Close Reader: An interview with Juliana

On medieval history, the limits of language, and reading for study vs. for fun

In this series, “Close Readers,” I’m asking some of my favorite Substack essayists, Bookstagrammers, and writers to share their reading and writing processes and habits, and tell us about the literary ideas they’re spending time with these days.

Today’s interview is with Juliana, a cultural historian and medieval scholar, who I met on Bookstagram and have had the chance to get to know as we’ve both continued to read, post about our academic interests, and start publishing here on Substack.

After you read today’s interview, check out Juliana’s amazing essays here on Substack: