John Semley

John Semley is a writer based in Philadelphia. His writing has also appeared in The Baffler, The New Republic, and The Guardian. He is the co-host of Slow Learners, a podcast about books.

Aaron Rodgers of the New York Jets reacts after a play during the second half of an NFL game against the Buffalo Bills at MetLife Stadium, 2024.

The Agony of Aaron Rodgers The Agony of Aaron Rodgers

Is he the world’s most interesting athlete or is he just a washed-up crackpot?

Dec 11, 2024 / Books & the Arts / John Semley

25 Years of Indecision With Jon Stewart

25 Years of Indecision With Jon Stewart 25 Years of Indecision With Jon Stewart

Before he left his post at The Daily Show, Stewart was America’s voice of reason. Times have changed. Has he?

Oct 29, 2024 / Feature / John Semley

Elfriede Jelinek, 1986.

Down in the Dirt With Elfriede Jelinek Down in the Dirt With Elfriede Jelinek

A long awaited English translation of her shocking magnum opus, The Children of the Dead, asks its readers to look at the violent history buried just beneath their feet.

Jun 26, 2024 / Books & the Arts / John Semley

A scene from “The Sweet East.”

A Road Trip Through America’s Absurd Political Life A Road Trip Through America’s Absurd Political Life

In Sean Price Williams’s debut film, The Sweet East, he pokes fun at the nation's ideological bubbles.

Jan 16, 2024 / Books & the Arts / John Semley

Meet the California State Senator Who Wants to Decriminalize Psychedelics

Meet the California State Senator Who Wants to Decriminalize Psychedelics Meet the California State Senator Who Wants to Decriminalize Psychedelics

Can Scott Wiener convince the state that his bill will reduce the “sheer misery” drug use is causing now?

Nov 1, 2022 / Feature / John Semley

qshaman

Could One of Your Facebook Friends Be the Next QAnon Shaman? Could One of Your Facebook Friends Be the Next QAnon Shaman?

Seemingly benign online communities have become breeding grounds for the kind of far-right ideology on display at the US Capitol insurrection.

Mar 5, 2021 / John Semley

Neil Young

Neil Young’s Journey Through the Past Neil Young’s Journey Through the Past

As he prepares to vote in his first American election, the eccentric singer-songwriter’s Archives project unearths his own lost history.

Aug 14, 2020 / John Semley

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