The speaker reflects on their early music experiences as a means of escape from family struggles and the financial burden faced by their father. They discuss opting for journalism over writing novels due to financial reasons and compare the stability of journalism then versus its current precarious state. The chapter also covers the speaker's academic journey, including their struggles with Russian and French, and their diverse experiences in journalism, from interning at The Washington Post to teaching in Japan.
Since 1998, David Remnick has been the editor of The New Yorker and has written hundreds of pieces for the magazine, including reporting from Russia, the Middle East, and Europe and Profiles of Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Katharine Graham, Mike Tyson, Bruce Springsteen and more. He also hosts the magazine’s national radio program and podcast, “The New Yorker Radio Hour.” He joins live at the On Air Fest to talk about his legendary life and career.