Tony Woodlief | Author

Tony Woodlief

Author + Columnist

Tony Woodlief is a writer born and raised in North Carolina. He spent many years in the Midwest before moving back to a small town in his home state, and along the way he earned a PhD in political science from the University of Michigan and an MFA from Wichita State University. His essays on faith, parenting, politics, and culture have appeared in The Wall Street JournalThe Washington Post, The New York Post, and other publications. His short fiction has appeared in Image, Ruminate, Dappled Things, and elsewhere. His story “Name” received a Pushcart Honorable Mention in 2010, and was included in Image Journal’s 25th anniversary anthology.

Tony’s 2010 spiritual memoir, Somewhere More Holy, was listed among Image’s top ten works of that year. His 2021 book I, Citizen, has received praise from readers across the political spectrum, and sparked the 2023 documentary Undivide Us. His novel is forthcoming from Slant Books later this year.

“Tony Woodlief explains why localizing politics and loving thy neighbor can help heal our ailing country.”

     – Bill Kauffman, author,
        Dispatches from the
        Muckdog Gazette

“Tony Woodlief is a writer of remarkable range.”

     – Image

One day you’re going to write something that gets you shot.”

     – Tony’s mama

Tony Woodlief

Author + Columnist

Tony Woodlief writes essays, creative non-fiction, and fiction. His writing on politics, faith, parenting, and culture has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Post, Governing, and dozens of other publications. His short fiction has appeared in Image, Ruminate, Saint Katherine Review, and elsewhere. An alumnus of the University of North Carolina, Tony holds a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Michigan, and an MFA in creative writing from Wichita State University. He is the founder of Intentional Fathering, which is devoted to helping fathers build better parenting habits, and the author of I, Citizen, a book about reclaiming American self-governance.

“Tony Woodlief explains why localizing politics and loving thy neighbor can help heal our ailing country.”

Bill Kauffman, author, Dispatches from the Muckdog Gazette

“Tony Woodlief is a writer of remarkable range.”

     – Image

One day you’re going to write something that gets you shot.”

     – Tony’s mama

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I, Citizen

Tony Woodlief offers a refreshing truth about America, which is that we aren’t nearly so divided as pundits would have us believe. Deftly walking the reader through polling data and political history with a generous helping of humor, Woodlief shows that the real problem is not a looming civil war between citizens, but quiet collusion among the political class to undermine the capacity of everyday citizens to govern their communities as they see fit. Woodlief concludes with steps we can all take to reclaim American self-governance.

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Fiction and Creative Writing

Humorous missives, unflinching essays, and Pushcart-nominated fiction. If you’ve ever wondered how theologian-turned-romance-writer John Calvin would behave in a creative-writing workshop, for example, have I got a story for you.

Faith and Parenthood

Resources for fathers who want to do better, reflections for parents of all ages, and earnest grappling with faith and doubt.

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Politics and Culture

Essays on topics like free speech, community autonomy, and busting up big school districts, with an occasional foray into existential struggles, like the imperative of killing vampires.

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