Long, careful writing about how we talk to each other.
Culture Editor
Dana Whitcombe
Portland, OR · Covers Argument, humor, and public conversation
Dana Whitcombe edits the Ideas & Culture section and writes about humor, silence, and the manners of public argument. She was previously an arts editor at a magazine of criticism and holds a master's degree in rhetoric. She is at work on a book about the etiquette of disagreement.
We have become afraid of the two-second silence. A defense of the gap between question and answer, with help from a court reporter and a hospice nurse.
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Sunday mornings
The Sunday Utterby
One essay, three good sentences we found during the week, and a short note from the editor, delivered before the coffee is cold. It runs about 900 words and is meant to be read slowly, ideally out loud to someone at the table.