John Griswold, a staff writer at The Common Reader, a publication of Washington University in St. Louis, has written a new book, “The Age of Clear Profit: Essays on Home and the Narrow Road.”
Published by the University of Georgia Press, “The Age of Clear Profit” collects more than two-dozen pieces written over a span of eight years. The title reflects Buddhist poet Kobayashi Issa’s observation that after age 50, all is “clear profit.” Yet Griswold finds himself starting over — again — and seeking perspective along his own narrow road.
Griswold will read from his book during an event at 7 p.m. Oct. 10, at Left Bank Books, 399 N. Euclid Ave., in St. Louis. For more information, visit left-bank.com.
Griswold is the author of three previous books: “A Democracy of Ghosts” (2009); “Herrin: The Brief History of an Infamous American City” (2009); and “Pirates You Don’t Know, and Other Adventures” (2014). He also has written extensively (as Oronte Churm) for Inside Higher Ed and McSweeney’s Internet Tendency. His essay “The Exiled and the Devil’s Sideshow,” originally published by The Common Reader, was featured in the 2020 edition of Best American Sports Writing.
