The Marginalian

Explore the depths of meaning with The Marginalian, your free Sunday digest of the week's most mind-broadening and heart-lifting reflections. Covering art, science, poetry, philosophy, and more, The Marginalian connects you to the quest for truth, beauty, and creative vitality.

Founded by Maria Popova in 2006 as Brain Pickings, The Marginalian is a one-woman labor of love included in the Library of Congress' permanent web archive. Each week, Maria shares her reading and reflections, exploring our search for meaning through science, philosophy, poetry, and children's books, always through the lens of wonder.

Maria is also the creator of The Universe in Verse and the author of Figuring and The Snail with the Right Heart. Her eight-year labor, A Velocity of Being: Letters to a Young Reader, showcases her dedication to literature and learning. Her past contributions include work for The New York Times, Wired, and The Atlantic.

The Marginalian remains free and ad-free, supported solely by readers' patronage. Dive into this rich tapestry of reflections and join a community of seekers exploring the question: What is all this? If you are new here, welcome!