top of page


The Sotted, Sentimental Swagger of Shane MacGowan and the Pogues
The list of cultural seats for the Irish-American diaspora usually starts and ends with New York or Boston. Chicago maybe. But Tulsa? Not...
John Carpenter
Mar 18, 20244 min read


Old Friends and Rising Stars at Florida's 30A Songwriter's Fest
I generally think of music festivals as minimally clad young people writhing in blazing heat taking duck-lip selfies amid a greater...
John Carpenter
Jan 27, 20245 min read


Rail Trails: From Once-Mighty Train Lines to Wonderfully Gentle Bike Paths
(Note: This article was originally published in the Chicago Tribune on April 19, 2023.) I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised by the...
John Carpenter
Jul 18, 20235 min read


Turning 60 (Finally) Pays Off: My Unlikely Run at the World Series of Poker
I counted out a sizable bet and slid it across the green felt toward the three aces face-up in the middle of the table. Then I rested my...
John Carpenter
Jul 11, 20238 min read
bottom of page





