Michael Scott Moore
@michaelscottmoore.bsky.social
Bestselling author of "The Desert and the Sea," about Somali pirates; "Sweetness and Blood," about the history of surfing, and "Too Much of Nothing," a novel about LA.
The real action is here: https://open.substack.com/pub/michaelscottmoore
The real action is here: https://open.substack.com/pub/michaelscottmoore
On Episode 22 of Radio Free Mike, debut author Ben Weissenbach talks about flying over glaciers and avoiding bears in NORTH TO THE FUTURE, his new book and travelogue about climate change in Alaska.
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/022-ben-we...
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/022-ben-we...
November 18, 2025 at 8:06 PM
On Episode 22 of Radio Free Mike, debut author Ben Weissenbach talks about flying over glaciers and avoiding bears in NORTH TO THE FUTURE, his new book and travelogue about climate change in Alaska.
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/022-ben-we...
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/022-ben-we...
On episode 21 of Radio Free Mike, Francisco Cantú talks about working for — and leaving — the Border Patrol, as well as mission creep north of the wire.
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/021-franci...
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/021-franci...
November 5, 2025 at 12:15 AM
On episode 21 of Radio Free Mike, Francisco Cantú talks about working for — and leaving — the Border Patrol, as well as mission creep north of the wire.
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/021-franci...
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/021-franci...
On Episode 20 of Radio Free Mike, Brian Klaas talks about political corruption, how it festers, and how it dries up:
michaelscottmoore.substack.com
michaelscottmoore.substack.com
October 21, 2025 at 11:23 PM
On Episode 20 of Radio Free Mike, Brian Klaas talks about political corruption, how it festers, and how it dries up:
michaelscottmoore.substack.com
michaelscottmoore.substack.com
Vineland clarifies now and then into rare paragraphs of limpid prose which pull at the mask, maybe to suggest worlds-behind-worlds:
October 10, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Vineland clarifies now and then into rare paragraphs of limpid prose which pull at the mask, maybe to suggest worlds-behind-worlds:
Tom Zoellner on his new book THE ROAD WAS FULL OF THORNS and the bizarre legal theory that forced Lincoln's hand during the Civil War. Episode 20 of Radio Free Mike:
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/019-tom-zo...
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/019-tom-zo...
October 7, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Tom Zoellner on his new book THE ROAD WAS FULL OF THORNS and the bizarre legal theory that forced Lincoln's hand during the Civil War. Episode 20 of Radio Free Mike:
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/019-tom-zo...
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/019-tom-zo...
Sonia Kennebeck on her film REALITY WINNER, and the unfashionable topic of interference in the 2016 election. Episode 18 of Radio Free Mike:
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/018-sonia-...
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/018-sonia-...
September 18, 2025 at 10:13 PM
Sonia Kennebeck on her film REALITY WINNER, and the unfashionable topic of interference in the 2016 election. Episode 18 of Radio Free Mike:
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/018-sonia-...
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/018-sonia-...
For Episode 17 of Radio Free Mike I talked to Roger Carstens about the still-mysterious case of Austin Tice, the journalist kidnapped in Syria thirteen years ago. When the prisons opened in December, he paid a visit on behalf of the US government.
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/017-roger-...
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/017-roger-...
September 2, 2025 at 4:01 PM
For Episode 17 of Radio Free Mike I talked to Roger Carstens about the still-mysterious case of Austin Tice, the journalist kidnapped in Syria thirteen years ago. When the prisons opened in December, he paid a visit on behalf of the US government.
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/017-roger-...
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/017-roger-...
Saumya Roy’s fascinating book on the waste-pickers of Mumbai, CASTAWAY MOUNTAIN, is the topic of Episode 16 of Radio Free Mike. She tells me about the economy of trash that has grown up around the mountainous landfill of Deonar:
open.substack.com/pub/michaels...
open.substack.com/pub/michaels...
August 19, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Saumya Roy’s fascinating book on the waste-pickers of Mumbai, CASTAWAY MOUNTAIN, is the topic of Episode 16 of Radio Free Mike. She tells me about the economy of trash that has grown up around the mountainous landfill of Deonar:
open.substack.com/pub/michaels...
open.substack.com/pub/michaels...
I talked to Mark Sarvas about his excellent, weird, short novel *@UGMan* for Episode 15 of Radio Free Mike. It makes free allusions to *Notes from Underground* and evokes pre-Musk Twitter. Complete with an exploded bird on the cover . . .
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/015-mark-s...
