Archive - Art Of Conversation

April 2025

On Optimism, a New Project, and "The Legend of Ochi"

A monthly digest of reading, from books to Substack and beyond.

Apr 29

The Rewards of Difficult Books

On Dante's "Inferno" and what it can teach us about the pleasures and rewards of reading challenging books.

Apr 25 •

Escaping McFate

A bonus essay on Nabokov, imagination, and the meaning of "upsilamba".

Apr 21

Azar Nafisi: The Magic of Fiction

On the transformative power of literature and the meaning of "upsilamba".

Apr 18 •

Disappointed by "The Bell Jar"

A bonus essay on "Easter-egg hunts" in fiction and what I really think of Plath's only novel.

Apr 14

An Appetite for Life

On Sylvia Plath's "The Bell Jar", and how to live life more fully by choosing less.

Apr 11

Down With This Sort of Thing

On Jerry Springer, the Overton window, and cancel culture.

Apr 4 •

March 2025

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