The Library of Babel

The Library of Babel

Welcome to the Library, a newsletter and podcast guiding you through the wonders and terrors of literature, history and magic

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Exciting News: We're Returning to Substack!

Exciting News: We're Returning to Substack!

And hoping to see you there with me

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chen malul
"Once a crystal choir Appeared while I was sleeping"

"Once a crystal choir Appeared while I was sleeping"

The Kiss of Judee Sill

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chen malul
The origins of demons, monsters and false gods

The origins of demons, monsters and false gods

At least according to Dante, Milton and the anonymous author of Beowulf

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chen malul
Psychedelics are not a cheat code to enlightenment

Psychedelics are not a cheat code to enlightenment

The story of how I came to realize that

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chen malul
Did Jesus Christ Have a Twin Brother?

Did Jesus Christ Have a Twin Brother?

According to an ancient tradition, his name is Judas Thomas and unlike his famous twin, he is 100% human

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chen malul
How Lolita almost destroyed my dating life

How Lolita almost destroyed my dating life

And what Nabokov answered when he was asked about Humbert Humbert and himself

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chen malul
Introducing Beowulf: Achilles’ well-behaved, much less complicated spiritual brother

Introducing Beowulf: Achilles’ well-behaved, much less complicated spiritual brother

Meet the hero with no psychological hang-ups. And I mean none at all…

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chen malul
Was the invention of writing a good thing for humanity? Plato and the mysterious 'Book of Creation' seem to disagree

Was the invention of writing a good thing for humanity? Plato and the mysterious 'Book of Creation' seem to disagree

And how does it all relate to our experience in the age of social media

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chen malul
Foolishly trying to image Pink Floyd with Syd Barrett still at the helm

Foolishly trying to image Pink Floyd with Syd Barrett still at the helm

What if you were still here?

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chen malul
Being a Feminist in Antiquity Meant Rejecting the World (and God with it)

Being a Feminist in Antiquity Meant Rejecting the World (and God with it)

According to the Gnostics, it was actually a good thing that Eve got us all expelled from the Garden

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chen malul
Unless you're a devout Christian, you should really stop using the term 'The Old Testament'

Unless you're a devout Christian, you should really stop using the term 'The Old Testament'

There's a better, much more accurate name for this canon of 24 amazing books

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chen malul
Why I'd actually prefer to be sent to the first circle of hell than to heaven

Why I'd actually prefer to be sent to the first circle of hell than to heaven

In praise of Limbo, because not all circles of hell were created alike

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chen malul
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