Essays
The Death of the Midwest: Garrison Keillor’s Impending Retirement as a Wake for Midwestern Regionalism
When Keillor exits the Minnesota scene, will the last embers of Midwestern regionalism go out?
With Prentice Coming Down, Chicago Takes Giant Step Toward Global City Irrelevance
In Chicago, the demise of the Prentice building dims the city's architectural legacy and sense of place. Does being a global city mean being a city of sameness?
Attention Would-Be Urban Homesteaders: Think Before You Buy
Fixing up a cheap house in a Rust Belt town is tough -- and a well-meaning buyer can end up doing more harm than good. What qualities do the right buyers have, and what's the value of land banks?
Growing Up Poor in ‘80s Mansfield
Our writer details what it was like to grow up in poverty in Reagan-era Mansfield, Ohio.
Deep-Discount Thrift Stores and Treasures Found
A quest for beauty and humor while thrifting in Cleveland.
The Pleasures and Perils of Reading Jim Krusoe
Jim Krusoe has been writing and teaching in Los Angeles for 25 years. But his novels still seem born of a mind from a different planet -- one that looks a lot like Cleveland, Ohio.
Irreverent Passion and a Rooted Ethos
How do we balance the irreverent passion necessary to make changes with the need for a rooted Rust Belt identity?
Holy Kohlrabi! What Happened to Gardens Under Glass?
There were great expectations for Gardens Under Glass in Cleveland's Galleria. Then the aphids showed up.
An Encounter with Kent Folk Hero Robert E. Wood
Our writer recalls a meeting with Kent, Ohio's mysterious artist and folk hero, Robert E. Wood—also known as F.U. Bob.
German Trip Slaps Awake Clevelander
Traveling to the heart of Bavaria gets me thinking I need to get out more in my hometown. Maybe even to Tremont or still deeper into the West Side.
Get the latest stories from around the region sent straight to your inbox.
Get the latest stories from around the region sent straight to your inbox.
Support independent, context-driven regional writing.