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/015-mark-s...
July 22, 2025 at 6:56 PM
I talked to Mark Sarvas about his excellent, weird, short novel *@UGMan* for Episode 15 of Radio Free Mike. It makes free allusions to *Notes from Underground* and evokes pre-Musk Twitter. Complete with an exploded bird on the cover . . .
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/015-mark-s...
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/015-mark-s...
For Episode 14 of Radio Free Mike I talked to Laurence Norman about what was hit, and what wasn't, in Iran in June. Laurence has covered the Iranian nuclear program for thirteen years at the Wall Street Journal & knows his stuff.
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/014-lauren...
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/014-lauren...
July 8, 2025 at 3:29 PM
For Episode 14 of Radio Free Mike I talked to Laurence Norman about what was hit, and what wasn't, in Iran in June. Laurence has covered the Iranian nuclear program for thirteen years at the Wall Street Journal & knows his stuff.
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/014-lauren...
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/014-lauren...
From my new essay at @foreignpolicy.com :
Trump & his people on social media like to say immigrants bring the "Third World" to America, and that his policies will keep them out. But in Tijuana I met a young Mexican this spring who was trying to scale the wall with his brother.
1/3
Trump & his people on social media like to say immigrants bring the "Third World" to America, and that his policies will keep them out. But in Tijuana I met a young Mexican this spring who was trying to scale the wall with his brother.
1/3
June 12, 2025 at 8:35 PM
From my new essay at @foreignpolicy.com :
Trump & his people on social media like to say immigrants bring the "Third World" to America, and that his policies will keep them out. But in Tijuana I met a young Mexican this spring who was trying to scale the wall with his brother.
1/3
Trump & his people on social media like to say immigrants bring the "Third World" to America, and that his policies will keep them out. But in Tijuana I met a young Mexican this spring who was trying to scale the wall with his brother.
1/3
Terrific discussion with Jessa Crispin about the migrating uteruses of ancient Greece as well as the Michael Douglas barometer of American manhood. Her new book is called WHAT IS WRONG WITH MEN?
Episode 12 of Radio Free Mike: michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/012-jessa-...
Episode 12 of Radio Free Mike: michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/012-jessa-...
June 10, 2025 at 11:17 PM
Terrific discussion with Jessa Crispin about the migrating uteruses of ancient Greece as well as the Michael Douglas barometer of American manhood. Her new book is called WHAT IS WRONG WITH MEN?
Episode 12 of Radio Free Mike: michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/012-jessa-...
Episode 12 of Radio Free Mike: michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/012-jessa-...
I talked to Thad Ziolkowski, poet and author of "The Drop," about his excellent book and my feature in The Surfers Journal
about surfing, suicide, addiction, recovery, and Somalia.
Episode 011 of Radio Free Mike:
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/010-thad-z...
about surfing, suicide, addiction, recovery, and Somalia.
Episode 011 of Radio Free Mike:
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/010-thad-z...
May 29, 2025 at 4:05 PM
I talked to Thad Ziolkowski, poet and author of "The Drop," about his excellent book and my feature in The Surfers Journal
about surfing, suicide, addiction, recovery, and Somalia.
Episode 011 of Radio Free Mike:
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/010-thad-z...
about surfing, suicide, addiction, recovery, and Somalia.
Episode 011 of Radio Free Mike:
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/010-thad-z...
I had a great time talking to Meghan Daum
about the loss of her home in the Eaton Fire, "problematization," and her new book, THE CATASTROPHE HOUR.
Episode 10 of Radio Free Mike:
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/010-meghan...
about the loss of her home in the Eaton Fire, "problematization," and her new book, THE CATASTROPHE HOUR.
Episode 10 of Radio Free Mike:
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/010-meghan...
May 14, 2025 at 3:06 AM
I had a great time talking to Meghan Daum
about the loss of her home in the Eaton Fire, "problematization," and her new book, THE CATASTROPHE HOUR.
Episode 10 of Radio Free Mike:
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/010-meghan...
about the loss of her home in the Eaton Fire, "problematization," and her new book, THE CATASTROPHE HOUR.
Episode 10 of Radio Free Mike:
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/010-meghan...
Here’s a recent pic from New York:
May 9, 2025 at 12:03 AM
Here’s a recent pic from New York:
For Episode 9 of Radio Free Mike I seriously enjoyed talking to Mark Sundeen, essayist and novelist, about his new collection DELUSIONS + GRANDEUR, which presents thumbnail portraits of people in the new American West.
open.substack.com/pub/michaels...
open.substack.com/pub/michaels...
