_"Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat," by Vincent van Gogh, [here](https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/436532)._
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.