Select Stories by Tom McGrath
Why We Need Public Libraries Now More than Ever
If public libraries didn’t exist and we tried to start them today, what would happen?
Boston Magazine
Leslie Richards’s Bold Vision for a Better SEPTA
This is about more than the future of a transit agency — it’s a fight for the very soul of the region.
Philadelphia Magazine
The Sudden Death of the Office Friendship
No more laughs around the water cooler. No more lunchtime gossip. Why we’re doomed to drink alone after work
Boston Magazine
It’s Not All About the Shoes
What do we buy when we purchase a pair of sneakers? With an innovative new owner and a very 21st-century way of doing business, iconic brand Reebok—darling of ’80s yuppies and ’90s NBA stars—is hoping it knows the answer.
Boston Magazine
Does Center City Have a Future?
Back in the day, Philly, like a lot of cities, banked on a revival of its downtown to spark new life. The plan worked fine — for Center City. But now that the pandemic has emptied offices, boomer residents are aging, and millennials are opting for the ’burbs, where do we go from here?
Philadelphia Magazine
Can Tim Berners-Lee Save the Web?
Thirty years ago, MIT professor Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web and altered the course of human history. Now, in the face of misinformation, malicious behavior, and the exploitation of personal data online, he’s determined to slay the beast it has become.
Boston Magazine
How Gen Z Is Taking Over Boston Politics
We gave them climate change, Donald Trump, and social media. Now Generation Z is scared, angry, hyperconnected—and ready to take over Boston politics before they’re even old enough to vote.
Boston Magazine
Katherine Clark Is the Adult in the Room
In a world swirling with controversial and chaotic political personalities, Massachusetts Congresswoman Katherine Clark—one of the most powerful people on Capitol Hill—is competent, reliable, and, yes, maybe even a little bit boring. Thank God.
Boston Magazine
Charlie Baker: Leadership, Lessons Learned, and What Lies Ahead
After 13 months of managing the COVID crisis, the governor opens up about “one of the most difficult things” he’s ever been through.
Boston Magazine