Article Club

The fourth month of Article Club is in the books! We read and annotated Peggy Orenstein’s “The Miseducation of the American Boy,” shared our thoughts, listened to Ms. Orenstein answer our questions, and participated in three online discussions.

Thank you!

Thank you to Kibos, Peter, David, Jonathan, Philippe, Nida, Erik, Steven, Ram, Camille, Hannah, Carina, Summer, Michele, Phillip, Jennifer, Tim, Jeannette, Shelley, Tyler, Erin, Caitlin, and Kati for joining the discussions. I’m very grateful. Also I appreciate all 110+ of you for being part of Article Club. We’re building a strong community of thoughtful readers who want to engage with each other.

One of those thoughtful readers is Carina, who has been an Article Clubber since the beginning and who has participated in all four discussions so far. If you don’t know her yet, you should! Carina is featured in this week’s podcast episode. Take a listen!

I can’t wait to do Article Club again. This Sunday 5/3, I’ll unveil the May article. You’re going to want to read it and discuss it. See you soon!

OK, celebrations and props are open: What did you appreciate about this month’s Article Club? Go ahead, shout out your fellow Article Clubbers, and say hi to Carina! Also, if you have ideas to make May even better, feel free to share.

Article Club is a new experiment in community reading. We read and discuss one outstanding article or book chapter a month. We invite the author to join our conversation, too. If you’re interested, sign up and check us out! Article Club is part of The Highlighter, a weekly newsletter featuring the best articles on race, education, and culture.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit articleclub.substack.com

Hi there, Article Clubbers! This month, we’re reading and discussing “The Miseducation of the American Boy,” by bestselling author Peggy Orenstein.

Last Tuesday, I got the chance to talk with Ms. Orenstein and ask her some of our questions. She was wonderful and thoughtful. Please listen to the conversation by pressing the play button above or by subscribing to The Highlighter Article Club podcast on your phone.

After listening, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments. Did anything that Ms. Orenstein said surprise you or change your ideas about the article?

First time here, or catching up? Read this first, then read and annotate the article!

Coming up at Article Club

* Sunday 4/26: We’ll discuss the article via Zoom — 2-3 pm or 4-5 pm PT. Update: Both discussions are now full, but sign up here in case someone can’t make it.

Article Club is a new experiment in community reading. We read and discuss one outstanding article or book chapter a month. We invite the author to join our conversation, too. If you’re interested, sign up and check us out! Article Club is part of The Highlighter, a weekly newsletter featuring the best articles on race, education, and culture.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit articleclub.substack.com

March’s Article Club was a big success, so let’s build on this momentum! I’m very excited to announce that April’s article will be “The Miseducation of the American Boy,” by Peggy Orenstein, bestselling author of Boys & Sex: Young Men on Hookups, Love, Porn, Consent, and Navigating the New Masculinity. You’re going to like it.

In the article, which appeared as the cover story in The Atlantic’s January/February issue, Ms. Orenstein argues that we’re teaching young men a toxic, outdated ideal of masculinity, hearkening back to the 1950s, that emphasizes aggression, conquest, and emotional detachment. Here’s my blurb for the piece when it appeared in The Highlighter #224:

“Today many parents are unsure of how to raise a boy, what sort of masculinity to encourage in their sons,” writes Peggy Orenstein, author of the forthcoming Boys & Sex. Meanwhile, boys are growing up largely on their own, learning to “man up,” rejecting their emotions, emasculating their friends, glorifying sexual violence, and finding misogyny “hilarious.” As 16-year-old Nate said, “If you hook up with a girl below your status, it’s an ‘L.’ ” And the point, of course, is to win.

The essay is deserving of our deep read and discussion — particularly if you teach adolescent boys or are a parent of one. I look forward to re-reading it and talking about it with you. Are you in? Hope so!

If you’re in, here’s what’s next:

* Announce that you’re in. To do so: Click on the title above or the play button, which will lead you to an online version of this post. Then head down to the comments. In the comments, say hi, who you are, and why you’re interested in this article. Feel free to banter. Then write, “I’m in!”

