Of all the members of his close knit Ukrainian family, Jeff Swain most uncannily resembles his Uncle Albie, who was also a runner.
Unconquered
Jeff Swain defines ‘unconquered,’ with some help from his friends: William Ernest ‘Captain of My Soul’ Henley and Tom Petty.
The Circle of Life
The Beatles, The Bible, and the Sanskrit word for bliss: Jeff Swain explains how by following our bliss, we find our purpose.
Why We Run
Long-distance runner Jeff Swain loses himself in the Allegheny Forest.
Very Superstitious
Rituals we perform for good luck are known as sorcery, and actions we avoid out of superstition are taboos.
Never Stop Living
Does self-image ultimately determine how the body will perform?
A Grief So Profound
What can we learn from ancient myths about grief and mourning in the present?
Cockfighters and Poets
What the cockfighter and the artist have in common is what they put on the line.
Book of Job
My dad once had me prove I went to church by explaining that Sunday’s sermon.
Death by Confirmation
In this Catholic rite of passage, becoming a man permanently alters a boy’s relationship to his father.
The Day Mrs. Ryan Broke Up Our Rock and Roll Band
In August, 1976, five kids from Northeast Philly were going to be the heroes who saved Rock and Roll.
Original Sin
To be free of the lifelong effects of a childhood failure, Albie had to do more than remember what happened.
The Meaning of Life
Jeff Swain’s new column on The Good Life explores the myths that tell the story of what it is to be a human being.
Eulogy for Uncle John
Jeff Swain remembers his uncle who taught him his first dirty joke, helped raise him, and taught him about being a man.