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

I was delighted to hear that my home public library in Maryland bought my John McPhee book. So I went to see it on the shelf today and instead saw this (in red). Even better than seeing it on the shelf.

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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.

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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

The History of The New Yorker’s Vaunted Fact-Checking Department

Reporters engage in charm and betrayal; checkers are in the harm-reduction business.

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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.

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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...

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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.

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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."

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

Philip Eil@phileil.bsky.social · last yr.

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!

A five-star Goodreads review of Noel Rubinton's book Looking for a Story: A Complete Guide to the Writings of John McPhee that reads:

Rubinton's book is a must-read for anyone interested in American narrative nonfiction -- and, more broadly, American literature since the 1960s.

It is exhaustively researched and reported. It is clearly and engagingly written. And it pays a well-deserved tribute to a giant of American letters whose importance and accomplishments I didn't fully appreciate before reading.

I especially recommend it for folks interested in the history of The New Yorker, Princeton University, and/or American nature writing.

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.

Philip Eil@phileil.bsky.social · last yr.

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!

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

“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…

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On the "Musical Innertube" podcast with the sharp (and funny) John Timpane and Don Rooney, I had a chance to talk about some of my discoveries about John McPhee in my book and how I was able to weave biography into the book. bit.ly/3Hjyr2T

The Musical Innertube - Volume 2, Number 180 - Noel Rubinton

Whether you've never heard of John McPhee - or are fascinated by his writing like Noel Rubinton - there's a lot to discover here, about McPhee and about Noel, who's…

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I'm proud to be a member of the National Press Club in DC, considered to be world's leading professional groups for journalists. I was the guest of its latest Update-1 podcast, discussing my John McPhee book. They managed in just 11 minutes to get to the core of my book and McPhee. bit.ly/3FluF8A