Article Club

Happy Sunday, Article Clubbers! This month, we’re reading, annotating, and discussing “I Went to Disney World,” by Graeme Wood, which explores the reopening of “the happiest place on Earth” smack dab in the middle of this summer’s surge of the coronavirus. Besides being hilarious, the piece brings up serious questions as well, like whether Disney as a private corporation might provide better governance than our actual government.

Sound interesting? Read this to catch up and join this month’s discussion.

This week is all about how we’re experiencing the article so far. Don’t be shy. Share your first impressions by leaving a comment. Also, feel free to include questions you’d like me to ask Mr. Wood when I interview him later this week. Thank you!

One last thing: In this week’s podcast episode, I talk about how Article Club has grown to more than 150 subscribers (great news!) and how most of you haven’t taken the leap yet to join a discussion. If this is you, are you feeling shy? waiting for the right article? not interested in the discussion aspect? I’d love to hear from you!

Coming up at Article Club

* Sunday 9/20: We’ll listen to Mr. Wood talk about the article.

* Sunday 9/27: We’ll discuss the article with fellow Article Clubbers. Please sign up for a discussion if you haven’t yet: 2-3 pm or 4-5 PT.

Article Club is a newish 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 “Going the Distance,” by journalist Gordy Megroz. It’s a great article that explores the relationship between marathon runners who break the rules and independent investigators eager to catch them cheating.

Last week, I got the chance to talk with Mr. Megroz and ask him some of our questions. He was generous and thoughtful — and shared some extra details about Derek Murphy and Frank Meza not included in his piece. Please take a listen!

Note: There are spoilers, so you may want to read the article first before listening.

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

There’s still time to join this month’s discussion. Read this first, then sign up!

Coming up at Article Club

* Sunday 8/30: We’ll discuss the article via Zoom — 2-3 pm or 4-5 pm PT. There’s still time to sign up!

Article Club is a newish experiment in community reading. We read and discuss one outstanding article or book chapter every 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 “Jerry and Marge Go Large,” by writer Jason Fagone.

Last week, I got the chance to talk with Mr. Fagone and ask him some of our questions. He was generous and thoughtful — and shared some extra details about Jerry and Marge that are delightful. Please take a listen!

Also, there’s good news: If you liked the article as much as I did, it’s now out in hardcover, as a physical book. I got my signed copy — it’s well made and beautifully designed — and you can get yours here.

After listening to the interview, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments. Did anything 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 7/26: We’ll discuss the article via Zoom — 2-3 pm or 4-5 pm PT. There’s still time to sign up!

Article Club is a newish experiment in community reading. We read and discuss one outstanding article or book chapter every 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

Happy Sunday! This month, we’re reading “Jerry and Marge Go Large,” by Jason Fagone, and this week is all about how we’re experiencing the article so far. Don’t be shy! Share your first impressions by leaving a comment.

New to Article Club and want to join this month’s discussion? Read this to get caught up!

To get us started, Article Clubber Jennifer generously agreed to share her thoughts on the article in today’s podcast episode. Jennifer is great — and not just because she’s my friend and former colleague! In our conversation, Jennifer explains what drew her to Article Club and offers her appreciation for the article so far. Feel free to say hi to Jennifer in the comments!

Coming up at Article Club

* Sunday 7/19: We’ll listen to Mr. Fagone talk about his article.

* Sunday 7/26: We’ll discuss the article with fellow Article Clubbers. Please sign up for a discussion if you haven’t yet: 2-3 pm or 4-5 PT.

Article Club is a newish 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

Welcome to July! I’m excited to announce that this month’s article is “Jerry and Marge Go Large,” by Jason Fagone. You’re going to love it!

Featured in March 2018 in Issue #133, “Jerry and Marge Go Large” is an outstanding, rollicking article about a savvy retired couple who legally exploit loopholes in the lottery and go on to win millions of dollars. Here’s my blurb:

Jerry and Marge Selbee are delightful retirees from down-home Michigan who have worked hard every day their whole lives to put their six kids through college. Now they’re ready to game the lottery and win millions of dollars. If you’ve ever dreamed up money-making schemes, or if you like mathematical thrillers pitting grandparents against MIT students, this one’s for you. (48 min)

“Jerry and Marge Go Large” went on to be selected as one of the best articles of 2018. Today on the podcast, you’ll hear from Article Clubber Jessica, who first shared the piece with me. Thank you, Jessica!

Mr. Fagone writes for the San Francisco Chronicle and is now reporting on the coronavirus outbreak at San Quentin State Prison. He’s the author of The Woman Who Smashed Codes and Horsemen of the Esophagus. He’ll be answering our questions in a podcast episode later this month.

Are you IN? If so, here’s what to do:

* Say hi, share your feelings about lotteries, and announce that you’re IN in the comments.

* Read and annotate the article. (Here’s the original if you prefer it.)

* Sign up for a discussion on Sunday, July 26 — 2-3 pm or 4-5 pm PT (via Zoom).

Coming up this month at Article Club

* Sunday 7/12: We’ll share our first impressions of the article.

* Sunday 7/19: We’ll listen to Mr. Fagone talk about the article.

* Sunday 7/26: We’ll discuss the article with fellow Article Clubbers.

Questions? Share them in the comments or email me at [email protected].

Article Club is a newish 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 Mountain,” by New Yorker writer Andrew Marantz.

Last week, I got the chance to talk with Mr. Marantz and ask him some of our questions. He was generous 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 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 6/28: We’ll discuss the article via Zoom — 2-3 pm or 4-5 pm PT. There’s still time to sign up!

