Blog
Winter Spirits and Solitude
Edith Wharton’s Ghosts demonstrate that the solitude of a winter night might still evoke dread and and wonder.
A Christmas Star
With the emergence of a worrisome new COVID-19 variant, nightmarish climate forecasts, and the full embrace of unscientific and undemocratic thinking by a substantive percentage of the American voting public, this Christmas season feels more emotionally challenging than last year. “Normal” life resembles a distant memory more than an object just in sight. For that…
Providence: Walking with H. P. Lovecraft
A research trip to Providence, Rhode Island allows this biographer to immerse himself in the the world of his subject — weird fiction writer H. P. Lovecraft
Small Green Spaces
A visit to Greenwich Village’s Jefferson Market Garden underscores the importance of small green spaces.
H. P. Lovecraft’s Summer in the City
Share some summertime fun with author H. P. Lovecraft as he makes the most of New York City’s public treasures — its parks, beaches, and libraries.
A Summer Break
Since I’m fully immersed in finishing a rough draft of my second book, a biography of iconic horror writer H. P. Lovecraft and his time in New York City, I’ll be stepping away from the blog for several weeks. In the meantime, I hope that you’ll check out some past pieces and enjoy the beginning…
Greetings from Asbury Park
A review of Gentrification Down the Shore — a new book exploring a changing Asbury Park, New Jersey, an epicenter of creative and LBGTQ communities on the Jersey Shore.
Love(craft) and Marriage: A New York Story
A recent article in Gotham distills H. P. Lovecraft’s New York City years and offers a hint of a forthcoming biography on that time in the author’s life.
Greenwich Village with H. P. Lovecraft
A city creature, H. P. Lovecraft loved strolling through Greenwich Village to discover its architecture and streetscape.
A Song of Spring
Walking through an early spring garden prompts a reflection on William Blake and the nearness of infinity.
The City of Light
Paris has inspired countless paintings, stories, and dreams. Lupin invites viewers to walk through this Paris.
Analog Memories
Watching The Booksellers leads to a reflection on the printed word, discovery, and friendship.
A Dispatch from the Study
Quiet solitude is the natural environment for most writers. However, the grinding isolation and stress of the ongoing pandemic tests everyone’s psychological mettle. Then came the Capitol insurrection last month. The future remains, at best, unsettled. Most days, frightening. Still, we can find solace, relief, and daresay meaning in our day-to-day routines and pursuits. Here…
Chatting about Cities (and Lovecraft)
Earlier this January, I talked with We Need Some Milk, a podcast discussing local politics and urban policy. Since the hosts and I shared such a wide-ranging and fun conversation, they decided to make my appearance a two-part episode. We chatted about the Jersey City political landscape, the New Jersey gubernatorial race, and my forthcoming…
New Year, New Podcast
2021 marks my third straight appearance on a New Year’s episode of We Need Some Milk, a podcast devoted to exploring local politics in Massachusetts and New Jersey. (Although this pairing might seem strange, trust me, it works.) Three years running … it’s officially a tradition. The hosts and I discussed the pandemic, cast predictions…
Trees and Traditions
An article on fig trees spurs a reflection on forgotten gardens and how they might change our experience of urban history.
Readying for Winter
With the arrival of a difficult winter, simple comforts and pastimes might provide much-needed support.
Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas
While sitting at my desk over the past several weeks, I’ve been listening almost exclusively to the local NPR-affiliate’s Christmas classical music stream. Although I won’t be celebrating the holiday season with family and friends this year, I’m embracing the season.
A Trip to the Green Market
A rainy morning trip to the Union Square Green Market instills surprise and solace. Such everyday experiences seem faraway and extraordinary during the pandemic.
Fall Writing Projects
The fall brings several new writing projects, including contributing to a digital non-profit and serving as a book critic.
Lovecraft & New York: My Second Book
After months and weeks of cryptic allusions, I’m excited to announce my publishing contract for a biography on seminal author H. P. Lovecraft and his time in New York City.
Halloween Musings
Although the pandemic has curtailed festivities, we can still celebrate Halloween at home with books and entertainment. Shared are several current favorites.
A View from Hudson
Last weekend, I traveled to the Hudson River Valley to begin production on a short film documentary. The view of the Hudson River from the train never fails to thrill and inspire me. This waterway and region holds such a mythic space in American arts and letters. In a small way, this film project initiated…
Moonlight and Sand
Watching the moon rise above the beach in Ocean Grove, New Jersey provides solace amid the ongoing pandemic.
An Autumn Break
Due to several work projects and writing deadlines, I’ll be taking a break from the blog for the remainder of September. Never fear, dear reader, I shall return in October. In the meantime, I hope you’ll enjoy (and comment upon) some of my past posts.
A Paean to a City
The seemingly never-ending COVID-19 pandemic has shredded municipal budgets and tax bases. A regular cycle of news stories darkly speculate as to the health of the American city. Essential services–mass transit, public parks, schools–seem imperiled. The current presidential administration and its conservative allies delight at the situation. At best, the future of our cites seem…
A Different Spread
Wealthy New Yorkers fleeing COVID-19 set off a chain reaction of displacement and cultural loss in rural New York and other regions. Artists and the creative class might receive blame for the dramatic changes in their communities. However, artists seldom win in stories of gentrification.
Walking: A Re-Discovered Joy
Last week, I walked to the Village neighborhood in downtown Jersey City for the first time since the pandemic began in March. Although this slice of the city is only a twenty- or thirty-minute stroll from my home, I felt as if I was embarking upon a great quest or journey. During the past five…