Archive - The Common Reader

An economist asks: What is the value of reading great literature like Eliot and Tolstoy?

Joy Buchanan's Thoughts

2 hrs ago • Henry Oliver and Joy Buchanan

What should Tyler Cowen ask me?

I'm going on his podcast

Jan 3 • Henry Oliver

Ten reasons to read great literature in 2026

A reading manifesto

Jan 1 • Henry Oliver

December 2025

Year in review, 2025

Another good year

Dec 28, 2025 • Henry Oliver

What do we owe each other once we become different sorts of people?

Moral philosophy in On the Calculation of Volume

Dec 26, 2025 • Henry Oliver

No paywall, anywhere

Merry Christmas

Dec 23, 2025 • Henry Oliver

High performers are late bloomers

A large new study in Science

Dec 22, 2025 • Henry Oliver

The books I enjoyed most this year, 2025.

In no special order and not necessarily published recently.

Dec 19, 2025 • Henry Oliver

Kiran Desai: catching a glimpse in the forest

The Loneliness of Sunny and Sonia

Dec 18, 2025 • Henry Oliver

Cat, Soutine, Feeling, Happiness, Conservative, Enigma

Some recent reading

Dec 17, 2025 • Henry Oliver

John Carey: the Common Reader’s Professor

The affectionate obsession of a great critic

Dec 15, 2025 • Henry Oliver

Cymbeline book club

SUNDAY 7 p.m. UK time, 2 p.m. Eastern

Dec 14, 2025 • Henry Oliver

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