Mark Obbie's Blog, page 43
July 12, 2013
NHPR interview on post-traumatic growth
A New Hampshire Public Radio show, Word of Mouth, features a story today on my Pacific Standard magazine cover story that I explain here. It’s a succinct summary of the story on the aftermath of the Christmas Eve attack on … Continue reading →
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July 10, 2013
“My brand new life”
When I first heard that the three Cleveland women who escaped years of confinement and violence had made a videotaped statement to thank supporters, I felt a tinge of regret. As a journalist, I believe in the skill of professional … Continue reading →
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July 6, 2013
Paterniti, Einstein, and wilderness
It’s not exactly an original thought to come back from a vacation recharged and raving about the wondrous effects of a getaway. So I will resist the urge to say just that. But, after my first week-long vacation in two … Continue reading →
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June 27, 2013
Growth after trauma
I wrote the cover story of the latest issue of Pacific Standard on a topic that intrigues me after every mass shooting (as well as every major natural disaster or terror attack). Charitable donations spike up, community spirit swells, and … Continue reading →
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June 23, 2013
Snowden and espionage
Politico’s law-savvy Josh Gerstein cringes every time a news report uses a particular shorthand that’s in vogue in reports on Edward Snowden’s criminal case. Those reports repeat the observation that Snowden is charged under the Espionage Act. Often that’s the … Continue reading →
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June 21, 2013
Tony Soprano and mafia narrative
One attitude that’s long baffled me is the belligerence that certain Italian-Americans bring to discussions of the Sicilian mafia. They deny it exists. Or they act as though the attention it gets smears all Italian-Americans. The real trouble is that … Continue reading →
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June 19, 2013
True crime as social commentary
The true-crime book with the most positive pre-publication buzz at the moment is Robert Kolker‘s Lost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery, the New York magazine writer’s story of Long Island’s serial killer. The book, due out July 9, boasts a sharp promotional … Continue reading →
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June 13, 2013
A tale of redemption and unfairness
Now that I have surrendered and bought annual membership in The Atavist — it keeps churning out so many good stories that it no longer made sense to buy them all one-off — the first story I read is Atavist’s … Continue reading →
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Long road back for shooting victims
New York Times business columnist Joe Nocera has made guns his business (or among his businesses) since Newtown. Nocera’s daily “gun report” on his blog documents the carnage on our streets that stems from easy availability of all sorts of … Continue reading →
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June 10, 2013
Why survivors’ stories matter
One week after I marveled at Eli Saslow’s storytelling skills, here he is again, in a story I couldn’t have avoided if I tried. Bombarded on Facebook and Twitter by demands that I read Saslow’s Washington Post Sunday story on … Continue reading →
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