I write like…

When you first embarked on your career in journalism, who did you want to be? A newer, hipper version of Tom Wolfe? Hunter S. Thompson? John Hersey? Chuck Klosterman? Joan Didion?

Personally, for a long time I’ve aspired to be the female version of Malcolm Gladwell, but according to a new e-toy, I Write Like, my style is more akin to David Foster Wallace. I guess I can live with that (as long as our likeness ends at our writing styles, anyway).  A few unlucky (but talented) writer friends of mine were disturbed to learn that they write less like Gay Talese and more like Stephenie Meyer.

The tool isn’t a science (though I certainly wish The Atlantic would pay me gobs of money to go on a luxury cruise), but it’s a fun way to kill ten or fifteen minutes, and since the site was launched a little while ago, there has been a lot of jibber-jabber on the web about it, including an interview with the creator.

Once you’re done stroking your ego, if you’re looking for something a bit more, say, intellectual to occupy your time this summer, check out this list of the best magazine articles ever. Go ahead. Read them all, and let me know if you agree. Or, what do you think should be on the list that is not. Report back. I’ll be waiting.

(Hats off to This Magazine for pointing me toward the best articles list.)