As a journalism instructor and a longtime newsroom dweller, I am constantly reading about the industry and where it’s going. I’m also consuming media all the time, eager to see what’s out there. I’ve also spent more than 20 years in blogging and other online media-related roles, so I read about that too.
Beginning this week, I will be sharing some of the media I am consuming that is particularly useful to journalists, bloggers, food writers, authors and others who want to keep their finger on the pulse of these overlapping industries.
How to Start
Last year, New York Times writer and author Jodi Kantor spoke to my Investigative Journalism class at the University of Maine and it was an inspiring and unforgettable conversation with my students. Her latest book, How to Start, is early career advice that I wish I had as a young journalist. She was recently on a podcast talking about this experience and her life in journalism and it kept me riveted for the entire 1 hour and 11 minutes run. Listen: How to Start with Priya Parker, Anand Giridharadas, and Jodi Kantor
Out of Body
I don’t know if I would have discovered Noah Kahan if not for my daughter and her first boyfriend. The story goes like this: The boyfriend introduced my daughter to Noah’s music, and then she subjected me to car ride after car ride listening to the Stick Season album. And despite initially not liking the slow melodies that tended to be more melancholic than my listening choices, I slowly fell in love with song after song. But even my daughter was surprised when she realized several Noah Kahan songs were on a playlist of my own. In any case, I have been eagerly awaiting both his new album and the Netflix documentary about him, Out of Body. I watched the documentary over the weekend, not sure what to expect, and found a deeply human portrait of an artist who is open about his struggles with body dysmorphia and his fear that he has to be down in it to write well. It was relatable and raw, and it left me appreciating him more than as an artist. Out of Body is now available on Netflix.
Blackbird House
As a writer, I am always reading. It’s an essential process to experience the work of others, enjoying it, but also taking note of what makes their writing work. That’s what my intention was when I picked up Blackbird House by Alice Hoffman to read last week. It has been on my TBR pile for awhile, and the size of the book was just right for taking with me this weekend while I hung out with old friends, read outside and just enjoyed life. Anyway, Blackbird House is a series of interconnected stories about a house on Cape Cod and the many lives it lives with different inhabitants. It was thoughtful and beautiful, haunting and inspiring. I found the stories so engaging that I couldn’t put it down. I already loved Alice Hoffman’s work, but this got me thinking hard about how short stories begin and end, and the essential parts that make them stand out. Read: Blackbird House by Alice Hoffman.
