While web publishing originally consisted of static HTML and CSS assets, the database-backed content management system soon took over as the dominant web publishing model. In recent years, there are signs that this trend is being reversed. This talk investigates the rise of static site generators and discusses how these new light-weight static tools can often offer significant benefits over the traditional CMS. Topics will include: * what is a static site generator * when are static site generators a good fit * when are static site generators **NOT** a good fit * overview of static site generator options, including Python-based projects * static site generator installation * markup formats (e.g., Markdown, reStructuredText, Asciidoc) * how to write content * how to generate the site * how (and where) to publish the site Attendees of this talk will walk away fully equipped to install a Python-based static site generator, write content in Markdown format, and publish their new sites with a minimum of effort.