Originals: R. Jay Magill on The Benefits of Invisibility
R. Jay Magill Jr.’s new book, Sincerity: How a moral ideal born five hundred years ago inspired religious wars, modern art, hipster chic, and the curious notion that we all have something to say (no matter how dull) will be published by W.W. Norton in July 2012.
Magill is a writer and illustrator whose work has appeared in the New York Times, International Herald Tribune, Wall Street Journal, Atlantic Monthly, American Prospect, American Interest, Foreign Policy, The Believer, and Spiegel On-line, among others. He is the author of Chic Ironic Bitterness (Michigan, 2007), recipient of an Eric Hoffer Notable Book in Culture award. Magill holds a PhD in American Studies from the University of Hamburg and lives in Berlin, where he works for the American Academy.
Illustration above also by R. Jay Magill
November 7th, 2011 at 1:08 pm
finally! an ex-pat writer who doesn’t write about where to get the best brownies or how everybody has such a big flat in comparison to new york, but has his eyes open to BERLIN not just ex-pat Berlin (and whether it’s different or not to wherever they came from9. i was about to stop checking this site. you’Ve renewed my interest in npr berlin and how fresh eyes or an outsider perspective should be.
November 14th, 2011 at 11:23 pm
we agree that this is a fantastic piece! however, the two articles you mention above were published in the new york times magazine, not here at BERLIN STORIES for NPR. we always look out for interesting perspectives on the city. please have a listen to the almost 100 pieces in our archive and tune in regularly for new contributions on 104.1FM.–Editor