Noel Rubinton
@noelrubinton.bsky.social
Highlights of current nonfiction writing from a journalist and author of Looking for a Story: A Complete Guide to the Writings of John McPhee, publishing May 13, 2025 from Princeton University Press
Had a wonderful night at Boston Athenæum, where more than 100 people came to hear me talk about my John McPhee book. Many long-time McPhee readers were there and I had the great chance to be in conversation with Cullen Murphy of The Atlantic. Thanks to the Athaeneum crew & Beacon Hill Books.
November 6, 2025 at 3:32 AM
Had a wonderful night at Boston Athenæum, where more than 100 people came to hear me talk about my John McPhee book. Many long-time McPhee readers were there and I had the great chance to be in conversation with Cullen Murphy of The Atlantic. Thanks to the Athaeneum crew & Beacon Hill Books.
The New Yorker had a great article on the magazine's legendary fact checking process. It recounts a dramatic story on how a John McPhee article on World War II & a Japanese incendiary balloon was fact checked. I remember when McPhee told me the story--I was on the edge of my seat.
bit.ly/472ropL
bit.ly/472ropL
The History of The New Yorker’s Vaunted Fact-Checking Department
Reporters engage in charm and betrayal; checkers are in the harm-reduction business.
bit.ly
October 1, 2025 at 12:24 AM
The New Yorker had a great article on the magazine's legendary fact checking process. It recounts a dramatic story on how a John McPhee article on World War II & a Japanese incendiary balloon was fact checked. I remember when McPhee told me the story--I was on the edge of my seat.
bit.ly/472ropL
bit.ly/472ropL
My John McPhee book is the subject of the latest episode of "Conversations from Pointed Firs,"a wonderful monthly podcast & radio show from WERU-FM in Maine (link: bit.ly/47wBhgh). The show is on people & work that invokes "the spirit of Maine," and I was thrilled McPhee and my book are included.
Conversations with Maine Authors & Artists
Conversations with Maine-connected authors and artists and books and creative projects that invoke the spirit of Maine, its history, ecology, culture and contribution to community and quality of life.
bit.ly
September 9, 2025 at 4:58 PM
My John McPhee book is the subject of the latest episode of "Conversations from Pointed Firs,"a wonderful monthly podcast & radio show from WERU-FM in Maine (link: bit.ly/47wBhgh). The show is on people & work that invokes "the spirit of Maine," and I was thrilled McPhee and my book are included.
As my book tour takes a summer pause, I thank conversation partners on 8 stops so far: John Timpane, Jennifer Weiner, Kevin Lerner, Stacey Vanek Smith, Philip Eil, Marc Fisher, Dave Carner, & Jeff Gordinier. Thanks @princetonupress.bsky.social & all who attended, Princeton to LA. More in the fall!
July 28, 2025 at 10:50 PM
As my book tour takes a summer pause, I thank conversation partners on 8 stops so far: John Timpane, Jennifer Weiner, Kevin Lerner, Stacey Vanek Smith, Philip Eil, Marc Fisher, Dave Carner, & Jeff Gordinier. Thanks @princetonupress.bsky.social & all who attended, Princeton to LA. More in the fall!
Looking forward to being at the wonderful Blue Hill Library in Maine July 15 at 7pm to talk about my John McPhee book--his Maine writing and far beyond. It's cosponsored by the splendid Blue Hill Books & I'll be in conversation with one of their great booksellers, Dave Carner. bit.ly/4lzdxvD
Author Event: Noel Rubinton, 'Looking for a Story: A Complete Guide to the Writings of John McPhee'
The Blue Hill Public Library and Blue Hill Books are cosponsoring an author talk with Noel Rubinton on his new book, Looking for a Story: A Complete Guide to the Writings of John...
bit.ly
July 8, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Looking forward to being at the wonderful Blue Hill Library in Maine July 15 at 7pm to talk about my John McPhee book--his Maine writing and far beyond. It's cosponsored by the splendid Blue Hill Books & I'll be in conversation with one of their great booksellers, Dave Carner. bit.ly/4lzdxvD
Happy 4th! Spent a wonderful part of the day at my favorite bookstore in Washington, the great Politics and Prose. And thanks to them for treating my John McPhee book so well.
