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Greek, Pruning, and Environmentalism

Charlotte Alden profiles the fascinating school that the brilliant Donald Antenen has started in his hometown.

Andrea Kirk Assaf on Lessons From the Stoics

My guest is my friend Andrea Kirk Assaf, whom I have known for, well, a few decades now. She is the author most recently of 365 Lessons From the Stoics…
Alan Cornett
October 15, 2025

Poetic Responses to Turmoil

Smith's poem has returned to my mind several times, especially in moments, like our current one, of cultural and political turmoil.

Building on Good Bones

I stood amongst bones bleached dry and white.
October 13, 2025

Oliver Anthony, Paul Kingsnorth, and Marce Catlett

Amber Lapp goes to Oliver Anthony’s Rural Revival and explores the conditions for genuine, constructive populism.

Confessions of a Bad Neighbor

They filled our shared porch with plants in beautiful stone pots.
October 10, 2025

The Many Lives of Milton’s Paradise Lost

For anyone who endeavors to read or teach "Paradise Lost" for the first time, I could hardly imagine a better single-volume guide to the work’s author, context, themes, and significance.

Battle Above the Clouds

Returning home on any other evening, I might have noticed the gold leaf edges of the icons on the shelf smoldering from the sun through the window.

Reconciling Art and Nature: Wendell Berry’s New Novel

Wendell Berry has written a ninth Port William novel, and it is unlike any other in the set.
October 3, 2025

Eddington’s Warning to Screen-Addled Souls

Kudos to Ari Aster and his film "Eddington" for showing us the truth of what is happening to us in our social media saturated world.
October 1, 2025

Christopher J. Scalia on 13 Novels Conservatives Will Love

Christopher J. Scalia is at the American Enterprise Institute. He and I have been Twitter mutuals for awhile, but I had the pleasure of meeting Chris in Grand Rapids at…
Alan Cornett
September 30, 2025

Shallow and Hollow: Media’s Romance Problem

Deep down, humans not only want but also require enduring, stable relationships.
September 30, 2025

Restoration Rides the Bus

Crouched between reflective handrails and stained cloth seats holding the memories of seasons past, I encountered daily more humanity, more culture, and more reverent wisdom than perhaps ever before.
September 29, 2025

Work, Friendship, and Literacy

Maya Sulkin talks to some influencers and wannabe influencers about the nature of work.
Jeffrey Bilbro
September 27, 2025

In Defense of Children’s Work

Apprenticeship, not exploitation—and why place still matters.
September 26, 2025

When Minors View Violence Online

When will we confront the reality that terrible things can be etched into our memories in milliseconds?
September 25, 2025

Of Branson and Belonging

Belonging cannot be immediately grasped, but it must be chosen little by little.
September 24, 2025

Bill McKibben with Sunshine on his Shoulder

The author, activist, and grandfather who once warned of The End of Nature has a brighter disposition these days.  Resources Bill's bio and buy the book (and the other book)…
John Murdock
September 22, 2025

Writing Is for Humans

They accepted that the law of human judgment was Mercy—after all, that was the law of divine judgment.
September 22, 2025

Every Tear on Every Face Tastes the Same: Songs About Solidarity

This week on A Symposium of Popular Songs, we’re listening to songs about solidarity, one-half of the foundation of Catholic social teaching. Send me your song recommendations at symposiumofsongs@gmail.com!