* Then read the article — if possible, by next Sunday. (It’ll take 25-35 minutes.) Go ahead and annotate it, too, if you like. Many of you have said that the group annotation is your favorite part of Article Club.

* Get your questions and first impressions ready for next Sunday. That’s when we’ll share our first thoughts about the article.

* Optional: Watch Ms. Orenstein on Amanpour and Company (3 min).

I can’t wait to see who’s in!

Coming up this month at Article Club:

* Next Sunday, 4/12: We share our first thoughts, impressions, and questions

* Sunday, 4/19: Ms. Orenstein answers our questions in a podcast episode

* Sunday, 4/26: We discuss the article via Zoom (two choices: 2-3 pm & 4-5 pm PT). Please feel free to sign up for a discussion now!

Article Club is a new experiment in community reading. We read and discuss one outstanding article a month, both online and in person. We invite the author to join our conversation, too. Article Club is part of The Highlighter, a weekly newsletter featuring the best articles on race, education, and culture.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit articleclub.substack.com

Hi there! Two weeks ago, we read (and annotated) CJ Hauser’s “The Crane Wife.” Last week, we shared our questions and first impressions. This week, I got to talk with Ms. Hauser (all the way from Oaxaca!), and in today’s podcast episode, she generously answers our questions and speaks about some of the themes we’ve been exploring (plus some details about Hunca Munca). Thank you, Ms. Hauser!

Next Saturday, March 21, we’ll gather together to discuss the article. There are two choices: 1:00 - 2:30 PT, without Ms. Hauser; 4-5 PT, with Ms. Hauser. Click the button!

Note: The in-person meeting at 1 pm might move to online. I’ll keep you updated.

I encourage you to take a listen and share your thoughts! Does listening to Ms. Hauser clarify any of your questions? Get you thinking in a different way, or strengthen your views?

All right, let’s discuss more in the comments! To do so, click on the play button or the title, which will let you listen to the podcast episode and write your comments on the bottom of the post. If you get stuck, hit reply, and we’ll get things sorted out.

Thank you for participating in this week’s conversation. And if you’re free and interested, sign up for next Saturday’s Article Club discussion below. See you soon!

Article Club is a new experiment in community reading. We read and discuss one outstanding article or book chapter a month, both online and in person. We invite the author to join our conversation, too. If you’re interested, sign up and check us out! Article Club is part of The Highlighter, a weekly newsletter featuring the best articles on race, education, and culture.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit articleclub.substack.com

February’s Article Club was a big success, so let’s build on this momentum! I’m very excited to announce that March’s article will be “The Crane Wife,” by CJ Hauser, author of Family of Origin: A Novel. You’re going to like it.

“The Crane Wife” came out last summer and immediately went viral. My friend and Article Clubber Anne texted me and wrote, “This is perfect for The Highlighter.” And it was. Tons of loyal readers loved the piece, and it was selected as one of the best articles of 2019.

Here’s my blurb for “The Crane Wife” when it appeared in The Highlighter:

Ten days after calling off her wedding, author CJ Hauser travels to the gulf coast of Texas to study whooping cranes for an upcoming novel. On the trip, Ms. Hauser reflects on her failed relationship, realizes painful personal truths, and begins the healing process. Ms. Hauser writes, “It’s easy to say that I left my fiancé because he cheated on me. It’s harder to explain the truth.” This is a beautiful, raw, heart-wrenching essay.

The essay is very worthy of our deep read and discussion. I look forward to re-reading it and talking about it with you. Are you in? Hope so!

If you’re in, here’s what’s next:

* Announce that you’re in. To do so: Click on the title above or the play button, which will lead you to an online version of this post. Then head down to the comments. In the comments, say hi, who you are, and why you’re interested in this article. Feel free to banter. Then write, “I’m in!”

* Then read the article — if possible, by next Sunday. (It’ll take 15-20 minutes.) Go ahead and annotate it, too, if you like. Last month we found that our group annotation was very helpful.

* Get your questions and first impressions ready for next Sunday. That’s when we’ll share our first thoughts about the article.

* Optional: Watch Ms. Hauser on Late Night with Seth Meyers.

I can’t wait to see who’s in!

Coming up this month at Article Club:

* Next Sunday, 3/8: We share our first thoughts, impressions, and questions

* Sunday, 3/15: Ms. Hauser answers our questions!

* Saturday, 3/21: We discuss the article in person (1-2:30 pm in Oakland) or online (4-5 pm PT anywhere in the world)

Article Club is a new experiment in community reading. We read and discuss one outstanding article a month, both online and in person. We invite the author to join our conversation, too. If you’re interested, please sign up and check us out! Article Club is part of The Highlighter, a weekly newsletter featuring the best articles on race, education, and culture.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit articleclub.substack.com

We did it! The second month of Article Club is in the books. We read and annotated Paul Tough’s “Getting an A,” shared our thoughts, listened to Mr. Tough’s answers to our questions, and participated in discussions, both in-person and online.

Thank you to Michele, Jessica, Peter, Summer, Dan, Jim, Kati, Barbara, Janine, Ram, and Carina for joining the discussions today. I’m very grateful. Also I appreciate all 80+ of you for being part of Article Club. We’re building something here!

I’m also grateful to Mr. Tough, who generously said yes to our interview request and helped us deepen our understanding of “Getting an A.” Thank you!

Today was great. We convened two discussions, the first one in person at my home in Oakland, and the second one online via Zoom. Both were very successful. Thoughtful readers came prepared, got to know each other, shared their questions and thoughts about the article, and pushed one another’s thinking.

I can’t wait to do this again. Next Sunday, I’ll unveil March’s article. You’re going to want to read it and discuss it with others. See you soon!

How was this month of Article Club for you? What was great, and what are your ideas to make it even better? If you like, please share your highlights and suggestions in the comments. (Email folks: Click the title to access the online version of this post, and then scroll to the bottom.)

Article Club is a new experiment in community reading. We read and discuss one outstanding article or book chapter a month. We invite the author to join our conversation, too. If you’re interested, please sign up and check us out! Article Club is part of The Highlighter, a weekly newsletter featuring the best articles on race, education, and culture.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit articleclub.substack.com

Hi there! Two weeks ago, we read (and annotated) Paul Tough’s “Getting an A,” from his book, The Years That Matter Most: How College Makes or Breaks Us. Last week, we shared our questions and first impressions. This Sunday, we’ll gather together to discuss the article (in-person and online). Please sign up!

Last Tuesday, I got to talk with Mr. Tough, and in this 30-minute podcast episode, he generously answers our questions and speaks about some of the themes we’ve been exploring. You’ll learn about how he began writing about education, how he met Ivonne and Prof. Uri Treisman, why he wrote the chapter, how it felt to sit in lecture classes and discussion sections, and why he still believes in college as a path toward social mobility in the United States.

I encourage you to take a listen and share your thoughts!

Does listening to Mr. Tough clarify any of your questions? Get you thinking in a different way, or strengthen your views?

All right, let’s discuss! To do so, click on the play button or the title, which will let you listen to the podcast episode and write your comments on the bottom of the post. If you get stuck, hit reply, and we’ll get things sorted out.

Thank you for participating in this week’s conversation. And if you’re free and interested, sign up for this Sunday’s Article Club discussion below. See you soon!

Article Club is a new experiment in community reading. We read and discuss one outstanding article or book chapter a month, both online and in person. We invite the author to join our conversation, too. If you’re interested, please sign up and check us out! Article Club is part of The Highlighter, a weekly newsletter featuring the best articles on race, education, and culture.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit articleclub.substack.com

Hi there, Article Clubbers, and welcome to the many new members who joined this week. It’s great to see how quickly we’re growing. This month, we’re discussing Paul Tough’s “Getting an A,” a chapter from his outstanding book, The Years That Matter Most: How College Makes or Breaks Us.

Last week, we read (and some of us vigorously annotated) the chapter. This week, we’ll begin our discussion by sharing our first impressions, questions, and topics we want to explore. If we have questions for Mr. Tough, we’ll include those, too.

If you’re new to Article Club: I’m happy you’re here! In the comments, say hi and introduce yourself. Then I’ll email you the chapter so you can join the discussion.

