For many years I wrote about fiction, story, belief, ordinary life, and the questions that shaped my work. More than two thousand essays remain here—not because every one represents my current thinking, but because together they tell the story of a writer learning over time.
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The archive begins with the most recent writing. Use the numbered pages below to move backward through time.
The Boaz Stranger–Chapter 42
By the time I approached Christiansburg thirty-five miles south, I was running on fumes. My overindulgence of the food that friends and neighbors had brought to Kyla’s after…
Ken Burns on why the Republican Party completely changed
STEVE SCHMIDT: ” It was an absolute honor to talk to Ken Burns, famed documentarian and national treasure, to talk about the importance of telling America’s story. In this…
Sunday morning, I was still feeling guilty over what I’d done. Sometimes I talk when I should remain silent. Rosa, Leah, Lyndell, and the four grands had arrived…
At 7:00 PM, Ray backed the Suburban down the hill to the detached garage. Once the automatic door opened, he eased the overgrown vehicle halfway inside the bay…
Richard L. Fricks 