how to change your life, part 1: l.a. paul's transformative experience

It’s been quieter than usual here lately! But here’s my excuse: I’ve been working on 3 other pieces. One was for The Atlantic and came out last week: I recommended "Six Books That Will Jolt Your Senses Awake” with vivid, evocative language. The article includes some of of my all-time favorite novels and memoirs, so if you’re an Atlantic subscriber, please do read it—and let me know if you pick up any of the books! And if you found this newsletter through The Atlantic, welcome and thank you for subscribing! To briefly introduce myself: I’m a designer and writer with a deep affection for literary fiction (especially in translation) and beautiful graphic, industrial, and web design. I publish posts every week(ish), on topics like how to use Brian Eno’s oblique strategies to start and finish creative projects, how to write “mere” descriptions, and a cheerfully polemical defense of San Francisco. Today’s post is about a topic very near and dear to my heart: How books can help us understand

It’s been quieter than usual here lately! But here’s my excuse: I’ve been working on 3 other pieces. One was for The Atlantic and came out last week: I recommended "Six Books That Will Jolt Your Senses Awake” with vivid, evocative language. The article includes some of of my all-time favorite novels and memoirs, so if you’re an Atlantic subscriber, please do read it—and let me know if you pick up any of the books! And if you found this newsletter through The Atlantic, welcome and thank you for subscribing! To briefly introduce myself: I’m a designer and writer with a deep affection for literar