Franklin Foer, a longtime writer for The New Republic, was recently named editor of the venerable political magazine. A fourth generation Washingtonian, he’s authored a book called, “How Soccer Explains the World,” (which we heartily recommend), and his writing has appeared in a host of publications, from The New York Times to Spin. Mr. Foer was good enough to take a few of our questions, on blogging, city life, and those cursed Chelski footballers.
What’s your fondest memory of growing up in Washington?
Check this: I have got a baby girl. And she’s a fifth generation Washingtonian. I have a tremendous connection to D.C. — and love for it. Nothing makes me madder than to hear outsiders, especially New Yorkers, dump on the place.
It’s amazing to see the life-cycle of a city and all the unexpected twists contained within. My grandparents had a small grocery store on Florida Avenue, just across from the old Kilimanjaro Club. So, I remember when Adams Morgan was a pretty sketchy place. They were routinely robbed at gun point. Honestly, I never expected the urban core to rebound as strongly as it has.
Now, I’m just riffing. My fondest memories? Running around the alley in back of my family’s old house on Reno Road. It seemed both safe and full of mysteries — abandoned cars, fenced in backyards, housewives sunbathing. Alleys are quintessential D.C. There’s an excellent academic social history on the life and times of the D.C. alley.
You recently expressed some concern on The New Republic’s blog, The Plank, that D.C. might be returning to the “bad old days.” For long-time Washingtonians, is it harder to feel that D.C. has turned a corner in its fight against corruption and crime? Do you think there is some danger of regression, post-Williams?
There’s some danger of regression. But I was mainly wisecracking about the return of Marion Barry and his issues. Mostly, I think that the city has broken free from its worst corruption, and I don’t see that returning.