April 30, 2025 at 2:13 PM
For Episode 9 of Radio Free Mike I seriously enjoyed talking to Mark Sundeen, essayist and novelist, about his new collection DELUSIONS + GRANDEUR, which presents thumbnail portraits of people in the new American West.
open.substack.com/pub/michaels...
open.substack.com/pub/michaels...
Giving a talk at the 1pm session of TEDxFoggyBottom, near Duke’s Grocery at the Dorothy Betts Marvin Theatre in DC on Saturday
www.tedxfoggybottom.org
www.tedxfoggybottom.org
April 26, 2025 at 3:10 AM
Giving a talk at the 1pm session of TEDxFoggyBottom, near Duke’s Grocery at the Dorothy Betts Marvin Theatre in DC on Saturday
www.tedxfoggybottom.org
www.tedxfoggybottom.org
Peter Theroux, brother of Paul, talks about Syria, the Middle East, and the complications of writing *In Obscura,* his memoir about his years as a CIA analyst. On Episode 006 of Radio Free Mike:
open.substack.com/pub/michaels...
open.substack.com/pub/michaels...
March 18, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Peter Theroux, brother of Paul, talks about Syria, the Middle East, and the complications of writing *In Obscura,* his memoir about his years as a CIA analyst. On Episode 006 of Radio Free Mike:
open.substack.com/pub/michaels...
open.substack.com/pub/michaels...
Soraya and her film have been written up in Die Zeit, a major German paper. Subscribe to Radio Free Mike and learn about interesting people & things before most of the rest of the world.
March 15, 2025 at 2:49 AM
Soraya and her film have been written up in Die Zeit, a major German paper. Subscribe to Radio Free Mike and learn about interesting people & things before most of the rest of the world.
Soraya Simi tells the story of Angela Madsen's attempt to row from LA to Hawaii — and her new film about it — on Episode 005 of #RadioFreeMike
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/005-soraya...
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/005-soraya...
March 4, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Soraya Simi tells the story of Angela Madsen's attempt to row from LA to Hawaii — and her new film about it — on Episode 005 of #RadioFreeMike
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/005-soraya...
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/005-soraya...
On Episode 004 of Radio Free Mike, "Nazis On Bikes," I talk to jacobkushner.bsky.social about the National Socialist Underground and the upcoming German elections.
open.substack.com/pub/michaels...
open.substack.com/pub/michaels...
February 18, 2025 at 4:56 PM
On Episode 004 of Radio Free Mike, "Nazis On Bikes," I talk to jacobkushner.bsky.social about the National Socialist Underground and the upcoming German elections.
open.substack.com/pub/michaels...
open.substack.com/pub/michaels...
Jacob Kushner & I discuss on the #AfD (and other things) tomorrow on Radio Free Mike
open.substack.com/pub/michaels...
open.substack.com/pub/michaels...
February 18, 2025 at 5:27 AM
Jacob Kushner & I discuss on the #AfD (and other things) tomorrow on Radio Free Mike
open.substack.com/pub/michaels...
open.substack.com/pub/michaels...
I had a terrific time talking with Meg Smaker, director of JIHAD REHAB, on Episode 3 of Radio Free Mike. Her Sundance-cancelled film *will* come out this year, even if she has to do something drastic:
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/listen-now...
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/listen-now...
February 3, 2025 at 4:19 PM
I had a terrific time talking with Meg Smaker, director of JIHAD REHAB, on Episode 3 of Radio Free Mike. Her Sundance-cancelled film *will* come out this year, even if she has to do something drastic:
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/listen-now...
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/listen-now...
NEW on Radio Free Mike: Jason Rezaian talks about Iran, captive life, and H.R. 9495, a House bill that could destroy American nonprofits through a simple, unfounded accusation of “terrorist funding.”
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/002-jason-...
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@harpercollins.bsky.social @rezaian.bsky.social
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/002-jason-...
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@harpercollins.bsky.social @rezaian.bsky.social
January 20, 2025 at 4:55 PM
NEW on Radio Free Mike: Jason Rezaian talks about Iran, captive life, and H.R. 9495, a House bill that could destroy American nonprofits through a simple, unfounded accusation of “terrorist funding.”
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/002-jason-...
.
@harpercollins.bsky.social @rezaian.bsky.social
michaelscottmoore.substack.com/p/002-jason-...
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@harpercollins.bsky.social @rezaian.bsky.social