Kevin Fennell, Aesthetic Realism associate, and rock and roll critic, says: Reading this poem by Eli Siegel for the first time, I was amazed. I thought, “Someone is describing the very despair that I felt and never could have put into words—describing it with such style, depth and humor!” This poem made me feel I… Read more

Nancy Huntting, Aesthetic Realism consultant, writes: What makes reading a novel valuable? Does a good novel have something we as people want—for our own lives? The answer to these questions, and to one of the most important questions every person has, is in “What Is Meaning—in Art & Our Lives?,” the great new issue of The… Read more

Devorah Tarrow, Aesthetic Realism consultant, writes, The July 14th Understanding Marriage! class will explain—and answer—a question facing wives to today: “Married & Free: Can a Woman Be Both?” The class will take place from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM. Open to all women, this dynamic, practical event is conducted by Aesthetic Realism consultants Barbara Allen,… Read more

Leila Rosen, Aesthetic Realism associate, writes about this upcoming Public Seminar: Men and women alike have felt ashamed of being uncaring, too cold to the feelings of others. They’ve also felt they could be “warm” in ways that were inaccurate, that didn’t seem logical to them. Meanwhile, they’ve had a fear—a fear they haven’t understood—of… Read more

Steven Weiner, Computer Specialist and Aesthetic Realism associate, writes: Why people through the centuries have cared so much for novels is truly explained—as it has never been before—in “What the Novel Is—& Why It Matters.” Did you know that the technique of a good novel gives us hope for our own lives? Learn why in… Read more

Michael Palmer, Aesthetic Realism associate, writes: In his 1953 essay “Art as, Yes, Humility,” Eli Siegel explains something that people have ached to know: how to be genuinely proud of our lives. I once felt that to be proud, I had to impress people with a prestigious job in which I made a lot of… Read more

Jeffrey Carduner, Aesthetic Realism consultant, writes: You are going to love reading “Brightness—in the World & Our Thoughts”! You’ll find out about the turmoil in all of us—and in an immensely important writer, Shelley—between thoughts that are dark and other thoughts that are bright. You’ll meet Eli Siegel’s thrilling, deep comprehension of people, and of… Read more

Lauren Phillips, NYC middle school teacher, writes: The poem “Twenty-one Distichs about Children,” by Eli Siegel, expresses the feelings of a child—and also the meaning of a child—with beautiful respect and depth. I’m grateful for it, as both a mother and educator. When my son was younger, these musical couplets helped me understand him and… Read more

Leila Rosen, Aesthetic Realism associate, writes about this upcoming Public Seminar: How much people feel unexpressed and long to express themselves, yet don’t know what that would mean. And how often people also feel that they “expressed” themselves in a way they’re ashamed of, that they blundered again–but don’t understand why. Aesthetic Realism explains this… Read more

Nancy Huntting, Aesthetic Realism consultant, writes: Two of our largest desires—for love and for knowledge—are understood mightily in “What Is Brightness? or, Justice to Words & Reality.” There, too, we can have the big experience of reading Eli Siegel’s great translation and explanation of an important poem by Charles Baudelaire—and the experience of feeling this… Read more