Benjamin McEvoy

Essays on writing, reading, and life

First Read Impressions of Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables

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I’ve finally embarked upon reading the Sistine Chapel of literature. Or rather, I should say, the Notre Dame. I am reading Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables (1862), and herein lie my thoughts. I am already in awe, so I have decided to do what I should have done with Anna Karenina. Tolstoy’s masterpiece was my lockdown […]

An Oxford Student Reviews Mindvalley’s Super Brain with Jim Kwik

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I’ve been interested in Mind Valley for a while as I’ve seen a ton of their adverts. Particularly interested in Jim Kwik’s Super Reading and Super Brain Courses, but after getting complete access to the site, there are tons more video courses that I can’t wait to dive into (the ones on yoga, sleep, and […]

My Reading & Book-Buying Philosophy

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I have more books than I’ll ever be able to read. Book-buying binges are my most prominent vice.  I’ll often buy books I have no intention of reading because I love the author. It sounds like I couldn’t possibly love an author if I don’t intend to read their books, but you know how it […]

How to Prepare for the Oxbridge TSA Paper 2 (Thinking Skills Assessment Tips)

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I’m going to teach you how to prepare for the Oxbridge Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA) entrance exam for Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE). Specifically we’re talking about Paper 2 – the 30-minute essay question – because it really is its own beast. TSA Masterclass Enrolment Open (use discount COVID69 until end of October) I’ve taken […]

The Nobel Prize Reading Challenge

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Another relatively obscure writer wins the Nobel Prize. The Nobel Prize for Literature announced it’s winner for 2020. It wasn’t Haruki Murakami. It wasn’t Don DeLillo. Nor was the Nobel Prize winner Cormac McCarthy, Thomas Pynchon, Joan Didion, or Joyce Carol Oates. It was Louise Glück. You know, the Louise Glück who wrote… Oh wait, […]

St. Vincent Teaches Creativity and Songwriting MasterClass Review

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It’s been a while since I’ve logged into MasterClass. There have been some great new instructors, but this year has been a crazy one. But when I saw their latest class was the St. Vincent Teaches Creativity and Songwriting MasterClass, I couldn’t pass it up. I have loved every single writing MasterClass to date, every […]

How to Use Tarot to Solve Your Problems

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Tarot readings get a bad rap as being woo-woo, but regular tarot readings, along with a unique way of looking at art, are one of the best tools in my self-development arsenal. Real tarot can help you solve your problems and provide you with solid life advice. In this video, I run through my two […]

Thelonious Monk ‘Palo Alto’ Album Review

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Let me tell you the story of the long lost jazz record of Theolonius Monk’s Palo Alto. Thelonious Monk ‘Palo Alto’ Album Review It’s a rainy day in California. The year is 1968. Cold War America still reeling from the fallout of the MLK and Kennedy assassinations. Theolonius Monk is nearing the end of his […]

The Yukio Mishima Podcast (The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea Book Review)

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Today’s podcast is one of my favourite of all time. We’re reviewing Yukio Mishima’s (1925-1970) great, yet controversial, book: The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea (1963). This podcast contains mature themes and topics that some listeners might find upsetting, such as ritualistic suicide, mental illness, and right-wing politics. The show also contains light […]