How to Mark Up Books Without Losing the Joy of Reading
Writing in the margins can deepen your reading or slow it to a crawl. Here are simple ways to mark ideas, track themes, and still enjoy the book.
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Daniel Brooks(12)
Daniel teaches philosophy at a community college in Ohio and writes about Stoicism, existentialism and everyday ethics. He reads Seneca with his morning coffee.
Why Good Film Adaptations So Often Betray Their Novels
Faithful adaptations often fail on screen. We look at why the best directors rewrite, cut, and even reverse the books they love, and why it pays.
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Books
For subscribers
The Long Take and Why Directors Love the Unbroken Shot
Unbroken shots make audiences hold their breath. Explore the craft behind the long take, from famous examples to the reasons filmmakers chase it.
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What Dystopian Novels Reveal About Our Fear of Freedom
From Orwell to Atwood, dystopian fiction mirrors the anxieties of its time. Learn what these dark stories teach us about power, choice, and hope.
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Can a Good Movie Make You a Better Person? A Fair Look
Stories can stretch our empathy, but can they change how we act? We weigh the research, the critics, and the films that seem to move people most.
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Camus, Absurdity, and the Quiet Joy of Rereading Books
Camus believed we must imagine Sisyphus happy. Rereading his work at different ages reveals new layers of humor, revolt, and quiet daily delight.
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Where to Start With Nietzsche Without Losing Your Mind
Nietzsche is thrilling and confusing in equal measure. This handy beginner guide suggests where to start, what to skip, and how to read him well.
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Curating a Personal Library That Expresses Who You Are
A personal library is more than shelves of books. Learn how to choose, arrange, and live with books so your collection tells your own true story.
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Adaptations
Featured
The Quiet Philosophy Hidden Inside Studio Ghibli Films
Beneath the gentle animation lie big questions about nature, work, and growing up. A closer look at the ideas that make these films last so long.
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Reading the Stoics on the Train: Lessons for Busy Days
Stoic writers fit perfectly into a short commute. A few pages a day can calm a noisy mind and offer practical tools for handling daily pressures.
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Philosophy
Featured
Film Noir and the Existential Dread of the Modern City
Rain, shadows, and doomed heroes: film noir turned city streets into a stage for existential fear. Discover what these old crime films still say.
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Plato's Cave and the Movie Theater: An Old Idea Reborn
Long before film, Plato imagined prisoners watching shadows on a wall. We explore why his famous cave still explains the magic of the big screen.
Read more ↗Notes on cinema, books & philosophy
Essays, reading notes and film readings — thoughtful writing on the ideas worth sitting with, delivered once a month.