Here are some articles I read this week that I particularly liked.
Lessons from history 100 years after the Armistice:
The first world war happened because a generation of Victorian leaders took for granted the stable order that had prevailed in most of Europe for decades. They should have read their history books. Yet the war was also a tale of forces beyond the power of any leader, however well-read; of nations and continents not as trains on history’s railway lines, run by drivers and switchmen, but as rafts tossed about on history’s ocean, dipping at most an occasional oar into the waves. Fate was the real grand homme of the “Great War”.
What I Learned About Life At My 30th College Reunion:
No matter what my classmates grew up to be—a congressman, like Jim Himes; a Tony Award–winning director, like Diane Paulus; an astronaut, like Stephanie Wilson—at the end of the day, most of our conversations at the various parties and panel discussions throughout the weekend centered on a desire for love, comfort, intellectual stimulation, decent leaders, a sustainable environment, friendship, and stability.
I think curiosity might be one of the biggest factors of all for a good writer. Good writers like to explore. Good writers like to poke and prod an issue. Good writers like to break down complex ideas into simple chunks.
Have a good week.