Susan Sontag was born in New York City on January 16, 1933, grew up in Tucson, Arizona, and attended high school in Los Angeles. She received her B.A. from the College of the University of Chicago and did graduate work in philosophy, literature, and theology at Harvard University and Saint Anne’s College, Oxford.
Her books, all published by Farrar, Straus &amp; Giroux, including four novels, The Benefactor, Death Kit, The Volcano Lover, and In America; a collection of short stories, I, etcetera; several plays, including Alice in Bed and Lady from the Sea; and nine works of nonfiction, starting with Against Interpretation and including On Photography, Illness as Metaphor, Where the Stress Falls, Regarding the Pain of Others, and At the Same Time. In 1982, FSG published A Susan Sontag Reader.
Ms. Sontag wrote and directed four feature-length films: Duet for Cannibals (1969) and Brother Carl (1971), both in Sweden; Promised Lands (1974), made in Israel during the war of October 1973; and Unguided Tour (1983), from her short story of the same name, made in Italy. Her play Alice in Bed has had productions in the United States, Mexico, Germany, and Holland. Another play, Lady from the Sea, has been produced in Italy, France, Switzerland, Germany, and Korea.
Ms. Sontag also directed plays in the United States and Europe, including a staging of Beckett's Waiting for Godot in the summer of 1993 in besieged Sarajevo, where she spent much of the time between early 1993 and 1996 and was made an honorary citizen of the city.
A human rights activist for more than two decades, Ms. Sontag served from 1987 to 1989 as president of the American Center of PEN, the international writers’ organization dedicated to freedom of expression and the advancement of literature, from which platform she led a number of campaigns on behalf of persecuted and imprisoned writers.
Her stories and essays appeared in newspapers, magazines, and literary publications all over the world, including The New York Times, The New Yorker, The New York Review of Books, The Times Literary Supplement, Art in America, Antaeus, Parnassus, The Threepenny Review, The Nation, and Granta. Her books have been translated into thirty-two languages.
Among Ms. Sontag's many honors are the 2003 Peace Prize of the German Book Trade, the 2003 Prince of Asturias Prize, the 2001 Jerusalem Prize, the National Book Award for In America (2000), and the National Book Critics Circle Award for On Photography (1978). In 1992 she received the Malaparte Prize in Italy, and in 1999 she was named a Commandeur de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government (she had been named an Officier in the same order in 1984). Between 1990 and 1995, she was a MacArthur Fellow. Ms. Sontag died in New York City on December 28, 2004.

Susan

Andrei Arsenyevich Tarkovsky was a Russian filmmaker. Widely considered one of cinema's greatest and most influential directors, his films explore spiritual and metaphysical themes. They are noted for their slow pacing, long takes, dreamlike visual imagery, and preoccupation with nature and memory. Tarkovsky studied film at Moscow's VGIK under filmmaker Mikhail Romm and subsequently directed his first five features in the Soviet Union: Ivan's Childhood (1962), Andrei Rublev (1966), Solaris (1972), Mirror (1975), and Stalker (1979).&nbsp;
Several of his films from this period are ranked among the best films ever made. After years of creative conflict with state film authorities, Tarkovsky left the country in 1979 and made his final two films abroad; Nostalghia (1983) and The Sacrifice (1986) were produced in Italy and Sweden, respectively. In 1986, he also published a book about cinema and art entitled Sculpting in Time. He died later that year of cancer, a condition possibly caused by the toxic locations used in the filming of Stalker.
Tarkovsky was the recipient of several awards at the Cannes Film Festival throughout his career (including the FIPRESCI prize, the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury, and the Grand Prix Spécial du Jury and winner of the Golden Lion award at the Venice Film Festival for his debut film Ivan's Childhood. In 1990, he was posthumously awarded the Soviet Union's prestigious Lenin Prize. Three of his films—Andrei Rublev, Mirror, and Stalker—were featured in Sight &amp; Sound's 2012 poll of the 100 greatest films of all time.
Andrei Tarkovsky was born in the village of Zavrazhye in the Yuryevetsky District of the Ivanovo Industrial Oblast (modern-day Kadyysky District of the Kostroma Oblast, Russia) to the poet and translator Arseny Aleksandrovich Tarkovsky, a native of Yelysavethrad (now Kropyvnytskyi, Ukraine), and Maria Ivanova Vishnyakova, a graduate of the Maxim Gorky Literature Institute who later worked as a proofreader; she was born in Moscow in the Dubasov family estate.
Andrei's paternal grandfather Aleksandr Karlovich Tarkovsky (in Polish: Aleksander Karol Tarkowski), was a Polish nobleman who worked as a bank clerk. His wife, Maria Danilovna Rachkovskaya, was a Romanian language teacher who arrived from Iași. Andrei's maternal grandmother Vera Nikolayevna Vishnyakova (née Dubasova), belonged to an old Dubasov family of the Russian nobility that traces its history back to the 17th century; among her relatives was Admiral Fyodor Dubasov, a fact she had to conceal during the Soviet days.&nbsp;
She was married to Ivan Ivanovich Vishnyakov, a native of the Kaluga Governorate who studied law at the Moscow State University and served as a judge in Kozelsk. According to the family legend, Tarkovsky's ancestors on his father's side were princes from the Shamkhalate of Tarki, Dagestan. However, his sister Marina Tarkovskaya who did detailed research on their genealogy, called it "a myth, even a prank of sorts," stressing that none of the documents confirms this version.

