite M&M. The Atlantic Monthly, October 1988.
Turning Tricks The rise and fall of contract bridge. The New Yorker, 9/17/2007.
Betting on Broadway Rocco Landesman gambles on the theatre. The New Yorker, 6/13/1994.
Measure for Measure How the metric system conquered the world--almost. The New Yorker, 10/14-21/2002
The Museum of Failed Products The difference between a successful product and a failed one is sometimes hard to discern. The Atlantic Monthly, December 1985.
The Straddler Peter Norton breaks down barriers. The New Yorker, 1/30/1995.
Dreams and Downlines The world of multi-level marketing. The Atantic Monthly, October 1987.
Looking Out for Kermit The remarkable children of Jim Hensen. The New Yorker, 8/16/1993.
Card Tricks Why laughter isn't enough for Hallmark. The New Yorker, 4/19/2004.
Octane and Knock Finding out about gasoline. The Atlantic Monthly, August 1987.
Across the Mississippi In search of ferries past. The Atlantic Monthly, April 1991.
Either a Borrower or a Lender Be Partying with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Vanity Fair, February 1984.
From Race to Chase Yale's Stephen L. Carter writes a thriller. The New Yorker, 6/3/2002.
The Soundtrack of Your Life Muzak in the realm of retail theatre. The New Yorker, 4/10/2006.
Where Toys Come From Selling fun to children is one of ccapitalisms least predictable pursuits. The Atlantic Monthly, October 1986.
The Fifth Estate Trade magazines: the other journalism. The Atlantic Monthly, July 1985.
Some Golf
The Ghost Course Links to the past on a Scottish Island. The New Yorker, 4/20/2009.
Playing out of the Snow Where to tee off in the off-season. The New Yorker, 3/28/2005.
John Updike, Golfer 1932-2009. Golf Digest, April 2009.
Title IX Babies The golf-playing Lendl girls are part of a revolution in the sport. The New Yorker, May 15, 2006.
The Men Who Made the Masters Clifford Roberts, Bobby Jones, and the greatest tournament in golf. Vanity Fair, March 1999.
The Case for All-Male Golf Clubs Golf Digest, March 2003.
Merchandise Fooling around at a golf trade show in Orlando. The New Yorker, 3/9/1992.
Swinging Golf, it turns out, is a very risky business. The New Yorker, 4/12/1999.
Over the Top A golfer's journey to the strange, otherworldly land of Dubai. Golf Digest Index, Winter 2006-2007.
Thwack Simulator golf in Brooklyn. The New Yorker, 9/23/1991.
Swinging in Morocco Golf diplomacy and the last North African kingdom. The New Yorker, 5/21/2001.
The Greenkeeper's Tale Golf Digest, February 2003.
What is Tom Watson Driving At? The world's best golfer, at 32. Esquire, September 1982.
The Chosen One Will golf ever be the same after Tiger Woods? The New Yorker, 8/21-28/2000.
Inside the Lair Hanging around with Tiger Woods. Men's Vogue, Spring 2006.
Ancient History
I was a senior writer at Harper's in 1982 and 1983, during the brief editorship of Michael Kinsley and for a little while afterward. A selection of my articles:
The Secret Lives of Dentists Pity these busy monsters. Harper’s, March 1982.
State-of-the-Art Panhandling Forget about charity-extracting $350 million requires a well-oiled fund-raising machine. Harper's, August 1982.
Those Who Can't, Consult Why do experienced executives pay millions for the advice of young punks who've never run anything? Harper's, November 1982.
The Last Days of ETS Trouble at the nerve center of American meritocracy, where the grading machines run twenty-four hours a day. Harper's, May 1983.
Rest in Pieces Life was a feast. Now, how to dispose of the leftovers? Harper's, June 1983.
Good Intentions The relentless rise of Anne Wexler, Harper's, August 1983.
Meet Me in St. Louis The people people have a convention convention. Harper's, September 1983.
The Soul of a New Dessert On the cutting edge of pudding technology, Harper's, October 1983.
Ecstasy in Liverpool Shrine-hopping in the Holy Land of rock-and-roll. Harper's, December 1983.
For a year or two before I began writing for Harper's, I was a frequent contributor to Esquire, which was in the same building. Three of my contributions:
The Best-Kept Secret in American Journalism is Murray Kempton The great Kempton. Esquire, March 1982.
The Littlest Congressman John LeBoutillier wants to be the President of the United States. Esquire, April 1982.
The Talk of the Town
Lego The happiest worker in the history of employment. The New Yorker, 1/14/1991.
Worst-Case Scenario Handbook The book to have when the killer bees arrive. The New Yorker, 2/21-28/2000.
Back Together The fiftieth reunion of a Queens junior-high-school class. The New Yorker, 8/29/2011.
Jaded The special effects of Michael Geary. The New Yorker, 12/9/1991.
Official Duties On becoming a notary public. The New Yorker, 2/25/1991.
Stuff An introduction to Alex Shear. The New Yorker, 4/20/1992.
Slouching Towards Nazareth's Cigars in L.A. The New Yorker, 3/21/1994.
Incentives At the Premium Incentive Show, in the Javits Center. The New Yorker, 5/27/1991.
