Stephen Elliott

Stephen Elliott is an American author, filmmaker, and founder of "The Rumpus." Known for his poignant memoirs and fiction, Elliott's work often explores themes of family, identity, and adversity.

8 Posts

Without and Within, a Fin-de-Siècle Moment

If Donald Trump had won, the Left would have burned down the cities. If Joe Biden had won decisively and flipped the Senate, conservatives would have loaded the guns into their pickup trucks and laid siege.

Stephen Elliott

6 Nov 2020 · 8 min read

‘Nobody Likes the Other Guy’: On the Road With Donald Trump’s Diehards

There were a lot of Hispanic people there, which seems an underreported story.

Stephen Elliott

2 Nov 2020 · 20 min read

‘Things You Should Be Aware Of’: A Pandemic Prose Poem

It’s more important to fight racism than to stop the spread of the disease.

Stephen Elliott

22 Jun 2020 · 5 min read

Symptoms of Loneliness

When you care for others, when you don’t live alone—and most people don’t—the equation changes radically.

Stephen Elliott

28 Mar 2020 · 6 min read

The Man at the Arcade

Sometimes, it seemed like the world was against me. But when I did finally get the chance to read all those carefully kept files, my overwhelming impression was that they—the social workers, guardian ad litems, judges, teachers and volunteers—were trying their best.

Stephen Elliott

29 Sep 2019 · 7 min read

How to Build a Bed

According to a local historian the house was probably occupied by freed slaves, possibly even an interracial couple. By 1840 standards New Orleans was a progressive place.

Stephen Elliott

22 Jan 2019 · 10 min read

What Happened to Gawker? An Interview with Ryan Holiday

Ryan Holiday’s book 'Conspiracy' tells the story of Peter Thiel’s decade-long campaign against Gawker Media.

Stephen Elliott

13 Dec 2018 · 16 min read

How An Anonymous Accusation Derailed My Life

#MeToo was an expression of solidarity but there is no solidarity for the accused.

Stephen Elliott

25 Sep 2018 · 11 min read