Andrei

Alicia Keys is an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and actress. She was born on January 25, 1981, in Manhattan, New York City, and began playing the piano at the age of seven.
Keys began her music career in the late 1990s and early 2000s, releasing her debut album, "Songs in A Minor," in 2001. The album was a commercial success, selling over 12 million copies worldwide and winning five Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist and Song of the Year for "Fallin'."
In addition to her successful music career, Keys is also known for her activism and philanthropy. She is the co-founder of Keep a Child Alive, an organization that provides medication and healthcare to children and families affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa and India. She is also a member of the board of directors for the Harlem Children's Zone. This non-profit organization provides education and support services to children and families in Harlem, New York.
Keys has also acted in several films, including "The Nanny Diaries" (2007) and "Smokin' Aces" (2006). She also made guest appearances in several TV shows.
Alicia Keys has won numerous awards throughout her career. In addition to the five Grammy Awards she won for her debut album "Songs in A Minor," she has won a total of 15 Grammys, including Best R&amp;B Album for "The Diary of Alicia Keys" (2004) and "As I Am" (2008), and Best R&amp;B Song for "No One" (2008).
She has also won numerous other awards, including multiple BET Awards, MTV Video Music Awards, and American Music Awards. Keys has also been honored with several humanitarian awards for her work with Keep a Child Alive and other charitable organizations.
In addition to her music awards, Keys has received numerous accolades for her activism and philanthropy. She was honored with the "Keep A Child Alive Black Ball Award" in 2007 and was named one of Glamour magazine's "Women of the Year" in 2008.
In 2013, Keys was honored with the "Billboard Women in Music's Powerhouse Award." In 2019 she received an award from the "She Is the Music" organization which works to empower female songwriters, composers, and producers.
It's worth mentioning that her recognition goes beyond the music industry. She has also been honored by various organizations for her philanthropy and activism, such as the "Keep A Child Alive Black Ball Award" in 2007 and the "Harlem School of Arts Visionary Leadership Award" in 2010.
Keys continues to be one of the most successful and respected musicians of her generation and has sold over 65 million records worldwide. She is also known for her powerful and soulful voice, as well as her skillful piano playing. She continues to release albums, tour, and do philanthropic work and activism.

Alicia

Kevin Kelly is a writer, editor, and speaker who has had a diverse career exploring the intersection of technology, culture, and business.
In the early days of the internet, Kelly co-founded Wired magazine in 1993 and served as its Executive Editor until 1999. He helped to shape the magazine's coverage of technology and digital culture, and his writing and editing helped to establish Wired as a leading voice in the field.
After leaving Wired, Kelly continued to write and speak about technology and its impact on society. He has written several books, including "Out of Control: The New Biology of Machines, Social Systems, &amp; the Economic World" and "What Technology Wants," which explore how technology shapes our world and our future.
In recent years, Kelly has been a sought-after speaker and advisor on technology and its impact on society. He has spoken at conferences and events worldwide and advised companies and organizations on navigating the rapidly changing technological landscape. Kelly is also a co-founder of the All Species Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to cataloging and identifying every living species on earth. The Long Now Foundation focuses on long-term thinking and responsibility.
Overall, Kelly's career has been dedicated to understanding how technology shapes our world and helping others understand and navigate those changes.

