Stories and literature

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Illustrated manuscript page with a circular cosmological diagram, human figure with intricate details, and several narrative scenes.

History of ideas

idea

Ancient Indian texts reveal the liberating power of metaphysics

Indian metaphysics presented a philosophical route to a higher level of existence beyond limits of space and time

by Jessica Frazier

Black and white photo of a person in a dark tunnel with light in the background, wearing a coat, looking at the camera.

Stories and literature

idea

The plague novel you need to read is by Bachmann, not Camus

In Ingeborg Bachmann’s Malina, the plague isn’t a biological virus, it doesn’t cause lockdowns, but it is killing us

by Lyndsey Stonebridge

Cubist artwork depicting a fragmented still life with a book, glass and other objects in earthy tones.

Stories and literature

guide

How to gain more from your reading

There’s more to words than meets the eye. Deepen your appreciation of literature through the art of slow, attentive reading

by Robert DiYanni

Colourful pointillistic painting of four figures in patterned clothing on a landscape with trees, likely representing rural life.

Traditional arts

film

A joyously animated myth retells why painting is prayer to India’s Bhil people

A film by Nina Sabnani and Sher Singh Bhil

Stories and literature

idea

Reading books is not just a pleasure: it helps our minds to heal

Through my own struggles and in teaching bibliotherapy to students, I know that books can help to heal minds and hearts

by Peter Leyland

People sitting and walking through a city square on a sunny day, with a red brick building and large advertising posters covering other buildings.

Stories and literature

idea

Your life is not a story: why narrative thinking holds you back

Our stories help us make sense of a chaotic world, but they can be harmful and restrictive. There’s a liberating alternative

by Karen Simecek

Abstract painting featuring geometric shapes, vibrant colours, a guitar, a pear, the word ‘entrada’ and other assorted objects.

Stories and literature

guide

How to plan your novel

Inspiration rarely comes as a mysterious visitation from the muse. Far better to learn the techniques and habits of the craft

by Jason Whittaker

Open book with sketches of a handgun on the left page and a peach with geometric lines on the right page, on a dark surface.

Poetry

film

An English teacher asks his class: ‘What’s the opposite of a gun?’

Directed by Anna Samo and Lisa LaBracio

A man with a confused expression and a large “Q” sign around his neck, surrounded by people in Trump-themed clothing.

Thinking and intelligence

idea

How conspiracy theories bypass people’s rationality

Prior research has focused on the negative reasons people are drawn to conspiracies, but there’s another side to the story

by Jan-Willem van Prooijen

Painting of a person in a hat smoking a cigarette, with a confident expression and a slightly tilted head.

Stories and literature

idea

Selfish, grumpy and unkind? That’s my kind of woman

Misanthropic female novelists and their characters make me hopeful for a future in which we shrug off feminine perfection

by Ellena Savage

Wooden shelves filled with books, framed pictures, small ornaments, a bowl, and various decorative items.

Stories and literature

guide

How to nurture a personal library

An escape, a sanctuary, a place of pleasure, a memoir. Take these steps to ensure your library is just what you want it to be

by Freya Howarth

Abstract painting of various musical instruments, including drums, a trombone, a banjo, and a guitar, with a silhouetted figure in foreground.

Poetry

film

Childhood collides with the adult world in this haunting Bukowski adaptation

A film by Jonathan Hodgson