Episode 522: Anthony DePalma Won't Wear Headphones on a Walk

Episode 522: Anthony DePalma Won't Wear Headphones on a Walk

From The Creative Nonfiction Podcast with Brendan O'Meara by Brendan O'Meara

April 17, 2026 · 1h 21m · Episode 522

About this episode

Brendan O'Meara interviews journalist Anthony DePalma about storytelling, journalism beyond newspapers, and the importance of curiosity in the field.

"Not to confuse journalism with newspapers. Newspapers are one set of communication methods. But it's certainly not the only one. If they have the right mindset, and that's what I try to get them to do, there are so many more opportunities. You can go out and do a podcast, or you can do a newsletter. You can't think of it as I need to work at The New York Times. You have to think of it as I need — I need — to tell stories, and I've got this curiosity." Anthony DePalma is a journalist and professor at Columbia University. He's the author of several books, his latest being On This Ground: Hardship and Hope at the Toughest Prep School in America. It's published by Mariner Books. He spent 22 years as a reporter for The New York Times, and another 8 as a stringer for them, so, let's do the math … that's 30 years. He reported a lot on Mexico and Cuba, as well as Albania, Guyana, and Suriname. You can find him at anthonydepalma.com [http://anthondydepalma.com/] and on the Facebooks and Substacks, at anthontyrdepalma Anthony DePalma has been all over the world telling true stories. He's the author of The Cubans, City of Dust, The Man Who Invented Fidel, and Here: A Biography of the New…

People in this episode

Host: Brendan O'Meara

Guest: Anthony DePalma

Topics covered

  • journalism
  • storytelling
  • curiosity
  • writing
  • media
  • podcasting

Keywords

  • Anthony DePalma
  • journalism
  • storytelling
  • curiosity
  • writing
  • podcast
  • media

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The New York Times

Books & works: On This Ground: Hardship and Hope at the Toughest Prep School in America, The Cubans, City of Dust, The Man Who Invented Fidel, Here: A Biography of the New American Continent

Places: Columbia University, Mexico, Cuba, Albania, Guyana, Suriname

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