Best Life Best Death #209 Ruminations on Mortality – Maria Popova, Writer, Curator and Creator of The Marginalian
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Sep 3, 2025 
In this lively conversation, Maria Popova, a Bulgarian-born writer and creator of The Marginalian, dives into deep themes of mortality, meaning, and creativity. She discusses how constraints enhance artistic flow and shares her journey creating an Almanac of Divination for her 40th birthday. The transformative power of creativity in dealing with psychological struggles is explored, along with the idea of 'unselfing' and reconnecting with nature. Maria's thoughts challenge us to reflect on the human experience and our shared connection through art.
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Origin Story Of The Marginalian
- Maria Popova began writing her reading notes in her early 20s after arriving from Bulgaria and feeling lost in American higher education.
- What started as an email for seven coworkers grew into a public project that kept the same purpose for nearly 20 years.
Name Reflects A Shift In Perspective
- Popova renamed Brain Pickings to The Marginalian to reflect marginalia on reading, not just the brain.
- She moved from a Cartesian 'brain' view to a more embodied, integrated approach to life.
Bird Collages As Daily Divination
- For her 40th birthday Maria made daily collages from 19th-century ornithological plates and text, circling words that resonated each day.
- The process became a private dialogue with her unconscious rather than traditional poetry or art.