July 4, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Happy 4th! Spent a wonderful part of the day at my favorite bookstore in Washington, the great Politics and Prose. And thanks to them for treating my John McPhee book so well.
Thanks for the comment from @lawrencecphd.bsky.social, who himself has done important environmental history writing.
California has always been a perilous paradise. John McPhee wrote eloquently about Los Angeles‘s attempts to control the inexorable forces of geology, and the new book California Against the Sea focuses on an accelerating peril for the state: the ocean and sea level rise.
John McPhee's writing on LA & California is as relevant now as when he wrote it. More evidence: @altajournal.bsky.social made "California Against the Sea" by Rosanna Xia July's selection for its California Book Club. She says the title is “a nod to John McPhee’s ‘Los Angeles Against the Mountains.’"
June 30, 2025 at 12:17 AM
Thanks for the comment from @lawrencecphd.bsky.social, who himself has done important environmental history writing.
John McPhee's writing on LA & California is as relevant now as when he wrote it. More evidence: @altajournal.bsky.social made "California Against the Sea" by Rosanna Xia July's selection for its California Book Club. She says the title is “a nod to John McPhee’s ‘Los Angeles Against the Mountains.’"
Why You Should Read This: ‘California Against the Sea’
bit.ly
June 29, 2025 at 11:02 PM
John McPhee's writing on LA & California is as relevant now as when he wrote it. More evidence: @altajournal.bsky.social made "California Against the Sea" by Rosanna Xia July's selection for its California Book Club. She says the title is “a nod to John McPhee’s ‘Los Angeles Against the Mountains.’"
John McPhee has a wonderful new article in the latest New Yorker telling how at age 10 he first appeared in the magazine and was drawn into its orbit. It's McPhee's 166th time in the magazine going back to 1963. The story is also recounted in my book, leading off the section on his New Yorker work.
bit.ly
June 25, 2025 at 1:11 PM
John McPhee has a wonderful new article in the latest New Yorker telling how at age 10 he first appeared in the magazine and was drawn into its orbit. It's McPhee's 166th time in the magazine going back to 1963. The story is also recounted in my book, leading off the section on his New Yorker work.
New from Princeton Alumni Weekly on my McPhee book: bit.ly/4nds7KL "New Book Chronicles the Career of Prolific Writer and Professor John McPhee ’53. Looking for a Story offers the first comprehensive inventory of the Princeton professor’s writings, beginning with his high school and college works."
June 23, 2025 at 9:12 PM
New from Princeton Alumni Weekly on my McPhee book: bit.ly/4nds7KL "New Book Chronicles the Career of Prolific Writer and Professor John McPhee ’53. Looking for a Story offers the first comprehensive inventory of the Princeton professor’s writings, beginning with his high school and college works."
Nonfiction writing lost a huge talent with the death of William Langewiesche, award-winning magazine & book author. He was inspired by John McPhee:"Here was this guy writing about these obscure subjects, making a living doing it, and by the way it was beautiful," he told the San Francisco Chronicle.
William Langewiesche, the ‘Steve McQueen of Journalism,’ Dies at 70
He was a master of long form narratives, often involving high-stakes topics. He reported for Vanity Fair, The Atlantic and The New York Times Magazine.
bit.ly
June 19, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Nonfiction writing lost a huge talent with the death of William Langewiesche, award-winning magazine & book author. He was inspired by John McPhee:"Here was this guy writing about these obscure subjects, making a living doing it, and by the way it was beautiful," he told the San Francisco Chronicle.
It was a great night talking about my John McPhee book at DC's Politics and Prose Bookstore--an honor to be there. My wonderful conversation partner was Marc Fisher, columnist for the Washington Post & former McPhee student at Princeton. Thanks to the audience for coming & having terrific questions.
June 19, 2025 at 1:52 AM
It was a great night talking about my John McPhee book at DC's Politics and Prose Bookstore--an honor to be there. My wonderful conversation partner was Marc Fisher, columnist for the Washington Post & former McPhee student at Princeton. Thanks to the audience for coming & having terrific questions.
Looking forward to a great evening. Thanks @princetonupress.bsky.social
Join @politicsprose.bsky.social at the Wharf in welcoming @noelrubinton.bsky.social to discuss his new book, Looking for a Story, tomorrow (June 18) at 7 pm EDT. He will be in conversation with @marcfisher.bsky.social.
