Homer and Hubris in a Turkish Rental Car
Monday, May 18 2026
After a rental car odyssey, trekking 215-miles southwest of Istanbul, Clay spends a magical afternoon at the site of Homer’s epic, the Iliad.
- Published in Dispatches from the Road
Dispatch from the Coast of Turkey
Monday, May 11 2026
Clay and his daughter make a long-planned pilgrimage to Troy, the site of the ancient epic the Iliad.
- Published in Dispatches from the Road
Edward Abbey — Now More Than Ever, Even With All His Faults
Tuesday, April 21 2026
A recent visit to Arizona had me thinking about the legacy and prescience of Edward Abbey. With warts and all, he’s a kind of modern-day Henry David Thoreau.
- Published in Features
10 Insights Into Henry David Thoreau
Tuesday, March 31 2026
With the new Ken Burns documentary on Henry David Thoreau premiering at the end of March, Clay will be sharing 10 essential insights into one of America’s most original thinkers.…
- Published in Uncategorized
What Can You Say About Lewis and Clark in 30 Minutes?
Monday, March 09 2026
Oh my, it would be infinitely easier for me to give a three-hour lecture than one of just half an hour.
- Published in Dispatches from the Road
America at 250: Echoes of the Roman Republic?
Monday, February 23 2026
America’s Founding Fathers drew heavily on the last years of the Roman Republic in crafting our nation’s founding documents, foreseeing both the promise and the frailties of a Republic.
- Published in Features
Encounters With Those Inescapable AI Generated “10 Best Lists”
Monday, February 23 2026
Can Artificial Intelligence reliably rank the 10 greatest poems of all time?
- Published in Dispatches from the Road
Book Review — Volga Blues: A Journey Into the Heart of Russia
Monday, February 16 2026
My friend, the Italian journalist Marzio Mian, has just published a remarkable book on his monthlong underground journey along Russia’s sacred Volga River. Part travelogue, part Russian history, and part exploration of the dense, tragic Russian soul in a time of brutal war, the book is a powerful read when America’s place in world affairs is significantly unsettled.
- Published in Books
Downsizing Pays off Big — With a Trip Down Abbey Road
Tuesday, February 10 2026
I don’t know exactly what I expected from my personal downsizing campaign, but something really interesting is happening to me.
- Published in Dispatches from the Road
Reading Thoreau Again
Tuesday, February 03 2026
One of my friends contacted me not long ago and said, “Hey, you’re going to be in the Ken Burns documentary on Henry David Thoreau in March. I just saw you in the trailer. Are you going to do anything to be ready for when it comes out?” Truth told, I knew there was a Thoreau documentary coming sometime in 2026, but I wasn’t sure when.
- Published in Dispatches from the Road