Kevin

Matsuo Bashō was the most famous poet of the Edo period in Japan. He is today regarded as the master of haiku and one of the greatest poets in the history of Japanese literature. In his own times, Basho was particularly famous for his renga, collaborative poems in which a group of poets would take turns writing linked stanzas; today, however, Basho is known worldwide for his clear, piercing haikus.
Prior to Basho, the haiku form was generally seen as little more than a literary pastime; most haiku were constrained by formal rules and overloaded with allusions to classical literature and contemporary gossip. Basho, drawing on his own studies of Zen Buddhism, revolutionized haiku by crafting poems that focused on microscopic scenes from everyday life that touched upon enormous truths. Basho showed how volumes of insight can be compressed into just seventeen syllables. His name and his legacy have virtually become synonymous with the word "haiku" itself, and his influence not only on Japanese literature but on literature the world over is tremendous.

Matsuo

Winston Churchill was a British statesman and politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 and again from 1951 to 1955. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest wartime leaders of the 20th century, leading Britain through its darkest hour during World War II.
Churchill was born in 1874 and was educated at Harrow and Sandhurst. He began his career in the British Army and later transitioned into politics, serving as a Member of Parliament for over 60 years. He held several government positions throughout his career, including as the First Lord of the Admiralty, Minister of Munitions, and Secretary of State for War.
During World War II, Churchill served as Prime Minister and played a key role in leading Britain through the war. He made powerful speeches that rallied the nation and inspired the British people to keep fighting, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. His speeches are widely considered to be some of the greatest in history, with phrases such as "Never give in, never give in, never, never, never" and "We shall fight on the beaches" becoming famous.
One of Churchill's greatest achievements as Prime Minister was his strong alliance with US President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin. Together, they led the Allied powers to victory over Nazi Germany.
After World War II, Churchill served as Prime Minister again from 1951 to 1955 but was defeated in the general election. He remained an active Member of Parliament until 1964 and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1953 for his six-volume memoir of the war. He died in 1965 at the age of 90.
Churchill's legacy continues to this day, with many seeing him as a symbol of leadership, courage, and determination in the face of adversity. He is often ranked as one of the greatest British Prime Ministers, and his speeches are still studied and admired by people all over the world.
Winston Churchill was a prolific writer throughout his life, publishing books on a wide range of subjects. One of his most notable literary achievements is his six-volume memoir, The Second World War, which he wrote during and after the war. The work, which was published between 1948 and 1954, provides a detailed and personal account of the war from Churchill's perspective, including his thoughts and decisions as Prime Minister. The memoirs were international bestsellers and were praised for their historical accuracy and Churchill's literary skill.
In addition to his memoirs, Churchill also wrote several other books throughout his life. Some of his most notable works include:
<ul>
<li>"The World Crisis" (1923-1931): A five-volume work that covers the period of Churchill's life from 1911 to 1928 and includes his thoughts on World War I and its aftermath.</li>
<li>"My Early Life" (1930): An autobiographical work that covers Churchill's childhood and early career.</li>
<li>"A History of the English-Speaking Peoples" (1956-1958): A four-volume work that covers the history of the English-speaking peoples from the Anglo-Saxon period to the end of the 19th century.</li>
<li>"Painting as a Pastime" (1948): A book in which Churchill reflects on his hobby of painting and its therapeutic effects.</li>
</ul>
Churchill's books have been widely read and praised for their historical accuracy and literary merit. They provide valuable insights into the mind of one of the most important figures of the 20th century and continue to be studied and admired today.

Winston

Jocko Willink is an American retired Navy Seal officer, author, podcaster, and public speaker. He is best known for his involvement in the Battle of Ramadi, his success in the Navy SEALs, and his leadership philosophy, which is based on discipline, hard work, and respect for others.
Willink was born in Easton, Pennsylvania, on September 8, 1971. He joined the Navy in 1990 and, after graduating from Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training, was assigned to SEAL Team 3. During his service in the Navy, Willink completed multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan and was eventually assigned to Task Unit Bruiser, the most decorated special operations unit of the Iraq War. During the Battle of Ramadi, Willink and his team helped to clear the city of insurgent forces, and their exemplary performance earned them the Navy Cross.
Willink retired from the Navy in 2010 and soon after began to share his leadership philosophy. He has authored several books, including Extreme Ownership, Leadership Strategy and Tactics, and Way of the Warrior Kid, as well as co-hosting the popular podcast Jocko Podcast.
Willink is also a respected public speaker, giving talks all over the world on topics such as leadership, discipline, and team building. He is a sought-after keynote speaker for both corporate and military events.
Willink is an advocate for physical and mental fitness, often speaking about the importance of proper nutrition and exercise. He also encourages people to push themselves and strive to become the best versions of themselves.
Willink is a highly respected figure in the military and business worlds, and his words have been an inspiration to many. His leadership philosophy is one that emphasizes discipline, hard work, and respect for others, and these values are ones that have served him well throughout his career.

