The Marginalian
The Marginalian

Reads from 2013

How Chemistry Works, in Gorgeous 19th-Century Diagrams
How Chemistry Works, in Gorgeous 19th-Century Diagrams

Illustrated retro reactions from the father of Popular Science.

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An Illustrated Chronicle of the Space Race
An Illustrated Chronicle of the Space Race

Astronauts vs. cosmonauts, Apollo vs. Sputnik, and what Gagarin had to do with JFK.

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The Mahatma and the Poet: Tagore’s Letters to Gandhi on Power, Morality, and Science
The Mahatma and the Poet: Tagore’s Letters to Gandhi on Power, Morality, and Science

“Passive resistance is a force which is not necessarily moral in itself; it can be used against truth as well as for it.”

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Richard Burton Reads John Donne’s Poem “The Flea”
Richard Burton Reads John Donne’s Poem “The Flea”

“Just so much honor, when thou yield’st to me, Will waste, as this flea’s death took life from thee.”

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The Science of Love: How Positivity Resonance Shapes the Way We Connect
The Science of Love: How Positivity Resonance Shapes the Way We Connect

The neurobiology of how the warmest emotion blurs the boundaries by you and not-you.

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Love in the Age of Data: How One Woman Hacked Her Way to Happily Ever After
Love in the Age of Data: How One Woman Hacked Her Way to Happily Ever After

Reverse-engineering the algorithms of romance, one picky data point at a time.

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Why Birds Sing
Why Birds Sing

Science vs. romance, or how evolutionary theory holds up against poetry and philosophy.

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How To Make Great Radio: An Illustrated Guide Starring Ira Glass
How To Make Great Radio: An Illustrated Guide Starring Ira Glass

“When correctly harnessed, radio can be as emotional, as funny and as satisfying as the best motion pictures or television shows.”

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Anton Chekhov on the 8 Qualities of Cultured People
Anton Chekhov on the 8 Qualities of Cultured People

“They are sincere, and dread lying like fire. They don’t lie even in small things.”

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Science, Storytelling, and “Gut Churn”: Jad Abumrad on the Secrets of Creative Success
Science, Storytelling, and “Gut Churn”: Jad Abumrad on the Secrets of Creative Success

On diving head-first into the unknown.

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