Daniel Knowles
@dlknowles.bsky.social
Midwest correspondent at The Economist, in Chicago. Before that, in London, Mumbai, Nairobi and DC.
Buy my book: http://shorturl.at/BJOUV
Buy my book: http://shorturl.at/BJOUV
Good on @edwardluce.bsky.social for pointing out that the BBC's Trump documentary edit was bad but in support of a point that is still absolutely true. Donald Trump *did* encourage his supporters to march on the capitol building on.ft.com/47LX3fE via @FT
November 18, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Good on @edwardluce.bsky.social for pointing out that the BBC's Trump documentary edit was bad but in support of a point that is still absolutely true. Donald Trump *did* encourage his supporters to march on the capitol building on.ft.com/47LX3fE via @FT
Every time I am reminded that in the 1970s people thought "yeah let's build a skyscraper federal prison in downtown Chicago, that's like a great use of land," I think my God the past really is another country
November 15, 2025 at 11:51 PM
Every time I am reminded that in the 1970s people thought "yeah let's build a skyscraper federal prison in downtown Chicago, that's like a great use of land," I think my God the past really is another country
This is not what happens to the share price of a firm making massive margins by screwing over ranchers with their market power
November 7, 2025 at 8:56 PM
This is not what happens to the share price of a firm making massive margins by screwing over ranchers with their market power
Just a properly great wolf
November 2, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Just a properly great wolf
This French big bad wolf is the best children's book character I've ever encountered
November 2, 2025 at 7:07 PM
This French big bad wolf is the best children's book character I've ever encountered
Please forgive me for making a dark joke in print about a very serious story
October 29, 2025 at 6:34 PM
Please forgive me for making a dark joke in print about a very serious story
Gotta say, it is greatly to the @chicago.suntimes.com's credit, given the immense pressure on newspaper budgets, that they still employ a court artist:
October 28, 2025 at 6:44 PM
Gotta say, it is greatly to the @chicago.suntimes.com's credit, given the immense pressure on newspaper budgets, that they still employ a court artist:
Pedestrianised Milwaukee Avenue is very good
October 26, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Pedestrianised Milwaukee Avenue is very good
I know lots of people think it's conscious bias, but my theory for why stuff like the Trump king shitting video, or the demolishing the White House story, doesn't really get the right prominence in the news is basically this:
October 21, 2025 at 3:50 PM
I know lots of people think it's conscious bias, but my theory for why stuff like the Trump king shitting video, or the demolishing the White House story, doesn't really get the right prominence in the news is basically this:
The BJP started this in India already
October 17, 2025 at 2:53 PM
The BJP started this in India already
October 16, 2025 at 11:25 PM
Chicago folk - I'm doing this tonight for anyone who wants to see me in person. At Tangible Books, 3326 St Halsted, from 7pm
October 16, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Chicago folk - I'm doing this tonight for anyone who wants to see me in person. At Tangible Books, 3326 St Halsted, from 7pm
Woop woop. Number 3 on the top stories read by subscribers. Everyone wants to know about bikes (read about bikes here: www.economist.com/internationa...)
October 14, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Woop woop. Number 3 on the top stories read by subscribers. Everyone wants to know about bikes (read about bikes here: www.economist.com/internationa...)
Correct. It leads to some honestly rather weird juxtapositions
October 13, 2025 at 6:49 PM
Correct. It leads to some honestly rather weird juxtapositions
Incidentally - a photo I took while in Montreal of the REV Saint Denis. One for the crowd who say bike lanes don't work for people with kids or for the disabled
October 11, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Incidentally - a photo I took while in Montreal of the REV Saint Denis. One for the crowd who say bike lanes don't work for people with kids or for the disabled
Just for the record
October 9, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Just for the record
My piece - to be in this week's issue - on the South Shore raid and what it says about Donald Trump's America:
www.economist.com/united-state...
My view is this stuff is as much or more about creating content and fear than it is about actually catching immigrants, though that's a goal too
www.economist.com/united-state...
My view is this stuff is as much or more about creating content and fear than it is about actually catching immigrants, though that's a goal too
October 8, 2025 at 1:17 PM
My piece - to be in this week's issue - on the South Shore raid and what it says about Donald Trump's America:
www.economist.com/united-state...
My view is this stuff is as much or more about creating content and fear than it is about actually catching immigrants, though that's a goal too
www.economist.com/united-state...
My view is this stuff is as much or more about creating content and fear than it is about actually catching immigrants, though that's a goal too
As George Orwell noted 80 years ago
September 29, 2025 at 7:59 PM
As George Orwell noted 80 years ago
American business and media elites have the same relationship to American democracy as Yossarian had to the Pianosa officers club
September 27, 2025 at 5:47 PM
American business and media elites have the same relationship to American democracy as Yossarian had to the Pianosa officers club
This feels extraordinarily unlikely. 40% of Londoners today were born abroad. These figures come from a fairly random source but seem v plausible to me www.digitalpanopticon.org/London,_1780...
September 24, 2025 at 12:27 PM
This feels extraordinarily unlikely. 40% of Londoners today were born abroad. These figures come from a fairly random source but seem v plausible to me www.digitalpanopticon.org/London,_1780...
The worst fucking thing about Chicago is these defensive pricks who treat any even mild criticism as a full-fronted assault. I've lived in Chicago for four years, I'm entitled to say it's a worse city to walk around than London, because it is
September 22, 2025 at 8:49 PM
The worst fucking thing about Chicago is these defensive pricks who treat any even mild criticism as a full-fronted assault. I've lived in Chicago for four years, I'm entitled to say it's a worse city to walk around than London, because it is