Jocko

Christopher Wolfgang John Alexander (4 October 1936 – 17 March 2022) was an Austrian-born British-American architect and design theorist. He was an emeritus professor at the University of California, Berkeley. His theories about the nature of human-centered design have affected fields beyond architecture, including urban design, software, and sociology. Alexander designed and personally built over 100 buildings, both as an architect and a general contractor.In software, Alexander is regarded as the father of the pattern language movement. The first wiki—the technology behind Wikipedia—led directly from Alexander's work, according to its creator, Ward Cunningham. Alexander's work has also influenced the development of agile software developmChristopher Wolfgang John Alexander (4 October 1936 – 17 March 2022) was an Austrian-born British-American architect and design theorist. He was an emeritus professor at the University of California, Berkeley. His theories about the nature of human-centered design have affected fields beyond architecture, including urban design, software, and sociology. Alexander designed and personally built over 100 buildings, both as an architect and a general contractor.In software, Alexander is regarded as the father of the pattern language movement. The first wiki—the technology behind Wikipedia—led directly from Alexander's work, according to its creator, Ward Cunningham. Alexander's work has also influenced the development of agile software development.In architecture, Alexander's work is used by a number of different contemporary architectural communities of practice, including the New Urbanist movement, to help people to reclaim control over their own built environment. However, Alexander was controversial among some mainstream architects and critics, in part because his work was often harshly critical of much of contemporary architectural theory and practice.

Christopher

David Lynch is a highly acclaimed and influential filmmaker, television director, visual artist, and musician from America. He was born in 1946 in Missoula, Montana, and began his career as a painter, studying at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia. He later transitioned into filmmaking, studying at the American Film Institute in Los Angeles.
Lynch is known for his unique and often surreal style, blending elements of horror, fantasy, and dark comedy in his work. His first feature film, "Eraserhead," was released in 1977 and received critical acclaim for its nightmarish imagery and unconventional narrative. This was followed by the cult classic "The Elephant Man" (1980), which earned Lynch his first Academy Award nomination for Best Director.
Lynch's most famous work is probably "Blue Velvet" (1986), a dark crime thriller that explores the seedy underbelly of small-town America. The film was a commercial and critical success and is considered a masterpiece of modern cinema. He also directed one of the most influential and acclaimed television series of all time, "Twin Peaks" (1990-1991) which was followed by a feature film "Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me" (1992)
In addition to his film and television work, Lynch is also a successful visual artist, with his work being exhibited in galleries and museums around the world. He is also a musician, releasing several albums of experimental electronic music.
David Lynch is a truly unique and visionary filmmaker who has left a lasting impact on the world of cinema. His style is often described as "Lynchian," a term that refers to his use of dreamlike, surreal imagery and non-linear storytelling. He is known for his ability to create a sense of unease and disorientation in his audience, and his films often explore themes of violence, sexuality, and the darker aspects of human nature.
One of Lynch's most notable contributions to the cinema is his use of sound and music. He often collaborates with composer Angelo Badalamenti, who creates haunting and atmospheric scores that perfectly complement Lynch's visuals. Lynch is also known for his use of sound effects, which he often blends together in unexpected ways to create a sense of unease and disorientation.
Lynch's influence can be seen in many contemporary filmmakers, such as David Fincher, Quentin Tarantino, and the Coen Brothers, all of whom have cited Lynch as an inspiration. His work is also highly respected by other filmmakers and artists, such as Lars von Trier, Gaspar Noé, and Stanley Kubrick, to name a few.
In addition to his work in film and television, Lynch is also a highly regarded visual artist, with his work being exhibited in galleries and museums around the world. He has also released several albums of experimental electronic music, and his music often reflects the same sense of unease and disorientation that is present in his films.
Overall, David Lynch is a true artist whose work pushes the boundaries of what is possible in the medium of film and television and continues to inspire and influence filmmakers and audiences alike.

