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A search for meaning in the palace of lost memories: Thoughts on Piranesi, a novel by Susanna Clarke
Susanna Clarke’s novel Piranesi has got me thinking about memory, identity, the fallibility of writing, and the paradox that intrinsic value might be created rather than found
Who says you have to choose between yourself and others? The case for intelligent generosity
It’s not rocket science but if you want to foster sustainable generosity and human flourishing here’s how to cultivate a balance between caring for yourself and supporting others.
Daniel Wisser’s notecards as art and archive
Daniel Wisser’s exhibition in Vienna features 60 index cards with sketches of stories displayed in a note box (Zettelkasten).
What Tim Berners-Lee Has to Teach About Effective Notes
Tim Berners-Lee’s insights on the interconnected nature of knowledge have inspired a flexible, web-like approach to note-making that mirrors my natural thinking rather than some restrictive categorization.
Leibniz created a haystack of notes that wouldn't fit in his Zettelschrank
Gottfried Leibniz, a prolific yet disorganized thinker, struggled to manage an overwhelming influx of ideas, resulting in a vast but minimally published literary legacy. Is this a cautionary tale or some other kind of tale? I have an opinion.
Sinister Zettelkasten?
The 2025 Sydney Film Festival program features Jodie Foster’s new film, “Vie privée,” accompanied by a marketing image that evokes mystery with index card boxes in the background.
I found a way to create order from my jumbled ideas
A discussion of the SOLO taxonomy model of learning, which emphasizes the progression from disorganized ideas to structured knowledge through atomic notes and meaningful connections.
From tiny drops of writing, great rivers will flow
A river is made of water droplets. Breaking large writing projects into smaller parts makes the task more manageable and less daunting. Who knew?
Education will defeat autocracy
The decline of academic departments may lead to innovative educational alternatives and community knowledge-sharing despite institutional constraints. Well, why not be hopeful?
Have you ever read a book by mistake?
Confession time: a mistaken identity led to the discovery of Cynthia Ozick’s novel The Messiah of Stockholm, which I enjoyed despite initially confusing it with a work by Ruth Ozeki.