30-Second Read

‘Are You Sure?’

My record in fixing cars without additional time, difficulty and expense is abysmal. Would my latest caper be any different?

Jeff Gauger November 4, 2026

Azeem Azhar’s Exponential View. Long, deep discussions about technology’s impact on business and society. Spotify Apple

Death, Sex & Money addresses the three topics we’re most uncomfortable talking about. Spotify Apple

Decoder Ring explores cultural questions, objects or habits to figure out what they mean and why they matter. From Slate magazine. Spotify Apple

Grammar Girl offers helpful and fun information about grammar and words in usually under 20 minutes. They’re perfect for your drive home from work. Spotify Apple YouTube

History Extra Podcast. Produced by BBC History Magazine. Interviews with historians. Multiple episodes each week. Spotify Apple

History Unplugged. Produced by historian Scott Rank with more than 400 episodes. Spotify Apple

The Next Big Idea. About books and ideas in the social sciences. Spotify Apple

Hard Fork. Smart, witty, informative conversation and interviews about tech. Spotify Apple YouTube

Mental Oddities

Mental Oddities

By Thomas Gunning on November 2, 2026

Our minds deceive us, or we permit them to. Here are two harmless examples.

Delete and Repeat

Delete and Repeat

By Jeff Gauger on October 30, 2026

Trouble Came Calling

Trouble Came Calling

By Jeff Gauger on October 28, 2026

Faltering Prospects

Faltering Prospects

By Thomas Gunning on October 26, 2026

Turds on a Putting Green

Turds on a Putting Green

By Jeff Gauger on October 23, 2026

I Am Not an Idiot!

I Am Not an Idiot!

By Jeff Gauger on October 21, 2026

Near Misses

Near Misses

By Thomas Gunning on October 19, 2026

Slurp. Guzzle. Gulp.

Slurp. Guzzle. Gulp.

By Jeff Gauger on October 15, 2026

It’s All True. A Clown Said So

It’s All True. A Clown Said So

By Jeff Gauger on October 12, 2026

Bobby Bob Bobbleblob

Bobby Bob Bobbleblob

By Jeff Gauger on October 8, 2026

What Grandpa Surely Knew

What Grandpa Surely Knew

By Jeff Gauger on October 5, 2026

Bored to Jeers

Bored to Jeers

By Thomas Gunning on October 3, 2026

Write Like Google Maps?

Write Like Google Maps?

By Jeff Gauger on October 1, 2026

More craft than art: “11tips to improve your writing,” from 30-Second Read. With both text and video.

Your first editor: “How to Edit Your Own Writing,” by Harry Guinness for The New York Times.

Word nerd delight: Jeremy Butterfield’s deep, rich, smart blog about grammar, word use, word histories, confusing words, more. Loads of fun word arcana.

Ellen is at the Grammar Table: Bluesky account devoted to grammar questions and philosophy. Author of the book “Rebel Without a Clause.”

Grammar Girl, a podcast, offers helpful and fun information about grammar and words in usually under 20 minutes. They’re perfect for your drive home from work. Spotify Apple YouTube

How to fix bad sentences: Confused by dangling modifiers? Stumped by passive voice? Author June Casagrande offers precise advice.

Role model: “What I learned about writing from reading Greta Thunberg’s speech to the U.N.,” by Roy Peter Clark for the Poynter Institute.

Writing tips: From Lexico.com, the Oxford Dictionary web site, for writing letters, speeches, job applications, more.

The hardest part of writing . . .: Advice for starting, delivered in cartoons by Grant Snider in The New York Times.

Priceless lessons: A sixth-grade English teacher offered advice about writing and life that Catherine Rampell remembers still. Practical and inspirational.

Apostrophe Protection Society. It’s for real, and it’s both serious and fun. Based in the United Kingdom.