David

Nassim Nicholas Taleb is a Lebanese-American essayist, scholar, statistician, and former trader and risk analyst whose work focuses on problems of randomness, probability, and uncertainty. He is the author of several books, including "The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable," which was published in 2007 and became a bestseller.
Taleb is a former trader and risk analyst and has worked as a professor of risk engineering at New York University's Tandon School of Engineering. He has a background in mathematics, statistics, and computer science and has published numerous papers in academic journals on topics related to randomness and uncertainty.
Taleb's main area of research is the study of "black swans," which he defines as rare events that have a large impact and are typically not predictable. He argues that traditional risk assessment methods, such as using historical data to predict future events, are inadequate because they fail to consider the possibility of black swan events.
Taleb is also known for his criticism of the concept of "normalcy" in statistics and his skepticism of the use of mathematical models in finance and economics. He has argued that the assumptions made in these models are often unrealistic and can lead to dangerous oversimplifications.
In addition to his work in academia, Taleb is also a public intellectual and has written several books for a general audience. His books have been widely discussed and debated in the media and have been translated into multiple languages.
Taleb is a strong advocate for antifragility, a concept he has developed and popularized in his books. Antifragility is the property of a system or entity that improves when subjected to volatility, shocks, stressors, or disorder and doesn't just remain indifferent to them.
Taleb's writing style is often characterized as provocative and contrarian, and he is known for his strong opinions on a wide range of topics. His work has been influential in the fields of economics, finance, and risk management and has also been discussed in the broader cultural and intellectual conversation.

Nassim Nicholas

Mary Ruefle (born 1952) is an American poet, essayist, and professor. She has published many collections of poetry, the most recent of which, Dunce (Wave Books, 2019), was longlisted for the National Book Award in Poetry and was a finalist for the 2020 Pulitzer Prize.
Ruefle's debut collection of prose, The Most Of It, appeared in 2008, and her collected lectures, Madness, Rack, and Honey, were published in August 2012, both published by Wave Books. She has also published a book of erasures, A Little White Shadow (2006).
She has been widely published in magazines and journals, including The American Poetry Review, Verse Daily, The Believer, Harper's Magazine, and The Kenyon Review, and in such anthologies as Best American Poetry, Great American Prose Poems (2003), American Alphabets: 25 Contemporary Poets (2006), and The Next American Essay (2002).
The daughter of a military officer, Ruefle, was born in McKeesport, Pennsylvania in 1952 but spent her early years traveling around the U.S. and Europe. She graduated from Bennington College in 1974 with a degree in Literature. She currently teaches at the Vermont College of Fine Arts. In 2011, she served as the prestigious Bedell Distinguished Visiting Professor at the University of Iowa's Nonfiction Writing Program. In 2019, she was named poet laureate of the state of Vermont.

Mary

Ryan Holiday is an American author, marketer, media strategist, and entrepreneur. He is the author of several bestselling books, including his most recent, Perennial Seller, as well as popular titles such as The Obstacle Is the Way, Ego Is the Enemy, Conspiracy, and Growth Hacker Marketing. Holiday has written for the New York Times, Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, and other publications. He has also been featured in Time, The New Yorker, and The Washington Post.
Holiday is the founder of Brass Check, a creative consulting agency that specializes in marketing, media strategy, and creative consulting. He has worked with some of the world’s most successful authors, entrepreneurs, and public figures, including Tony Robbins, Tim Ferriss, Robert Greene, and Tucker Max. His clients also include media companies such as VICE, MTV, and Complex. He has also served as a consultant to brands such as American Apparel, Google, and Gillette.
As an author, Holiday has written nine books, three of which have become New York Times bestsellers. His books focus on topics such as personal and professional development, marketing, and media strategy. His most recent book, Perennial Seller, is a guide to creating and sustaining success in business, publishing, and life.
As a media strategist and consultant, Holiday has helped launch and reinvigorate several brands and campaigns. His work spans from creating marketing campaigns for startups and Fortune 500 companies to working as a creative consultant for media companies and major brands.
Holiday's work has been featured in major publications, including the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, and The Washington Post. He has also appeared on television shows such as the Colbert Report, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, The Today Show, and podcasts such as the Tim Ferriss Show and the Joe Rogan Experience.&nbsp;
In addition to his work as an author, media strategist, and consultant, Holiday is a frequent public speaker. He has been a keynote speaker at events such as SXSW, the World Business Forum, and the Inc. 5000 Conference. He also teaches marketing and media strategy classes at the University of California, Berkeley.
Holiday is passionate about helping others achieve their goals and dreams. He has created several online courses and resources to help entrepreneurs, creatives, and marketers better understand the media landscape, marketing, and creative strategies. He also serves as the Managing Director of the media startup, Contently and is an adviser to several startups and companies. He is also a mentor to many aspiring entrepreneurs and creators.

