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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

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

Posts published in “Reflections”

The news from 2023 that wasn’t

The news from 2023 that wasn’t

By Jeff Gauger on December 31, 2023

To close 2023, staffers at 30-Second Read offer the impossible: news stories about events that didn't occur. Call it wishful thinking.

Can’t we be nice to each other?

Can’t we be nice to each other?

By George Cranford on December 28, 2023

A Christmas wish

A Christmas wish

By Jeff Gauger on December 25, 2023

Memories for Christmas

Memories for Christmas

By Jeff Gauger on December 24, 2023

Flannel is the language of fall

Flannel is the language of fall

By Jeff Gauger on November 26, 2023

If we valued every person

If we valued every person

By Jeff Gauger on November 16, 2023

‘Red in tooth and claw’

‘Red in tooth and claw’

By Thomas Gunning on November 12, 2023

‘You’ll do the eulogy’

‘You’ll do the eulogy’

By Jeff Gauger on November 10, 2023

The real killer

The real killer

By Jeff Gauger on October 28, 2023

A Rice Krispie-sized triumph

A Rice Krispie-sized triumph

By Jeff Gauger on October 7, 2023

Caresses of remembrance

Caresses of remembrance

By Jeff Gauger on September 16, 2023

Neighbor, stranger, friend

Neighbor, stranger, friend

By Jeff Gauger on August 6, 2023

A most perfect imperfection

A most perfect imperfection

By Sue Lincoln on July 19, 2023

More craft than art: “11 tips 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.

The best writing advice I ever got and a few pieces of my own: Pithy and spot-on tips from long-time scribbler Daniel Finney at his website, The Paragraph Stacker.

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: Twitter account devoted to grammar questions and philosophy. Daily quizzes.

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.