Artistic evolution and the discovery of hidden narratives

by Ingrid SolheimSeptember 27, 20266 links · ~42 min read · ~1 min for the TL;DR

Marginal Notes by Ingrid Solheim: six links on Culture every week.

TL;DR

Miley Cyrus has cycled through raunchy, folksy, and psychedelic personas, ultimately disappearing into the dance floor on her latest album, Bass Persuades.
Michael Cragg’s review in the Guardian frames Kylie Minogue as a great unifier and an Aussie icon in a heartfelt portrait of her career.
Amy Cannon notes that Annie Dillard pioneered a mystical form of creative nonfiction by prioritizing the sonic intensity of poetry in her prose.
The Aeon essay on Cicero argues that a good sceptic should embrace probabilia, maintaining confidence in beliefs without requiring absolute certainty.
Olivia Haysman-Walker, a London thrift manager, discovered a rare first edition of a classic American novel while working in a bookstore.
Emily St John Mandel’s novel Exit Party examines the tension between stability and freedom through two alternate visions of post-crisis America.

From the curator

Creative figures and literary artifacts often defy simple categorization through their shifting identities and unexpected reappearances. The New Yorker article by Amanda Petrusich details how Miley Cyrus constantly reinvents her public persona, moving from Disney-clean images to psychedelic and dance-focused sounds. Similarly, the NPR article reports on a London thrift manager who discovered a rare first edition of a classic American novel, highlighting how significant cultural objects can surface in the most unlikely places.

Ingrid Solheim

Curated for this issue

The New Yorker8 min readThe Unknowable Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus has been raunchy, folksy, psychedelic, Disney-clean. On her new album, “Bass Persuades,” she disappears onto the dance floor.

Amanda Petrusich · curated 1 time

the Guardian3 min readCan’t Get You Out of My Head by Michael Cragg review – what’s the secret of Kylie’s genius?
The pop star emerges as a great unifier in this in-depth yet heartfelt portrait of an Aussie icon

The Conversation4 min readAnnie Dillard brought poetry into prose, pioneering a mystical form of creative nonfiction that critics both admired and misunderstood
For Annie Dillard, the sonic intensity of poetry was critical to every form of writing she published throughout her life.

Amy Cannon · curated 1 time

aeon.co16 min readA good sceptic has more than doubt and less than certainty | Aeon Essays
Cicero’s life and thought are a testament to the idea of probabilia: we should be confident in our beliefs, but never certain

NPR4 min readTo spot a 'Mockingbird': London thrift manager finds rare U.S. literary 1st edition
You never know what you'll unearth in a thrift store. NPR's Scott Simon speaks to Olivia Haysman-Walker about the discovery of a rare first edition of a classic American novel in…

the Guardian5 min readExit Party by Emily St John Mandel review – alternate visions of post-crisis America
Is the price of stability necessarily the loss of freedom? Two possible future worlds are linked in the new novel from the author of Station Eleven

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From the curator

The New Yorker8 min readThe Unknowable Miley CyrusMiley Cyrus has been raunchy, folksy, psychedelic, Disney-clean. On her new album, “Bass Persuades,” she disappears onto the dance floor.

the Guardian3 min readCan’t Get You Out of My Head by Michael Cragg review – what’s the secret of Kylie’s genius?The pop star emerges as a great unifier in this in-depth yet heartfelt portrait of an Aussie icon

The Conversation4 min readAnnie Dillard brought poetry into prose, pioneering a mystical form of creative nonfiction that critics both admired and misunderstoodFor Annie Dillard, the sonic intensity of poetry was critical to every form of writing she published throughout her life.

aeon.co16 min readA good sceptic has more than doubt and less than certainty | Aeon EssaysCicero’s life and thought are a testament to the idea of probabilia: we should be confident in our beliefs, but never certain

NPR4 min readTo spot a 'Mockingbird': London thrift manager finds rare U.S. literary 1st editionYou never know what you'll unearth in a thrift store. NPR's Scott Simon speaks to Olivia Haysman-Walker about the discovery of a rare first edition of a classic American novel in…

the Guardian5 min readExit Party by Emily St John Mandel review – alternate visions of post-crisis AmericaIs the price of stability necessarily the loss of freedom? Two possible future worlds are linked in the new novel from the author of Station Eleven