Ryan

Sam Harris is an American neuroscientist, philosopher, and author. He is the founder and CEO of Project Reason, a non-profit organization that promotes science and secularism. Harris is known for his critiques of religious faith and his promotion of scientific rationality and secular humanism. He has written several books, including "The End of Faith," "Letter to a Christian Nation," "The Moral Landscape," "Free Will," and "Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion." Harris is also a frequent speaker and commentator on neuroscience, philosophy, and religion issues.
Sam Harris hosts a podcast called "Making Sense," produced by his non-profit organization, Project Reason. The podcast features Harris having in-depth conversations with various guests, including scientists, scholars, authors, and other public figures. Topics of discussion on the podcast include science, philosophy, politics, and current events. The podcast is released weekly, and episodes can be found on various platforms such as iTunes, Spotify, and YouTube. The podcast has been running since 2013 and has been well-received by listeners for its in-depth and thought-provoking conversations.
Harris has written extensively on neuroscience and its implications for understanding the nature of consciousness, free will, and morality. In addition, he is known for his work on the neural basis of belief and emotion and his critiques of traditional religious and spiritual beliefs.
Project Reason is a non-profit organization that promotes scientific understanding and critical thinking on issues related to religion, morality, and politics. It provides a forum for open and rational discussion of these topics and works to combat the influence of dogmatism and superstition in public life. Some of the activities of Project Reason include public lectures, debates, discussions with experts in various fields, and the production of multimedia content such as podcasts, videos, and articles. Harris' organization also provides educational resources and materials for educators and students.

Steven Pinker is an internationally renowned experimental psychologist, cognitive scientist, and popular science writer. He is a professor at Harvard University, where he has taught since 2003. He is the author of several books, including The Language Instinct, How the Mind Works, and The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined.
Pinker's research focuses on language and cognition, and he is the chair of the Usage Panel of the American Heritage Dictionary. He is also a contributing editor for The New Republic, and he is a frequent commentator on popular science topics in newspapers and magazines.
Pinker was born in Montreal, Canada, in 1954. He received his B.A. from McGill University in 1976 and his Ph.D. in psychology from Harvard University in 1979. He has received numerous awards and honors, including the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction in 2018 for his book, The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined.
Pinker's research has been highly influential in the fields of linguistics, cognitive science, and evolutionary psychology. He has written extensively on the evolution of language, the nature of the mind, and the power of reason. He has also written on the topics of human intelligence, morality, beauty, and violence.
Pinker has argued that evolutionary forces largely shape human intelligence and that the human mind is a complex set of mental modules. He has also argued that reason can be used to solve moral dilemmas and that violence has declined over time due to the spread of reason.
Pinker's work has been widely praised by academics and intellectuals, and he has been described as one of the leading public intellectuals of our time. His books have been translated into dozens of languages, and they have sold millions of copies. He has appeared on numerous television shows and has been the subject of multiple documentaries.
In addition to his academic and popular writing, Pinker is also an active public speaker. He frequently lectures on scientific topics and has appeared as a guest on talk shows and news programs. He has been featured in numerous films, including the documentary film The Edge of Reason, which was nominated for an Academy Award in 2016.
Pinker is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He is also a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and the American Philosophical Society. He has been awarded numerous honorary degrees, including doctorates from the Universities of Toronto, Harvard, and Oxford.

Steven

Artist, writer, and teacher J. Ruth Gendler are committed to the transformational potential of the arts. Her experience with the rhythms of creativity is evidenced by her diverse background in art, writing, publishing, teaching, and lecturing. Her first published piece (when she was 8) described how she wanted to go to the Louvre and see the paintings. This was followed the next year by three poems about color. She has been interested in the intersection of art and writing, language and vision ever since then.
Gendler is the author of The Book of Qualities and the editor of Changing Light: The Eternal Cycle of Night and Day. The Book of Qualities, now in its 40th printing, has been adapted as a two-act theater piece and translated into German, Japanese, and Chinese, as well as being widely excerpted in literary, psychological, and educational publications. In addition to personal essays and poems, Gendler writes about the arts, education, health, and books. Her artwork has been exhibited nationally.
Gendler has taught writing and art in a variety of settings for twenty years. She has been an artist in residence with both California Poets in the Schools and Young Audiences of the Bay Area and leads writing and creativity workshops nationally. Born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, Gendler received her B.A. in English and Communications from Stanford University.

