Frank Bruni is a name that just belongs in the Gray Lady. For over 25 years, if you opened the paper, you likely ran into him. Maybe you found him in the White House press corps. Or perhaps you followed him to Rome. Honestly, most of us probably remember him best for making us incredibly hungry—or slightly guilty—during his legendary run as the chief restaurant critic.
He's a storyteller.
But things changed. In 2021, the Frank Bruni New York Times era shifted when he headed down to North Carolina to teach at Duke University. He didn't quit, though. You can’t just turn off a brain like that. He’s still a contributing opinion writer, and his weekly newsletter is basically required reading for anyone who wants to understand why American politics feels like a never-ending shouting match.
From Rome to the Restaurant Beat
Bruni’s career at the Times started back in 1995. He wasn't just a one-trick pony. He did the hard yards as a metropolitan reporter before jumping into the political fire. He spent significant time on the trail with George W. Bush, which eventually led to his bestseller, Ambling into History.
Then came the food.
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From 2004 to 2009, Bruni was the guy every chef in Manhattan feared and loved. He wasn't just checking if the steak was salty enough. He was dissecting the theater of dining. He eventually got incredibly real about this period in his memoir Born Round, where he opened up about his lifelong struggle with eating disorders. It was raw. It was vulnerable. It was exactly why people feel like they know him personally.
The Night Everything Changed
You’ve probably heard about the "stroke of the eye." It sounds like something out of a medical thriller, but for Bruni, it was a Tuesday in 2017. He woke up with his vision ravaged.
Specifically, it was N.A.I.O.N. (nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy).
Suddenly, the man who made a living by observing the world could barely see it. His right eye was gone, and there was a terrifying 30% chance his left eye would follow. He didn't hide. He wrote through it. His book The Beauty of Dusk is a masterclass in resilience. It’s not a "poor me" story. It’s a "how do we keep going when the lights dim?" story.
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He realized something vital: Everyone is carrying some kind of invisible baggage.
Frank Bruni New York Times: The Move to Duke and "The Age of Grievance"
In June 2021, Bruni wrote his final regular column. It was a shocker. He titled it "Ted Cruz, I'm Sorry." It wasn't because he suddenly loved Cruz's politics. It was because he realized he had been part of the "snide tide"—the constant, bitter back-and-forth that defines modern media.
He moved to Durham to become the Eugene C. Patterson Professor at Duke.
But the Frank Bruni New York Times connection remains through his Sunday newsletter. If you aren't subscribed, you're missing out on his dissection of what he calls the "Age of Grievance." He recently published a book by that same name in 2024.
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He argues that we've become a nation of people looking for reasons to be offended. Right, left, center—everyone is holding a grudge. Bruni uses his platform to ask: Is this actually helping? Or are we just screaming into a void?
Why He Still Has an Edge
Bruni's writing in 2026 feels different than his early 2000s work. It’s slower. More thoughtful. He’s not chasing the 24-hour outrage cycle as much.
- The Perspective: Losing half his sight gave him a literal new lens.
- The Location: Being in North Carolina instead of the Upper West Side bubble changes his "man on the street" vibe.
- The Honesty: He’s willing to admit when his previous "excited prose" got the better of him.
What You Can Learn from Bruni’s Journey
If you’re a writer or just a news junkie, Bruni’s career is a blueprint. He shows that you don't have to stay in one lane. You can go from covering a war to reviewing a bistro to lecturing at a Top 10 university.
His longevity at the Frank Bruni New York Times isn't just about talent. It’s about evolution. He didn't become a caricature of a "liberal columnist." He stayed curious.
How to Follow Frank Bruni Today
- Sign up for the "The Bruni Letter": It hits inboxes every Thursday. It's conversational, often funny, and usually includes a recipe or a book recommendation that has nothing to do with the news.
- Read "The Age of Grievance": Especially the 2025 paperback edition with the new preface. It explains why we can't seem to stop arguing.
- Check out his Duke Lectures: He often hosts "Independent Thinkers" conversations with other journalists like Bret Stephens or Katie Herzog.
Bruni’s story is a reminder that the "Gray Lady" is made of real people with real flaws. He’s not just a byline; he’s a guy who lost his vision, found his voice, and decided that maybe, just maybe, we should all be a little kinder to each other in print.
To stay updated on the latest shifts in the media landscape, keep an eye on his occasional longer essays in the Times Opinion section. His transition from staffer to "contributing writer" is a signal of where high-end journalism is headed: less about the institution, more about the individual's unique perspective.