The majority of first person narrative essays appeared originally in the Chicago Tribune, in which he recounts significant episodes involving his wife, his children, his grandchild, parents, siblings, friends, co-workers, students, or employers. All were featured in the opinion/editorial section not just because they were funny or heartbreaking or relatable, but also because the personal stories have a deeper public context, with insights on the culture, politics, racial attitudes, values, morals, and socio-economic disparities in Chicagoland.

One story, for example, shows how an idyllic summer evening at a south side little league field, turned into a dramatic lesson about race for a thirteen year-old. Another chronicles a young couple's decision to check into a "no tell" motel near Midway Airport, and its surprising consequences for their relationship. A third dramatizes the panicked, humorous reactions of a south side Irish Catholic family after learning from Ancestry.com that they are not Irish, after all.

McGrath's work has been cited in BEST AMERICAN ESSAYS 2022.