Ralph Waldo Emerson—a New England preacher, essayist, lecturer, poet, and philosopher—was one of the most influential writers and thinkers of the 19th century in the United States. Emerson was also the first major American literary and intellectual figure to widely explore, write seriously about, and seek to broaden the domestic audience for classical Asian and Middle Eastern works.&nbsp;
He not only gave countless readers their first exposure to non-Western modes of thinking, metaphysical concepts, and sacred mythologies, but he also shaped the way subsequent generations of American writers and thinkers approached the vast cultural resources of Asia and the Middle East. Emerson was born on May 25, 1803, in Boston, Massachusetts.&nbsp;
As a boy, his first contact with the non-Western world came by way of the merchandise that bustled across the India Wharf in Boston harbor, a major nexus of the Indo-Chinese trade that flourished in New England after the Revolutionary War. Emerson’s first contact with writings from and about the non-Western world came by way of his father, William Emerson, a Unitarian minister with a genteel interest in learning and letters.
In 1817, at the age of 14, Emerson entered Harvard College. While at Harvard, Emerson had little opportunity to study the diverse literary and religious traditions of Asia or the Middle East. The curriculum focused on Greek and Roman writers, British logicians and philosophers, Euclidean geometry and algebra, and post-Enlightenment defenses of revealed religion.&nbsp;
As his journals and library borrowing records attest, however, in his spare time, Emerson paid keen attention to the wider European Romantic interest in the “Orient” or the “East,” which to him meant the ancient lands and sacred traditions east of classical Greece, such as Egypt, the Arabian Peninsula, Persia, China, and India. An aspiring poet, Emerson also gravitated to selections of poetry that took up Eastern themes and Eastern poetry, including the works of Saadi and Hafez, which he would embrace in adulthood.

Ralph

Robert

A classic work of advice, criticism, and inspiration for aspiring artists and lovers of art. Art when really understood is the province of every human being.  So begins The Art Spirit, the collected words, teachings, and wisdom of innovative artist and beloved teacher Robert Henri.  Henri, who painted in the Realist style and was a founding member of the Ashcan School, was known for his belief in interactive nature of creativity and inspiration, and the enduring power of art.  Since its first publication in 1923, The Art Spirit, has been a source of inspiration for artists and creatives from David Lynch to George Bellows.  Filled with valuable technical advice as well as wisdom about the place of art and the artist in American society, this classic work continues to be a must-read for anyone interested in the power of creation and the beauty of art. 

Jack Dorsey is an American entrepreneur and business leader. He was the CEO of Twitter, a social media platform that he co-founded in 2006. He is currently the CEO of Square, a financial services company that he founded in 2009.
Dorsey was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1976 and grew up in the suburb of St. Charles. He was interested in technology from a young age and taught himself how to code when he was just 14 years old. After graduating from high school, he attended the Missouri University of Science and Technology but dropped out after two years to pursue his entrepreneurial ambitions.
In 2000, Dorsey co-founded a company called Odeo, which was an early pioneer in podcasting. However, the company struggled to find success and eventually pivoted to become Twitter. Dorsey served as the CEO of Twitter from its founding until 2008 when the board of directors ousted him. He returned to the company as CEO in 2015 and was CEO until 2021.
Under Dorsey's leadership, Twitter became one of the most influential social media platforms in the world, with over 330 million monthly active users. Individuals use the platform, businesses, and organizations to share information, news, and opinions in real time. Dorsey also oversaw the launch of several new features on the platform, including live video streaming and Moments, which curates tweets around a specific topic or event.
In addition to his role at Square, Dorsey is also known for his commitment to philanthropy and social causes. He has donated millions of dollars to organizations that support education, technology, and the arts. In addition, he has also been a vocal advocate for issues such as net neutrality and digital privacy.
Overall, Jack Dorsey is a highly accomplished entrepreneur and business leader who has played a key role in shaping the social media and financial services industries. He has demonstrated a unique ability to create and grow successful companies, as well as a strong commitment to making a positive impact on the world.

