Where Is Bernard DeVoto When We Need Him?
Tuesday, September 15 2026
Struck by the breathtaking speed of change in American life since World War II, Clay is writing a series of essays about what has transpired within a single humanities scholar’s lifetime. This week he writes about how our media channels shape our sense of history, current events, and national outlook.
- Published in Features
A Lament for the Snail-Mail Letter — A Great Technological Casualty?
Tuesday, August 25 2026
During my lifetime, I have witnessed the death of the letter. Future historians will have to sift through an infinite number of mostly inane cellphone texts, with little real revelation of the individuals and the periods they are studying.
- Published in Features
In My Life: The Beatles and Global Connectivity
Tuesday, August 18 2026
I tuned in, along with over 300 million others from around the globe, on that landmark day when popular music connected with the space age and changed the world forever.
- Published in Features