Slate staff writer Aymann Ismail nearly pulled his first-person piece about postpartum depression and anxiety because it seemingly paled in comparison to pregnancy's physical toll on women. Just two months later, it has gone viral, generated conversations all over the world, and inspired a forthcoming book.

We talk about the state of modern journalism, growing up Muslim in the shadow of the World Trade Center, the tyranny of too much information, and how his marriage and fatherhood have regained their footing.