The Marginalian
The Marginalian

Search results for “david foster wallace”

Kurt Vonnegut’s Advice to the Young
Kurt Vonnegut’s Advice to the Young

“Teaching, may I say, is the noblest profession of all in a democracy.”

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A Short Guide to a Happy Life: Anna Quindlen on Work, Joy, and How to Live Rather Than Exist
A Short Guide to a Happy Life: Anna Quindlen on Work, Joy, and How to Live Rather Than Exist

“You cannot be really first-rate at your work if your work is all you are.”

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Life Is Like Blue Jelly: Margaret Mead Discovers the Meaning of Existence in a Dream
Life Is Like Blue Jelly: Margaret Mead Discovers the Meaning of Existence in a Dream

Revelations from the laboratory of the unconscious.

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The Cosmic Accident of Life: Alan Lightman on Dark Energy, the Multiverse, and Why We Exist
The Cosmic Accident of Life: Alan Lightman on Dark Energy, the Multiverse, and Why We Exist

How we drew the one we have from the zillions of possible universes in the cosmic lottery hat.

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2013’s Best Books on Writing and Creativity
2013’s Best Books on Writing and Creativity

Timeless wisdom and practical advice on the pleasures and perils of the written word and the creative life.

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George Lucas on the Meaning of Life
George Lucas on the Meaning of Life

“There is no why. We are. Life is beyond reason.”

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The Six Motives of Creativity: Mary Gaitskill on Why Writers Write
The Six Motives of Creativity: Mary Gaitskill on Why Writers Write

The art of integrating the ego and the impulse for empathy in a dynamic call and response.

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Maira Kalman on Curiosity, Courage, Happiness, and the Two Keys to a Full Life
Maira Kalman on Curiosity, Courage, Happiness, and the Two Keys to a Full Life

“What protects you in this world from sadness and from the loss of an ability to do something? … Work and love.”

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Kurt Vonnegut on the Secret of Happiness: An Homage to Joseph Heller’s Wisdom
Kurt Vonnegut on the Secret of Happiness: An Homage to Joseph Heller’s Wisdom

The meaning of life, in a short verse.

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The Greatest Commencement Address of All Time: Joseph Brodsky’s Six Rules for Playing the Game of Life Like a Winner
The Greatest Commencement Address of All Time: Joseph Brodsky’s Six Rules for Playing the Game of Life Like a Winner

“Of all the parts of your body, be most vigilant over your index finger, for it is blame-thirsty. A pointed finger is a victim’s logo.”

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