Category Archives: Non-Fiction

Here’s a fun article: A long look at the soundtrack to the 1995 Mortal Kombat movie and how its incredible mix of fairly underground music inspired generations of young listeners to choose their destinies in the worlds of EDM and metal. This was my personal introduction to death metal at the tender age of tenContinue reading “Aural Kombat: The Unexpected Success and Enduring Impact of the 1995 Mortal Kombat Movie Soundtrack”

Going Rackless: Chicago’s Amateur Pool Leagues and the Quest for Glory at the Biggest Tournament in the World will be published by 3 Fields Books/the University of Illinois Press on October 7 and is available for preorder now! I believe there will be some kind of book launch in Chicago in fall (possibly at aContinue reading “My new book, Going Rackless, will be out on October 7, 2025!”

Streaming now on Hulu and Disney+ is “Cursed Gold,” a full-length documentary about Tommy Thompson, a brilliant scientist whose remarkable engineering and treasure-hunting feats turned his life upside-down. I published “The Curse of the Ship of Gold,” an update on this story via Narratively a few years ago and as such got to be aContinue reading “Check out this documentary adaptation of a story I covered!”

New story out at Narratively – this time about a Florida police impersonator carrying out some of the most raucous funeral processions of all time. From the early 2010s until fairly recently, Jeremy Dewitte and Motor State used vehicles outfitted with lights and sirens and dressed in uniforms with badges and duty belts to completelyContinue reading “The ballad of the world’s most extreme funeral escort driver and his infamous private security agency”

My latest for Popular Mechanics is now live! I did a thorough dive into a phenomenon that has exploded in recent years and is pissing off drivers all over the world! The battle against this kind of crime has precedent in previous metal theft epidemics, providing lawmakers with some precedent in how to combat thisContinue reading “There’s an Army of Thieves Coming for Your Catalytic Converter”

Known for their jaunty pink and green color scheme, thousands of taxis serve the Mexican city of Xalapa and it’s surrounding regions. The job is difficult for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is because the Nissan Tsuru, the default taxi in Mexico, is considered one of the most dangerous cars everContinue reading “Taxi Drivers in Xalapa Are on the Job in One of the Most Dangerous Cars Ever Made”

Many true crime podcasters often wonder if the people responsible for a murder or disappearance they’ve covered on their programs listen to the show detailing these crimes. That scenario was seemingly confirmed in 2020, when a man named Steve Pankey became a person of interest in a disappearance that happened almost 40 years before. BeforeContinue reading “The True Crime “Podcast Junkie” turned Real Life Murder Suspect”

I was recently on the thoughtful and fascinating podcast Criminal talking about the wild story of the Principality of Sealand alongside none other than Prince Michael Bates himself. It’s always a treat to talk about this fascinating subject, and to be able to do so on a podcast I’ve loved for years was even better!Continue reading “I had the chance to be on one of my favorite podcasts!”

My tenth (!) piece for Narratively just went live and chronicles the life and times of Dick Kulpa, cartoonist, one-time owner of Cracked magazine, and father of Bat Boy, the mutated mascot of the Weekly World News. The guy pursued what he loved through the difficulties and joys of life and left an offbeat legacyContinue reading “The Weird, Wacky, and Wild Ride of Captain Cartoon, Father of Bat Boy”