Stories and literature

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A painting depicting a cosmological diagram with an abstract human figure and various mythical creatures.

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

Photo of people in a sunny square with bikes and scooters, near Les Tontons and a large building advertisement in Bordeaux.

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

Cubist painting of fragmented books and a glass on a table with geometric shapes in blue, brown and grey 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

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

Photo of a bookshop exterior with green columns and a window displaying books. A person reads inside.

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

Abstract collage painting with colourful geometric shapes, text and patterns. Includes elements like a pear and “ENTRADA” sign.

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

Photo of a man in a crowd wearing a large letter Q with the American flag pattern. Many people wear red hats.

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

Photo of a person reading on a tablet, facing left, wearing glasses and a jumper in a dimly lit environment.

Technology and media

idea

What does switching from paper to screens mean for how we read?

It’s well established that we absorb less well when reading on screen. But why? And can we do something to improve it?

by Lili Yu, Sixin Liao, Jan-Louis Kruger & Erik D Reichle

Photo of wooden bookshelves filled with books, small decor items and framed pictures in a cosy room setting.

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