Wheeling Circumnavigating Manhattan by bicycle. The New Yorker, 12/1/2008.
Space Mogul Richard Branson and his rocket. The New Yorker, 1/9/2012.
Bird A saxophone prodigy. The New Yorker, 7/24/2006.
Very Now Voyagers Aboard Malcolm Forbes's yacht, the Highlander. The New Yorker, 11/29/1993.
Family Business Woodworking supplies in the Bronx. The New Yorker, 4/29/1991.
Comment A Generation Gloats. The New Yorker, 4/24-5/1/2000.
Tom Christopher Monet had his water lilies, and Tom Christopher has Times Square. The New Yorker, 10/19/1998.
Moonrocks The city's lunar samples. The New Yorker, 2/11/1991.
Honorifics Selecting a title from a pull-down menu. The New Yorker, 4/10/2006.
City Island Postcard A museum rebuilds. The New Yorker, 5/4/2009.
Pita The best bread in the city. The New Yorker, 1/7/1991.
Toys Are Them At the Toy Fair. The New Yorker, 3/7/1994.
Tornado Man Reed Timmer and the Dominator. The New Yorker, 11/1/2010.
Miracle Fibres Katarina Witt in the Pegasus Suite. The New Yorker, 5/6/1991.
The Hundred Club Century-old businesses in the city. The New Yorker, 12/23-30/2002.
Restoration A major remodeling project in the Dakota. The New Yorker, 1/28/1991.
This Old House A restoration in the Brooklyn Museum. The New Yorker, 9/4/2006.
Partners The Victor Mitchell Pro-Am bridge tournament. The New Yorker, 9/6/2010.
Inventions Nineteenth-century patent models at the Cooper Union. The New Yorker, 3/4/1991.
Cabinet of Wonders Obscura Antiques & Oddities, Lower East Side. The New Yorker, 5/7/2012.
The Meat Doctor The women who buy the beef for Peter Luger. The New Yorker, 6/30/2003.
Green Collars Ironworkers in Queens watch a documentary about a green buliding in Boston. The New Yorker, 5/18/2009.
David Koepp is a Very Nice Screenwriter. Really The New Yorker, 3/21/1994.
Jack Handey, Real Deep The Saturday Night Live writer. The New Yorker, 10/18/1993.
Tiny Wheels How to fit more cars into Manhattan. The New Yorker, 9/17/2007.
Sculptor Lawrence Fane A life in tools. The New Yorker, 3/8/2010.
Comment Publishing Junior Journal. The New Yorker, 6/10/1991.
Exit Strategy The Rescue Reel. The New Yorker, 8/30/2010.
Miss Subways Reunion in the city. The New Yorker, 6/10/1991.
Another Chinese Dynasty A Chinese moviemaker in New York. The New Yorker, 11/22/1993.
Mysteries Waiting for U.F.O.s. The New Yorker, 5/20/1991.
Shouts & Murmurs, etc.
What Happened to My Money? The New Yorker, 5/15/2000.
Work Marriage The Atlantic Monthly, February 1987.
Here's a really great idea The New Yorker, 11/1/1999.
The Big Question The Atlantic Monthly, June 1989.
8 Simple Rules For Dating My Ex-Wife The New Yorker, 1/12/2004.
How I'm Doing The New Yorker, 7/3/2000.
Your Three Wishes: F.A.Q. The New Yorker, 1/16/2006.
The Afterlife: Cutting Back The New Yorker, 1/7/2008.
Into the Archives The Atlantic Monthly, October 1994.
No Thanks The New Yorker, 12/18/1995.
The Perfect Job The Atlantic Monthly, March 1990.
Popularity The New Yorker, 7/8/2002.
History The Atlantic Monthly, November 1986.
Remake The New Yorker, 4/21-28/2003.
My AirlineThe New Yorker, 7/7-14/2008.
How to Get Rich Quick The Atlantic Monthly, March 1989.
Ripoff! The New Yorker, 2/22-5/1/1999.
Passing The New Yorker, 4/2/2007.
Help for the TV Shy The Atlantic Monthly, September 1987.
A Naturalist's Notes The New Yorker, 8/11/2003.
Pfft The Atlantic Monthly, December 1986
Miscellany
Bringing Up Baby Bob Greene on maternity leave. The New Republic, 10/1/1984.
Twinkies Linda Ellerbee and Joan Lunden. The New Republic, March 30, 1987.
Riding the Trend Trend Just point the way--any way--and millions are sure to follow. Playboy, November 1985.
The Report Cards Tackling the crisis in education. The New Republic, 1/23/1984.
Testing, Testing Some tough questions for E.T.S. The New Republic, 6/4/1984.
My wife and I were regular contributors to the defunct humor magazine Spy. For a little while, I wrote the magazine's cheerfully mean-spirited Review of Reviewrs column, under the pseudonym Ignatz Raztwikzwizki. The name comes from the great Preston Sturges movie "The Miracle of Morgan's Creek." The editors and I weren't sure how to spell it--the character who uses it in the movie isn't sure, either--so we spelled it a different way each month. Some samples:
Monkey Business Spy, September 1988.
Deadline Fever Spy, April 1989.
More is Less Spy, May 1989.
