“Violent Media and the First Amendment” shows how an academic argument can be advanced through narrative; that is, Stacey Goodman constructs the conversation around thoughtfully chosen examples that launch a detailed examination of legal and social issues connecting media and interpretations of the First Amendment. This style of writing, with the author as raconteur on the one hand and analyst on the other, expands the typical templates of academic prose. The conversational style, with anecdotes serving as specific evidence and illustration for larger points, underpins the detailed argument that Goodman develops. The essay also indicates the challenges of utilizing this approach while tackling such a demanding topic—selecting appropriate evidence that will bear the weight of layered interpretation, juxtaposing the stylistic elements of narrative and analysis, and sketching in the broader contours of the debate while maintaining a focused argument—but Goodman admirably meets these challenges while making her contribution to this important conversation.