Art Of Conversation

Art Of Conversation

Home
Features
Words of Wisdom
Double Take
Bonus
About
The Rewards of Difficult Books
On Dante's "Inferno" and what it can teach us about the pleasures and rewards of reading challenging books.
 • 
Matthew Morgan
Escaping McFate
A bonus essay on Nabokov, imagination, and the meaning of "upsilamba".
Azar Nafisi: The Magic of Fiction
On the transformative power of literature and the meaning of "upsilamba".
 • 
Matthew Morgan
2
Disappointed by "The Bell Jar"
A bonus essay on "Easter-egg hunts" in fiction and what I really think of Plath's only novel.
An Appetite for Life
On Sylvia Plath's "The Bell Jar", and how to live life more fully by choosing less.
1
Down With This Sort of Thing
On Jerry Springer, the Overton window, and cancel culture.
 • 
Matthew Morgan
4

March 2025

Re-reading "The Great Gatsby"
In the latest edition of the Double Take series, I discover how wrong I was about F. Scott Fitzgerald's jazz-age novel.
 • 
Matthew Morgan
15
Why Tyrants Fear Art
Following last week's close look at Milan Kundera, I wanted to take another look at the role of art in defending our values, this time examining why art…
 • 
Matthew Morgan
Social Media Kitsch
A bonus essay on Milan Kundera, the role of the writer as a public figure, and mass media.
2
Milan Kundera: How Novels Defy Tyranny
On the role of art in defending all that we value.
 • 
Matthew Morgan
2
What is "Alice in Wonderland" Actually About?
A paid-subscribers' peek behind the scenes.
What is "Alice in Wonderland" Actually About?
A tumble down the rabbit-hole with Alice.
 • 
Matthew Morgan
4
© 2025 Matthew Morgan
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start writingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture