Reading and Writing

"When it comes to choosing books to read, the majority of our decisions are based on heuristics of one sort or another, including: cove...

"The fact is, writing is one heck of an informational medium — the best ever invented. Neurological studies show that, as we learn to r...

"Self-flagellation by authors is a long and distinguished tradition, with Tolstoy (who dismissed Anna Karenina as sentimental, "se...

"There are frequent debates about what constitutes great literature, and no little disputation. Today, the prevailing and authoritative...

The people and the revolution that sent tremors through the United States and the Vatican: The 1960s sparked revolutionary changes that swep...

Amazon, a jungle of anonymous book reviewers... "why anyone would even bother reading these anonymous customer reviews (even if not fak...

"Arts and literature create and re-create the life of a society in many respects, making it full of aesthetic touches. Without literatu...