The hottest Biographies Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Friday Curiosity Links

Grist Potentia • 0 implied HN points • 26 Jan 24
đź’ľ History Biographies
  1. French jazz violinist Stephane Grappelli founded the first all-string jazz band with Django Reinhardt in 1934.
  2. There are new architecture wars happening.
  3. Simple cells can solve problems without needing a brain.

Thursday Curiosity Links

Grist Potentia • 0 implied HN points • 25 Jan 24
đź’ľ History Biographies
  1. William Somerset Maugham was a renowned English writer known for his plays, novels, and short stories.
  2. Homegrown food has a carbon footprint five times greater than conventionally grown food.
  3. An illustrated guide explores post-Orwellian censorship.

The Wonder of Tech

Danielle Newnham • 0 implied HN points • 18 Oct 24
đź•ą Technology Biographies
  1. David Senra, the host of Founders podcast, shares inspiring stories from the lives of famous founders. His personal journey shows how reading helped him find role models.
  2. Design goes beyond just making things look good; it's also about how they function. Good design is all about the user experience.
  3. Malcolm Gladwell's new book revisits social contagions and their impacts on society, exploring themes from his previous work, The Tipping Point.

Sometimes the Mystery is that there is no Mystery

TOP SECRET UMBRA • 0 implied HN points • 11 Oct 24
đź’ľ History Biographies
  1. Sometimes the truth about events, like Amelia Earhart's disappearance, is less exciting than the myths that surround them. Earhart wasn't a perfect pilot and made mistakes that led to her tragic fate.
  2. Earhart was a famous figure but her overconfidence in flying and navigation skills contributed to her disappearance. Her ventures sometimes went beyond her abilities.
  3. There's a fascination with Amelia Earhart that continues decades after her disappearance, highlighting how people are drawn to both her achievements and the mystery surrounding her story.

December 7, -43: 2067 Years Ago Roman Politics Had a Very Sharp Edge Indeed

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 0 implied HN points • 07 Dec 25
đź’ľ History Biographies
  1. Cicero was killed on December 7, 43 BC by soldiers acting for the Second Triumvirate, a violent outcome of the post‑Caesar power struggles.
  2. The phrase "adolescentem laudandum, ornandum, tollendum" is rhetorically powerful and ambiguous; its gerundive form signals necessity and can mean praise, honor, and—crucially—removal, hinting at sanctioned violence.
  3. Octavian played a double game in the aftermath of Caesar's death—borrowing, shifting alliances, and ultimately joining Antony and Lepidus to form the Triumvirate—which helped bring about Cicero's downfall.
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