Gavril Nikolaev 
“The woods are lovely, dark and deep, / But I have promises to keep,” Robert Frost wrote while contemplating the power of perseverance. The author of “War and Peace” and one of the greatest international writers, Leo Tolstoy (September 9, 1828-November 20, 1920), complements these lines with a much-needed practical advice, included in his timeless … Read more
. Recent news headlines reminded me of a study suggesting that up to 21% of CEOs may be psychopaths. The disturbing statistic comes from research by Katarina Fritzon, a professor at Australia’s Bond University, and her then-graduate student, Nathan Brooks. Their 2016 paper, “Psychopathic personality characteristics amongst high functioning populations,” published in Crime Psychology Review, … Read more
. “The Elements of Style,” hailed by many as “the most important and timeless book on writing,” argues that good writing rests on three principles: purity, perspicuity, and precision. George Orwell (June 25, 1903–January 21, 1950) echoed this belief. In his altogether indispensable “Politics and the English Language,” he writes: “Political language — and with … Read more
. “Forgive them; for they know not what they do,” Jesus is said to have said. In other words, they’re unconscious. But should you always forgive unconscious behavior of other people? I’m an optimist, but I don’t believe in blind optimism. I’m very much interested in optimism that is hard won. As a consequence, I … Read more