Author who is known for his various published works of non-fiction, including The Thoreau You Don't Know, Rats, and Cross Country. He rose to prominence with his 1998 publication The Meadowlands, and has since served as a regular contributor to various journalistic outlets, including The New York Times.
He first aspired to be a musician, and he began playing the drums at an early age. He began to find his love for drama and story-telling while a college student when he would review plays for the school newspaper.
In September 2013, he published his 8th book, My American Revolution: A Modern Expedition Through History's Forgotten Battlegrounds. He has also served as a contributing editor for Vogue magazine.
He is married, and has two children. He has lived in both Portland, Oregon and New York City with his family.
He has stated that he has derived inspiration on holding multiple jobs while freelance writing from William Carlos Williams.