I am proud to announce that within the next few months I will be publishing a book which I've titled “The Local School.” I've been working on this project since 2019, but the ideas stem even further back, since I began living, travelling, and working in India. Fusing narrative journalism, history, travel-writing, and even some instances of poetry, “The Local School” details my experiences living alongside two Indian men, one a teacher, one a truck-driver, whom I met serendipitously and with whom I quickly hatched a powerful bond. As I travelled to and from the subcontinent over the past several years, I wrestled with questions about these two men’s uniquely uncommon friendship, about what makes an education, and about the Indian subcontinent’s history and complex social fabric. All the while travelling and working and researching far from home, I eventually learned that the best schools are our local schools.
While the specific release date is still to be determined, for now I’m saying Winter 2022 (I’m hoping all will be complete by then; it’s been a ton of work!) More updates to come! In the meantime, thanks to everyone who has supported me and my work the past few years. Special shoutout to those who have reached out and encouraged me. And a most major shoutout to Henry Dunkelberger (Instagram handle: @dunks_donuts) for the great cover art for the book! Check out his stuff! A true brother of mine.
In the meantime, I'll be posting periodically about the book with updates, sneak-peaks, and even assembling my advanced reader copy team. More to come.