Memoir

Self-knowledge and personal growth Relationships, work and leisure Values and ethical living

Photo of a man in a grey jumper standing on a balcony with a view of a city skyline featuring iconic skyscrapers.

Thinkers and theories

idea

Why I’ll never forget the day I met Daniel Kahneman for lunch

He was an octogenarian Nobel-winning psychologist, I was a nervous 20-something film producer. Here’s what struck me most

by Namir Khaliq

Photo of a woman using a phone by a sunny window with a city view. She is next to a suitcase and a red chair.

Place

idea

The divided self: does where I live make me who I am?

At home in Delhi, I am a more social, interactive person. A quiet balcony in Frankfurt gave me space to be by myself

by Anandi Mishra

Photo of two men in dark clothing sitting and smiling at a round table in a dimly lit room with glasses.

Stories and literature

guide

How to tell a better story

Personal stories have the power to connect, entertain, persuade. Use a pro storyteller’s tips to pick and prepare a great one

by Micaela Blei

A Chinese middle-aged woman tending plants on a rooftop garden with residential buildings and a blue sky in the background.

Sex and sexuality

film

Shuli’s mother has known he was gay for years. Can they finally talk about it?

A film by Shuli Huang

Painting of settlers in covered wagons crossing a grassy landscape with mountains in the background and people on horses nearby.

Identity

idea

I rebuilt my self-esteem by changing the story of who I am

I once clung to a dubious family legend to help me cope with a difficult childhood. I’ve since found a better story to tell

by Patricia Olsen

Photo of a woman in black clothing on a street near a beauty salon with a colourful sign and a travel agency.

Human rights and justice

idea

The day the Taliban banned women like me from working

With my daughters’ education cancelled, I thought the regime had done its worst. Then a new message came from my office

by Nargis

Watercolour painting of a person writing at a table with a cup, clock and decorative objects in a cosy room.

Memoir

guide

How to heal through life writing

Learning to write about trauma helps you to process the painful experience, and gives you the life skills to overcome it

by Uddipana Goswami

Two people enjoying a scenic sunset with one raising their arms and the other looking sideways, in an outdoor setting.

Identity

film

Three sisters craft a lyrical tribute to their mother from old family VHS tapes

Directed by Jay Stephen and Ralph Briscoe

Photo of a dark rocky asteroid with a starry sky background and small particles visible near its surface.

Memoir

idea

What I learned about coping and resilience from asteroid Bennu

After hitting an emotional low, I found myself identifying with an asteroid that looks deceptively solid on the outside

by Elizabeth Landau

Photo of a red double-decker bus in a city at dusk with a person reading inside pedestrians on the pavement.

Freedom and choice

idea

Why not driving is my own form of resistance

As romantic petrochemical-fuelled narratives slip into the past, I’ve found my own kind of freedom in a life without a car

by Vicky Grut

The artist Marina Abramović in a long, white dress stands in an abandoned building, lit by studio lights. The walls are rundown and the floor has tracks for camera equipment. The woman faces forward, with her hair in a side braid, and the atmosphere is dramatic and moody.

Artists and art history

film

In a single, unbroken shot, Marina Abramović surveys her artistic evolution

A film by Art21