OK, it’s time to discuss!

* What were your first impressions of “Getting an A”?

* What questions do you have — for the group or for Mr. Tough?

* What topics do you want us to explore more?

In the comments, say hi and share your thoughts. Remember, there’s no need to be smart here: Just go for it. Enjoy getting to know your fellow Article Club friends, reply to one another’s ideas, and build off one another. Most of all, have fun!

Coming up this month

* Next Sunday, Feb. 16: Mr. Tough will answer our questions as part of a podcast episode. We’ll reflect on what he says and deepen our conversation.

* Sunday, Feb. 23: We’ll convene in person (1-2:30 pm in Oakland) or online (4-5 pm PT via Zoom) to discuss “Getting an A” in depth.

One last thing: I want to thank Mr. Tough for getting the word out and encouraging his followers to join Article Club. I look forward to asking you our questions soon!

Article Club is a new experiment in community reading. We read and discuss one outstanding article or book chapter a month, both online and in person. We invite the author to join our conversation, too. If you’re interested, please sign up and check us out! Article Club is part of The Highlighter, a weekly newsletter featuring the best articles on race, education, and culture.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit articleclub.substack.com

Last month’s Article Club was a big success, so let’s build on this momentum! I’m excited to announce that February’s article will be “Getting an A,” by Paul Tough. You’re going to like it.

“Getting an A” is a chapter from Mr. Tough’s new book, “The Years That Matter Most: How College Makes Or Breaks Us.” It’s a great book that I highly recommend, especially if you’re an educator or parent. “Getting an A” tells the story of Ivonne, a Latina first generation college student, who is struggling through introductory Calculus at the University of Texas at Austin. It’s also about Uri Treisman, Ivonne’s 71-year-old professor, who is struggling to teach Math in a way that disrupts inequitable achievement and increases access to STEM careers.

The chapter is very worthy of our deep read and discussion. I look forward to re-reading it and talking about it with you. Are you in? Hope so!

If you’re in, here’s what’s next:

* In the comments below, say hi. Who are you? Why are you interested in this article? Feel free to banter. Then write, “I’m in!”

* Once you’ve signed up, I’ll send you the article via email. This will be a shared Google doc that only we will be able to access. Try to read it before next Sunday. (It’ll take 45-60 minutes.) Go ahead and annotate it, too, if you like. Last month we found that our group annotation was very helpful.

* Get your questions and first impressions ready for next Sunday. That’s when we’ll share our first thoughts about the article.

I can’t wait to see who’s in!

If you’re new to Article Club, sign up below, refresh this page, and then you’ll be able to write in the comments that you’re in. Welcome!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit articleclub.substack.com

We did it! The inaugural month of Article Club is in the books. We read and annotated Jia Tolentino’s “The Tyranny of the Ideal Woman,” shared our thoughts, listened to Ms. Tolentino’s answers to our questions, and this past Sunday, participated in discussions, both in-person and online.

This is big! Thank you to Carina, Anne, Hannah, Katie, Peter, David, Tony, Vanessa, Ram, Sonya, Kati, Jennifer, Michele, Jim, Summer, Marni, and Vanessa for being the founders of Article Club. I’m very grateful.

I’m also appreciative of Ms. Tolentino, who generously said yes to our interview request and helped us deepen our understanding of the article. Given this precedent, now there’s an expectation that authors will join us in conversation.

Sunday was great. We convened two discussions, the first one in person at my home in Oakland, and the second one online via Zoom. Both were extremely successful. Thoughtful readers came prepared, got to know each other, shared their questions and thoughts about the article, and pushed one another’s thinking.

It got me thinking: This Article Club thing is going to grow and get even better.

To that end, please share your highlights and suggestions in the comments. How was this first month of Article Club for you? What was great, and what should be changed?

I can’t wait to do this again. Be on the lookout this Sunday, when I’ll unveil February’s article. You’re going to want to read it and discuss it with others. See you soon!

Quick note about the audio quality: There are some distracting sounds; they’re not horrible, but they might be annoying. I didn’t have my regular mic, sorry!

New to Article Club? Sign up here!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit articleclub.substack.com