Learn more:
Learn more:
Noel Rubinton — Looking for a Story: A Complete Guide to the Writings of John McPhee - with Marc Fisher — at The Wharf
John McPhee has been a staff writer for The New Yorker since 1965 and has written more than thirty acclaimed books that began on the magazine's pages. But few readers know or fully appreciate the…
politics-prose.com
June 18, 2025 at 12:05 AM
Looking forward to a great evening. Thanks @princetonupress.bsky.social
I'm honored to be in the Washington Post Literary Calendar today for my Politics and Prose Bookstore (Wharf Branch) event this Wednesday, June 18, at 7pm. I'll be in conversation with Marc Fisher, a terrific Post columnist and former John McPhee student at Princeton.
June 15, 2025 at 1:32 PM
I'm honored to be in the Washington Post Literary Calendar today for my Politics and Prose Bookstore (Wharf Branch) event this Wednesday, June 18, at 7pm. I'll be in conversation with Marc Fisher, a terrific Post columnist and former John McPhee student at Princeton.
A friend sent me this photo of the John McPhee section of his personal library. I am honored.
My book tour goes next to Politics and Prose in DC on June 18, and then DIESEL books in Los Angeles on July 23.
My book tour goes next to Politics and Prose in DC on June 18, and then DIESEL books in Los Angeles on July 23.
June 10, 2025 at 10:48 AM
A friend sent me this photo of the John McPhee section of his personal library. I am honored.
My book tour goes next to Politics and Prose in DC on June 18, and then DIESEL books in Los Angeles on July 23.
My book tour goes next to Politics and Prose in DC on June 18, and then DIESEL books in Los Angeles on July 23.
Today I had a great John McPhee book event at the Brown University Bookstore in Providence--so special to be back at the alma mater I care so deeply about. Thanks to the staff of the bookstore and my wonderful conversation partner (and talented book author) @phileil.bsky.social.
June 6, 2025 at 1:31 AM
Today I had a great John McPhee book event at the Brown University Bookstore in Providence--so special to be back at the alma mater I care so deeply about. Thanks to the staff of the bookstore and my wonderful conversation partner (and talented book author) @phileil.bsky.social.
@calebzakarin.bsky.social, editor of the @newbooksnetwork.bsky.social, interviewed me for a podcast about my John McPhee book. It's a wide-ranging conversation, including talking about what makes McPhee so extraordinary and the many discoveries in the book.
bit.ly/3SyEvXT
bit.ly/3SyEvXT
Ideas Podcast: Looking for a Story
Looking for a Story is a complete reader’s guide to McPhee’s vast published work, documenting much rarely seen or connected with McPhee, including remarkable early writing for Time magazine published ...
bit.ly
June 1, 2025 at 9:47 PM
@calebzakarin.bsky.social, editor of the @newbooksnetwork.bsky.social, interviewed me for a podcast about my John McPhee book. It's a wide-ranging conversation, including talking about what makes McPhee so extraordinary and the many discoveries in the book.
bit.ly/3SyEvXT
bit.ly/3SyEvXT
Thanks to @princetonupress.bsky.social and to @calebzakarin.bsky.social, a terrific interviewer.
Listen to Noel Rubinton discuss John McPhee, the Pulitzer Prize–winning writer, teacher, and pioneer of creative nonfiction, and his inspiring career.
press.princeton.edu/ideas/ideas-...
@noelrubinton.bsky.social #JohnMcPhee @newyorker.com @newbooksnetwork.bsky.social
press.princeton.edu/ideas/ideas-...
@noelrubinton.bsky.social #JohnMcPhee @newyorker.com @newbooksnetwork.bsky.social
May 30, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Thanks to @princetonupress.bsky.social and to @calebzakarin.bsky.social, a terrific interviewer.
My John McPhee book event at @bookculture.com in NYC was a wonderful success. Stacey Vanek Smith of Bloomberg Audio (and a former McPhee student) was a spectacular conversation partner. Thanks to all who attended and a great bookstore. Next up on my tour: the Brown Bookstore, Providence, June 5.
May 30, 2025 at 1:10 PM
My John McPhee book event at @bookculture.com in NYC was a wonderful success. Stacey Vanek Smith of Bloomberg Audio (and a former McPhee student) was a spectacular conversation partner. Thanks to all who attended and a great bookstore. Next up on my tour: the Brown Bookstore, Providence, June 5.
Thanks to my publisher, @princetonupress.bsky.social, which I appreciate so much. Looking forward to Book Culture.
Join @noelrubinton.bsky.social at @bookculture.com tomorrow (May 29) at 7 pm EDT for a discussion about his new book, Looking for a Story. NPR's @svaneksmith.bsky.social will join in conversation.
Register today: www.bookculture.com/event/112th-...
Register today: www.bookculture.com/event/112th-...
May 29, 2025 at 1:38 AM
Thanks to my publisher, @princetonupress.bsky.social, which I appreciate so much. Looking forward to Book Culture.
Today I had the honor of giving the keynote speech at the International Association of Literary Journalism Studies conference, held at Marist University in Poughkeepsie, NY. The group included many professors from around the world & it was a pleasure to talk with them on my new book on John McPhee.
May 29, 2025 at 1:13 AM
Today I had the honor of giving the keynote speech at the International Association of Literary Journalism Studies conference, held at Marist University in Poughkeepsie, NY. The group included many professors from around the world & it was a pleasure to talk with them on my new book on John McPhee.
Thanks for the praise from the spectacular author of Prescription for Pain (Steerforth). Looking forward to being with him in Providence June 5 at the Brown Bookstore.
I just posted my 5-star Goodreads review of @noelrubinton.bsky.social's book, Looking for a Story: A Complete Guide to the Writings of John McPhee.
You can hear us chat about it next Thursday at 4:30 p.m. at the Brown Bookstore in Providence!
You can hear us chat about it next Thursday at 4:30 p.m. at the Brown Bookstore in Providence!
May 27, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Thanks for the praise from the spectacular author of Prescription for Pain (Steerforth). Looking forward to being with him in Providence June 5 at the Brown Bookstore.
Thanks, @phileil.bsky.social, look forward to seeing you in PVD on 6/5. This week. at 7pm on May 29, I am in conversation about my John McPhee book with @bloomberg.com Stacey Vanek Smith at @bookculture.com 112th St. in NYC.
This Hessler piece is an excerpt from @noelrubinton.bsky.social excellent book on McPhee, Looking for a Story: A Complete Guide to the Writings of John McPhee.
I'll be talking with Noel about it at the Brown Bookstore on Thursday, June 5, at 4:30!
I'll be talking with Noel about it at the Brown Bookstore on Thursday, June 5, at 4:30!
May 26, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Thanks, @phileil.bsky.social, look forward to seeing you in PVD on 6/5. This week. at 7pm on May 29, I am in conversation about my John McPhee book with @bloomberg.com Stacey Vanek Smith at @bookculture.com 112th St. in NYC.
Literary Hub has published an excerpt from the beautiful foreword that Peter Hessler (a former John McPhee student and wonderful New Yorker writer and author in his own right) did for my Looking for a Story book. Hessler gets to the heart of McPhee's genius and humanity.
bit.ly/4kCjQOH
bit.ly/4kCjQOH
“Please Keep Caring.” What John McPhee Taught Generations of Writers and Journalists
In the spring of 1991, when I was a junior at Princeton, I took John McPhee’s seminar on nonfiction writing. Back then, I was an English major who hoped to become a novelist, and I focused primaril…
bit.ly
May 23, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Literary Hub has published an excerpt from the beautiful foreword that Peter Hessler (a former John McPhee student and wonderful New Yorker writer and author in his own right) did for my Looking for a Story book. Hessler gets to the heart of McPhee's genius and humanity.
bit.ly/4kCjQOH
bit.ly/4kCjQOH
Thank you Head House Books in Philadelphia for hosting my John McPhee book event with best-selling novelist & former McPhee student Jennifer Weiner. It was great to have a group there from @princetonupress.bsky.social, including editorial director Christie Henry & board chair Elizabeth Widdicombe.
May 23, 2025 at 2:23 AM
Thank you Head House Books in Philadelphia for hosting my John McPhee book event with best-selling novelist & former McPhee student Jennifer Weiner. It was great to have a group there from @princetonupress.bsky.social, including editorial director Christie Henry & board chair Elizabeth Widdicombe.