Author: Jay

I'm a writer and editor living in Duluth, Minnesota, where I write about arts and entertainment for the Duluth News Tribune. From 2013 to 2022, I was a digital producer at Minnesota Public Radio's The Current, where among other projects I hosted/wrote our Rock and Roll Book Club feature. I'm also a co-founder of The Tangential, a member of the National Book Critics Circle, and an alumnus of the National Critics Institute. Recent books I've written or co-written include Sociology for Dummies (second edition, 2021), Robots and Foundation (2020), and Wildsam Field Guides: Twin Cities (2020). I'm on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Tumblr, Instagram, TikTok, and Letterboxd. Gmail: jaygabler. (Photo by Emmet Kowler)

November 19, 2024

100 Things To Do In Duluth Before You Die

My new book, coming spring 2025 from Reedy Press.

October 20, 2023

Criticism

My aspiration to be a critic took seed early on: as a teenager, I wrote movie reviews for my high school paper and launched my Front Row Seat column, which continues to this day in the Duluth News Tribune.

October 20, 2023

Reporter

As a reporter at the Duluth News Tribune, my core job responsibility is daily reporting on stories tied, broadly, to the arts and entertainment landscape in on our ten-county Northland coverage area.

People smile in delight as they look down into the water from a small boat; fish swim in the water just below the surface.

September 1, 2023

Essays

I appreciate how open-ended the essay format is, particularly in an online era.

White woman and man stand in radio studio. Both smile, with hands on their hips.

April 23, 2023

Host

I have extensive experience hosting a range of programming on both audio and video platforms.

White man’s hand holding book in front of Lake Superior backdrop: “Cataclysm” by Lydia Kang with Asian man holding lightsaber on cover

April 23, 2023

Influencer

I’m no Charli D’Amelio, but I enjoy sharing recommendations for things I enjoy.

April 21, 2023

Educator

I’m a professionally trained educator, with an undergraduate degree in early childhood education and a master’s of education in human development and psychology.

Man in silhouette types at laptop on wooden desk with books stacked atop. The Harvard University campus is visible out a window.

April 19, 2023

Scholarship

My academic research focused on the sociology of childhood, culture, and education.