Every time you closely read a piece of writing, you’ll have a slightly different experience. This, I am certain, is a kind of magic.
This magic is precisely why I started Closely Reading, a place where I follow my curiosity by writing about the new, exciting, and strange ideas we encounter in classic literature, modernism, movies, TV, and more.
After finishing my PhD in English Literature, I realized there were so many ideas and stories I wanted to write about but never had the time to. So, here we are.
I’m writing here as a writing experiment: to find my voice after leaving academia and to connect with other amazing writers, essayists, creatives, and thinkers.
I believe the best writing gives you the sense that you’re taking part in an amazing conversation that helps you connect with your own ideas, beliefs, and desires. I hope to create such conversations here.
New essays come out every Sunday & Wednesday
On Sundays, I send out close readings and cultural essays. On Wednesdays, I send out essays and read-a-long guides dedicated to my favorite author, Edith Wharton. (Right now, we’re reading The Age of Innocence together!)
Paid subscribers get:
A monthly “mini essays” newsletter with 4-5 short essays on what I’ve been reading, watching, or listening to that month
Access to the full archive of newsletters, essays, and guides
If you come across an essay you love and can’t wait to share here, I hope you’ll send it to a friend.
Finally: a few folks have asked if I am taking requests. Yes! If you have a story or genre you’d like me to closely read, let me know. And if you’re looking for a specific kind of advice or lesson on close reading, annotating your books, or honing your writing process…get in touch. I’d love to help. Send in a request.
