Ethan Gilsdorf 4/30/20 Ethan Gilsdorf 4/30/20

Geeking out about D&D

Sure D&D is fun ... But is it good for you? Over on the DiceGeeks podcast, I discuss this and share stories of growing up playing D&D and its benefits with host Matt Davids.

Ethan Gilsdorf 11/16/19 Ethan Gilsdorf 11/16/19

Me, the New York Times and D&D

I wrote this feature story for the New York Times Books section "In a Chaotic World, Dungeons & Dragons Is Resurgent: The role-playing game has made a surprising return to mainstream culture." (published online Nov. 13, 2019; on print Nov. 15).

Ethan Gilsdorf 2/1/18 Ethan Gilsdorf 2/1/18

Stranger Things have happened

I re-enacted a day from the 1980s, in celebration of the new season of Stranger Things. Read the story here.

Josh Reynold's photo shoot that captured my day below.

Ethan Gilsdorf 8/14/16 Ethan Gilsdorf 8/14/16

The '80s, 'D&D' And Pre-Tech Nostalgia Return In 'Stranger Things'

Why is "Stranger Things," the original Netflix sci-fi series full of 1980s nostalgia, synthesized music, kids on bikes and "Dungeons & Dragons," so popular? How do the references to other 1980s films influence the reception of the TV series? I appeared on WBUR's Radio Boston to discuss. Listen to the archived show here.

Ethan Gilsdorf 8/5/16 Ethan Gilsdorf 8/5/16

The seductive nostalgia of “Stranger Things”

Over at Salon, I wrote a piece called "Just like ’80s nerd heaven: The seductive nostalgia of “Stranger Things” — and my unexpected ambivalence" that explore how Netflix's supernatural show raids my childhood pop-culture loves, from D&D to E.T. — and I admit, I felt conflicted.