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

Happy Tuesday! This month, we’re reading “The Mountain,” by Andrew Marantz, and this week is all about how we’re experiencing the article so far. Don’t be shy! Share your first impressions by leaving a comment.

To get us started, Article Clubber Kati generously agreed to share her thoughts in today’s podcast episode. Kati is great — and not just because she was once my student! In our conversation, Kati explains what drew her to Article Club and offers her appreciation for the article so far. Feel free to say hi to Kati in the comments!

Want to join this month’s discussion? Read this first, then read and annotate the article.

Coming up at Article Club

* Sunday 6/21: We’ll listen to Mr. Marantz talk about his article.

* Sunday 6/28: We’ll discuss the article with fellow Article Clubbers. Please sign up for a discussion if you haven’t yet: 2-3 pm or 4-5 PT.

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

Welcome to June! I’m excited to announce that this month’s article is “The Mountain,” by Andrew Marantz. Yes, we’re going to tackle white nationalism and the alt-right.

Featured last November in Issue #217, “The Mountain” is a chapter from Mr. Marantz’s excellent book, Antisocial: Online Extremists, Techno-Utopians, and the Hijacking of the American Conversation (2019). Here’s my original blurb:

Before Samantha joined the alt-right and became a white nationalist, she grew up in New Jersey and Florida, worked at Chipotle, and volunteered for the Obama campaign. Then Samantha met Richie, who cooked and danced and played the guitar. She fell in love. At first it didn’t matter that Richie quoted 4chan and made anti-Semitic remarks. But when he began arguing for racial purification and announced, “I’m a fascist,” that was too much. Samantha left Richie — that is, until she decided to look into some of his beliefs, to find out where he had gone wrong. Five days later, after watching YouTube videos and reading articles online, Samantha changed her mind: She wanted to become an advocate for the white race, too.

In this excellent chapter from Antisocial, Andrew Marantz (#115, #134) emphasizes that “there is no formula that can predict exactly who will succumb to fascism and who will not.” He adds: “We would like to imagine that, in the current year, the United States has developed a moral vocabulary that is robust and widespread enough to inoculate almost all of us against raw bigotry and malign propaganda. We would like to imagine that, but it would be wishful thinking.”

Mr. Marantz writes for The New Yorker and has appeared in Harper’s, The New York Times, and many other publications. He has appeared on Radiolab and The New Yorker Radio Hour. Here’s his TED talk “inside the bizarre world of internet trolls.”

Are you IN? If so, here’s what to do:

* Say hi, introduce yourself, and announce that you’re IN in the comments. (I’ll send you a password-protected, non-shareable, non-downloadable version of the article.)

* Read and annotate the article.

* Sign up for a discussion on Sunday, June 28 — 2-3 pm or 4-5 pm PT (via Zoom).

Coming up this month at Article Club

* Sunday 6/14: We’ll listen to an Article Clubber’s first impressions.

* Sunday 6/21: We’ll listen to Mr. Marantz talk about the article.

* Sunday 6/28: We’ll discuss the article with fellow Article Clubbers.

Questions? Share them in the comments or email me at [email protected].

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

Happy Sunday and Happy Mother’s Day! This month, we’re reading “Lost in Summerland,” by Barrett Swanson, and this week is all about how we’re experiencing the article so far. Don’t be shy! Share your first impressions in the comments.

To get us started, Article Clubber Summer generously agreed to share her thoughts in today’s podcast episode. Summer is great, describing herself as a proud Gemini of color who challenges capitalism and seeks a diversity of experiences. In our conversation, Summer explains what drew her to Article Club and offers her appreciation for the article so far. Feel free to say hi to Summer in the comments!

Want to join this month’s discussion? Read this first, then read and annotate the article.

Coming up at Article Club

* Sunday 5/17: We’ll brainstorm topics we’d like to explore in the discussion.

* Sunday 5/24: We’ll discuss the article with fellow Article Clubbers. Please sign up for a discussion if you haven’t yet: 2-3 pm or 4-5 PT (with the author).

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

Welcome to May! I’m excited to announce that this month’s article is “Lost in Summerland,” by Barrett Swanson. You’re going to love it.

Appearing first in The Atavist Magazine, the article was featured in Issue #225 of The Highlighter. Here’s my blurb:

After recovering from a traumatic brain injury when he was 22, Andy Swanson started hearing things at home: creaky footsteps in the hallway, stray voices in the closet. When his dad showed up, concerned, Andy’s first words were, “There’s someone in the room with us.” The chandelier in the room flickered on its own.

This article, told from the point of view of his little brother, Barrett, explores Andy’s developing identity as a psychic and a medium. Most of all, though, this is a story of two brothers, their relationship, and their trip one summer to Lily Dale, New York, where every year, 20,000 Spiritualists gather to perform readings, conduct seances, and build community.

At the retreat, Barrett notices his brother’s calm and rising confidence. But he’s also aware of his own uneasiness, acknowledges his history of depression, and recounts an incident from his past, when his big brother’s powers may have saved his life. 

Are you IN? If so, here’s what to do:

* Read and annotate the article.

* Sign up for a discussion on Sunday, May 24 — 2-3 pm or 4-5 pm PT (with the author).

* Say hi, introduce yourself, and announce that you’re IN in the comments.

Coming up this month at Article Club

* Sunday 5/10: We’ll listen to an Article Clubber’s first impressions.

* Sunday 5/17: We’ll share topics we’d like to explore in the discussion.

* Sunday 5/24: We’ll discuss the article with fellow Article Clubbers.

Questions? Share them in the comments or email me at [email protected].

Art by Emmanuel Polanco

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