Jack

Ron Conway is a venture capitalist and angel investor. He is known for his early investments in companies such as Google, PayPal, and Twitter. He is the founder of the venture capital firm Angel Investors LP and SV Angel, a seed-stage venture capital fund. He has been active in the technology industry for over 40 years and is considered one of the early pioneers of Angel Investing.
Ron Conway is a well-known figure in Silicon Valley, known for his early investments in technology startups and his role as a mentor to many successful entrepreneurs. He is considered one of the "super angels" of Silicon Valley, a group of high-profile angel investors who have made significant investments in startups.
He is also a board member of the Tipping Point Community, a nonprofit organization that aims to fight poverty in the Bay Area. He is also an active member of the Silicon Valley startup ecosystem and has been involved in many successful technology companies.
Ron Conway is known for his philanthropy and support of various charitable causes in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. He and his wife, Gayle, established the Conway Family Fund, which supports different philanthropic causes, including education, health, human services, and the arts.
He is also involved in several nonprofits and charitable organizations, including serving on the board of the Tipping Point Community, a nonprofit organization that aims to fight poverty in the Bay Area, and the San Francisco General Hospital Foundation. He also supports the San Francisco Public Education Fund, which works to improve public education in the city, and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. He is also an active member of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation and TechNet.
In addition to financial contributions, Conway is known for his mentorship and support of young entrepreneurs and startups through various incubation programs, accelerators, and other initiatives. He is also known for supporting different political causes and candidates, including support of progressive policies and candidates in the San Francisco Bay Area.
He is also a board member of the Tipping Point Community, a nonprofit organization that aims to fight poverty in the Bay Area. He is also an active member of the Silicon Valley startup ecosystem and has been involved in many successful technology companies.

George Bellows

Edward Hopper

Rockwell Kent

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In The Art Spirit, Robert Henri emphasizes that art is a deeply personal expression of the artist's experiences and emotions. He encourages artists to explore their own feelings and perspectives, rather than trying to replicate someone else's style or ideas.

Art is a Personal Expression

Henri believes that observation is a crucial skill for any artist. He suggests that artists should take the time to really see and understand the world around them. This could mean studying the way light falls on a subject, or noticing the subtle changes in color in a landscape.

The Importance of Observation

The Art Spirit is not just a book about painting or drawing, it's about the lifelong journey of becoming an artist. Henri encourages readers to embrace the process of learning and growing, and to find joy in the journey, not just the end result.

Art as a Lifelong Journey

Henri discusses the role of criticism in an artist's life. He believes that while constructive criticism can be helpful, artists should not let it define their work. Instead, he suggests that artists should trust their own instincts and stay true to their vision.

The Role of Criticism

In The Art Spirit, Henri also explores the relationship between art and society. He argues that art has the power to influence and shape society, and that artists have a responsibility to use their work to communicate important ideas and messages.

Art and Society

The Art Spirit

Robert Henri was an American painter known for using lively brushstrokes and simplified forms. Henri’s preoccupation with Édouard Manet and his depictions of urban life was influential to the young Ashcan School painters John Sloan and George Bellows. “Art is the giving by each man of his evidence to the world. Those who wish to give, love to give, discover the pleasure of giving,” he once explained.&nbsp;
Born Robert Henry Cozad on June 25, 1865, in Cincinnati, OH, the artist changed his name around 1882 in order to dissociate himself from his father, who had recently killed a man. Henri went on to study at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia before continuing his education at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris.&nbsp;
Returning to Philadelphia in 1891, Henri befriended the younger painters Sloan and Bellows, who were working as newspaper illustrators then. As the artist began teaching a younger generation of painters, first in Philadelphia and then at the Art Students League in New York, he became increasingly interested in pedagogical techniques.&nbsp;
He later published the seminal book The Art Spirit in 1923. During his time teaching, he had a number of students that went on to become successful in their own right, including Stuart Davis, Edward Hopper, and Yasuo Kuniyoshi. Henri spent much of the latter part of his career traveling and painting in New Mexico and Ireland.&nbsp;
The artist died in New York, NY, on July 12, 1929. Today, his works are held in the collections of the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, the Tate Gallery in London, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, among others.

Discover the Best Books Written by Robert Henri

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The Art Spirit

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