Take Harriet Hosmer (1830-1908), a remarkable sculptor who attended medical school for a better grasp on anatomy and chemistry to aid her in her craft, while helping break barriers for women in both the sciences and the arts. The focus is one female trailblazer after another. “So much of the beauty, so much of what propels our pursuit of truth, stems from the invisible connections – between ideas, between disciplines, between the denizens of a particular time and a particular place, between the interior world of each pioneer and the mark they leave on the cave walls of culture, between faint figures who pass each other in the nocturne before the torchlight of a revolution lights the new day, with little more than a half-nod of kinship and a match to change hands”(5).Īlthough Popova does lead off with a man, German science-great, Johannes Kepler, and mentions many others men throughout the book, refreshingly, they are not the focus.

Here’s one such passage, of which there are hundreds: For although the biographical sketches do strike one chord of awe after another, it’s Popova’s words and thoughts, the way she splits things wide open and poetically presents what we’re quite sure we already know, but have either forgotten or never quite had the words for. While reading, I’d often shake my head and exclaim, “I never knew that!” and “I hadn’t thought of that!” These comments were directed to Popova, not necessarily the figures whose lives she was illuminating. William Shakespeare’s notable line, “All of life is a stage” never felt more apropos, but instead of being, as he continues, “merely players,” Popova presents one larger-than-life figure after another.Īs the main characters appear, you discover who they are, their life trajectories, their contributions and connection to everything and everyone else.

Once released, Maria Popova’s Figuring, all 545 pages, became my coffee companion for many mornings, ones that were like securing a velvet, front row seat at the theater awaiting the live performance on stage. If it was anything like her blog posts, I was more than interested. When Popova started mentioning her upcoming book, I was intrigued. Where I used to await the Sunday Boston Globe or New York Times, I now open my email and devour Brain Pickings as I sip my Sunday coffee. Sunday mornings have not been the same since.

These new year’s intentions will be a pleasure to keep! Happy New Year to all!Īn acquaintance told me about Brain Pickings, a weekly newsletter posted by Maria Popova. If you enjoy these weekly posts, you’ll want to read her book, Figuring. As you prepare for the new year, consider subscribing to Maria Popova’s weekly blog, Brain Pickings.

Maria popova figuring