Staff Writer at The Common Reader: A Journal of the Essay, at WashU in St. Louis.
John Griswold has published two collections of essays: 'The Age of Clear Profit' (2022), and 'Pirates You Don't Know, And Other Adventures in the Examined Life' (2014), from University of Georgia Press, which made "Best of" lists at 'Chicago Tribune,' 'Entropy,' and 'Essay Daily.'
His novel, 'A Democracy of Ghosts,' was named a 2010 Book of the Year by 'ForeWord Magazine' and an Eric Hoffer award winner. His narrative nonfiction book 'Herrin: The Brief History of An Infamous American City,' from The History Press, is being translated into Italian. For these books Southern Illinois University awarded him their Delta Award for "writing with distinction," an award previously given to Robert Coover, Dick Gregory, and Senator Paul Simon.
His essays and stories have appeared in Longreads; Ninth Letter; Brevity; War, Literature & the Arts; and Natural Bridge, and in the anthologies Best American Sports Writing 2020; The Best Creative Nonfiction, Vol. 3 (W.W. Norton); and Mountain Man Dance Moves (Vintage). His essay "Three Graces" was noted by Dave Eggers in The Best American Nonrequired Reading, and "My Mother the Book" in Best American Essays 2023.
For a decade he was (as Oronte Churm) a contributing writer for Inside Higher Ed and a columnist for McSweeney's.
Griswold was also the founding Series Editor for Crux: The Georgia (Book) Series in Literary Nonfiction at University of Georgia Press.