Human Interest

"Floating Off the Page: The Best Stories from The Wall Street Journal's Middle Column"

Ken Wells

About the Program

Ken Wells discusses a compilation of essays from the the Wall Street Journal's middle column entitled "Floating Off the Page." The middle column, or 'A-hed,' was previously occupied by a tip sheet on the stock market. Former managing editor Barney Kilgore decided to introduce a diversion---a column with stories so light they could "float off the page." Penned by a variety of writers, some of the topics analyzed in the column include; how to throw your grand piano 125 yards, the location of the biblical Garden of Eden (just past the orange juice factory), and the latest advances in sheep orthodontia. The Wall Street Journal began publication on July 8, 1889.

About the Authors

Ken Wells

Ken Wells worked at the The Wall Street Journal for over twenty years and is the author of several books, including The Good Pirates of the Forgotten Bayous: Fighting to Save a Way of Life in the Wake of Hurricane Katrina.


Buy the author's book from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound

Program Information

"Floating Off the Page: The Best Stories from The Wall Street Journal's Middle Column"
Shop C-SPAN Gifts!