For many years I wrote about fiction, story, belief, ordinary life, and the questions that shaped my work. More than two thousand essays remain here—not because every one represents my current thinking, but because together they tell the story of a writer learning over time.
Search for a subject, browse by month and year, or begin with the most recent writing below.
Search the Library
Browse by Month
Browse by Topic
Browse the Shelves
The archive begins with the most recent writing. Use the numbered pages below to move backward through time.
05/20/23 Biking & Listening
Biking is something else I both love and hate. It takes a lot of effort but does provide good exercise and most days over an hour to listen…
Creation Stories of the Ancient World (Part 2): An Ancient Egyptian Account
Here’s the link. May 11, 2023 Was the account of creation found in Genesis comparable to (or even borrowed from?) other ancient accounts in scattered throughout the world…
Happy Birthday, Brain Pickings: 7 Things I Learned in 7 Years of Reading, Writing, and Living
Here’s the link to this essay. Reflections on how to keep the center solid as you continue to evolve. BY MARIA POPOVA UPDATE: The fine folks of Holstee have…
Creation Stories of the Ancient World (Part 1): On Enuma Elish and Genesis 1 Guest Post by Joseph Lam
Here’s the link. March 16, 2023 My colleague Joseph Lam is an expert on the languages and texts of the Ancient Near East, including the Hebrew Bible. In…
Here’s the link to this essay. “There is no exercise that is either feeble or more strenuous … than that of conversing with one’s own thoughts.” BY MARIA…
Richard L. Fricks 