I’ve been on vacation for two weeks. I’m writing this at 6 a.m. on my first day back. I’m eager to get started. The page proofs for a book I’m working on have come back. I’m eager to review them, so we can turn this manuscript into an actual book. This is where my knowledge … Continued
Why I love the first workday after a vacation
Living on a houseboat in Amsterdam
Why you should go Airbnb when you travel with your family
I’ve travelled internationally with my family many times. We’re immeasurably richer because we stay in people’s houses. I’ll share what we did — and why I loved it. Here’s a list of places we’ve rented from Airbnb and similar outfits, in roughly chronological order. This list starts when my youngest kid was three and ends … Continued
Bad reviewer and editor habits (is this you?)
“Please review the attached draft,” reads the email. Now it’s your job to make things better by applying your expertise. You can be helpful . . . or you can be hated. See if you recognize yourself in the list below; if you do, resolve to stop behaving like an ass and help your writers … Continued
Be better than “Fuck Trump”
“Fuck Trump” is having a moment. Robert DeNiro said it on the Tonys. It’s a T-shirt. And it’s unworthy of any of us. Passion is fine. But if you seek change, work for change. And recognize that change will require persuading some people who are on the fence. They’re unlikely to respond to such a … Continued
America first?
While traveling in Europe, I’ve read the news of the implosion of the G-7 summit. Donald Trump refuses to accede to the conventional international modes of interaction. Here’s why that bothers me. When I travel with family, I stay in Airbnb’s or similar accommodations. (I’m about to stay on a boat in Amsterdam.) I can’t … Continued
The Plantin Moretus Museum and a 450-year reflection on publishing
Yesterday I visited the Museum Plantin Moretus in Antwerp. Christophe Plantin was printer who published his first book in 1555. What surprised me most about what I saw was not how much publishing has changed in 450 years, but how much it hasn’t. Plantin came from Normandy, settled in Antwerp, and started a publishing business … Continued
You need perspective . . . but you’re not looking in the right place
Perspective: you cannot have a useful insight without it. We all crave perspective. We go on vacation to the mountains or the beach, just to admire the view. After looking at close-up smartphones, laptops right in front of us, and colleagues in the same room, the simple act of focusing at infinity relaxes us. There’s a long … Continued