The stereotypical obituary is a formulaic recitation of facts — dry, boring, and without craft. But Margalit Fox has shown the genre can produce some of the most memorable and moving stories in journalism. Exploiting its “pure narrative arc,” Fox has penned over 1,200 obituaries, covering well-known and obscure subjects with equal aplomb.
In her conversation with Tyler Cowen, Fox reveals not only the process for writing an obituary, but her thoughts on life, death, storytelling, puzzle-solving, her favorite cellist, and how it came to be that an economist sang opera 86 times at the Met.
Philip Ball on the Interplay of Science, Society, and the Quest for Understanding
Nate Silver on Risk-takers, Politicians, and Poker Players
Paul Bloom on the Psychology of Children, and the Morality of Empathy and Disgust
Alan Taylor on Revolutionary Ironies and the Continental Civil War
Brian Winter on Brazil, Argentina, and the Future of Latin America
Joseph Stiglitz on Pioneering Economic Theories, Policy Challenges, and His Intellectual Legacy
Velina Tchakarova on China, Russia, and the Future of Geopolitics
Michael Nielsen on Collaboration, Quantum Computing, and Civilization's Fragility
Benjamin Moser on the Dutch Masters, Brazil, and Cultural Icons
Coleman Hughes on Colorblindness, Jazz, and Identity
Peter Thiel on Political Theology
Jonathan Haidt on Adjusting to Smartphones and Social Media
Fareed Zakaria on the Age of Revolutions, the Power of Ideas, and the Rewards of Intellectual Curiosity
Marilynne Robinson on Biblical Interpretation, Calvinist Thought, and Religion in America
Marc Andreessen on AI and Dynamism
Marc Rowan on Financial Market Evolution and University Governance
Masaaki Suzuki on Interpreting Bach
Ami Vitale on Photojournalism and Wildlife Conservation
Rebecca F. Kuang on National Literatures, Book Publishing, and History in Fiction
Patrick McKenzie on Navigating Complex Systems
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