"Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat," by Vincent van Gogh, here.

I've decided to give blogging another shot. If you don't know me, I'm John West, a writer and technologist, currently reporting the news with code at the Wall Street Journal, where my work has received multiple awards including two Pulitzer Prizes.

I've written a few books: a book-length personal essay called Lessons and Carols (Eerdmans, 2023), a reported book called The Internet Will Die, and So Will You (Here Below, September, 2026), and The Psalmist (Union Square, Hachette, January, 2027). I'm hoping this will help me write my next.

Welcome to This Republic of Letters. Don't change that dial. ❧