Design

insightful speeches

Books - Read - Writing

Move

Interviews

Human Condition

Improvement

Background and poem text: http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2013/07/17/billy-collins-reads-marginalia

POEM TEXT

Billy Collins reads "Marginalia"

Background, poem text, and context: http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2013/08/09/charles-bukowski-reads-friendly-advice-to-a-lot-of-young-men/

Charles Bukowski reads his "Friendly Advice To A Lot Of Young Men"

Background and poem text: http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2014/03/27/frank-ohara-reads-metaphysical-poem/

MORE/TEXT

Frank O'Hara reads his "Metaphysical Poem"

Part of a Brain Pickings collaboration with the 92Y and artist Ohara Hale – see illustrated interpretations of the poems here: http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2014/04/28/denise-levertov-92y-ohara-hale

Recorded live at the https://soundcloud.com/92y

Audio exclusively available courtesy of the 92Y Unterberg Poetry Center and the Denise Levertov estate. 

MORE/ARTWORK

Denise Levertov reads "The Certainty" (1991)

Denise Levertov reads "The Ache of Marriage" (1963)

Denise Levertov reads "Open Secret" (1991)

Denise Levertov reads "City Psalm" (1965)

On Arthur Schopenhauer’s essays, “On Authorship and Style,” “On Thinking for Oneself,” and “On Genius” (all published 1851).

Is the best way to do philosophy (or any art) to self-consciously build on the work of others to advance the genre? Schopenhauer says no! Geniuses are solitary, original, authentic, naive thinkers. They write because they have something to say, not because they’re being paid. They don’t read too much for fear of being overwhelmed by their influences, and certainly don’t try to remember what they read too well like a scholar would. They think before writing, and get at perennial truths from their own, uniquely grown perspective. So don’t burden them with responsibilities like jobs and families, okay?

Mark, Wes, and Dylan try to figure out whether these harsh commandments hold water or whether S. is just giving excuses for his own unpopularity.

Go to blog

Schopenhauer on Reading, Writing and Thinking - Partially Examined Life

Excerpt from Jeff Goldsmith's Q&A with Ray Bradbury, recorded at Comic Con 2010. Discussion and other highlights here: http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/09/04/ray-bradbury-comic-con-interview/

Full audio here: http://www.theqandapodcast.com/2012/06/ray-bradbury-q.html

Ray Bradbury on Predictions and the Secret of Life

Ray Bradbury on (Not) Growing Up

Ray Bradbury on Loving Life

David Foster Wallace's iconic 2005 Kenyon College graduation address. Context and transcript here: http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/09/12/this-is-water-david-foster-wallace/

Part 2 here: http://soundcloud.com/brainpicker/david-foster-wallace-this-is-water-2

David Foster Wallace: "This Is Water" (part 1)

David Foster Wallace's iconic 2005 Kenyon College graduation address. Context and transcript here: http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/09/12/this-is-water-david-foster-wallace/

Part 1 here: http://soundcloud.com/brainpicker/david-foster-wallace-this-is-water-1

David Foster Wallace: "This Is Water" (part 2)

Excerpt from Debbie Millman's Design Matters interview with cartoonist Chris Ware. 

Full interview: https://soundcloud.com/designmatters/chris-ware

Related article: http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/11/05/building-stories-chris-ware/

Chris Ware on giving shape to the human experience

Excerpt from Debbie Millman's Design Matters interview with cartoonist Chris Ware. 

Full interview: https://soundcloud.com/designmatters/chris-ware

Related article about his incredible Building Stories: http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/11/05/building-stories-chris-ware/

Chris Ware on the characters in Building Stories and the role of sadness

Chris Ware on the building as a character

Chris Ware on destiny, literature, and unlived lives

Chris Ware is a cartoonist and the author of the extraordinary new "book" Building Stories (http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/11/05/building-stories-chris-ware/)

In this interview with Debbie Millman, Ware discusses the relationship between storytelling and empathy, the challenges of giving shape to the human experience, the subtle commentary on sexuality in his work, and the role of sadness in writing.

Subscribe to Design Matters on iTunes for more great interviews with celebrated designers and creative minds: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/design-matters-debbie-millman/id328074695

Design Matters with Debbie Millman: Chris Ware

Excerpt from Design Matters with Debbie Millman: https://soundcloud.com/designmatters/roberto-de-vicq

Background and discussion: http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2013/02/25/roberto-de-vicq-de-cumptich-design-matters-debbie-millman/

Roberto de Vicq de Cumptich on the story behind Bembo's Zoo

Roberto de Vicq de Cumptich on Men of Letters and People of Substance

Jessica Walsh is a designer, art director, and illustrator working in New York City. She is a partner at the New York based design studio, Sagmeister & Walsh and teaches at the School of Visual Arts. Her work has won numerous design awards from the Type Director’s Club, Art Director’s Club, SPD, Print, and Graphis. She has received various celebrated distinctions including Computer Art’s “Top Rising Star in Design”, an Art Director’s Club “Young Guns” award, and Print Magazine’s “New Visual Artist”.

Design Matters with Debbie Millman: Jessica Walsh

Annotated highlights and discussion: http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2013/05/29/joss-whedon-2013-wesleyan-commencement-address/

Be All Your Selves: Joss Whedon's 2013 Wesleyan Commencement Address

Background and poem text <a href="http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2013/09/24/f-scott-fitzgerald-reads-john-masefield-on-growing-old/">here</a>.