Jot Down
I have been asked a number of times what my reasons were for writing this poem, and whether I identify myself with the narrator or with the Gnostic. Other readers have asked whether I am against technology, and in particular AI. A few wanted to know if the clochard himself was a […]
Versión es español At dawn on Corozalito Beach, a scene unfolds that feels like it was invented by a 19th-century naturalist: the sand vibrates. This is no figure of speech. Local biologists explain that during the arribadas, thousands of turtles strike the ground with their front flippers as they dig, […]
Collaborating with brands on sponsored content requires trust, transparency, and professionalism. Unfortunately, our recent experience with Engwe Bikes —or with individuals claiming to act on their behalf— has become a clear example of the risks such partnerships can entail. In early May 2025, we received an email from someone identifying […]
I’ve been reading Maria Popova for years, with the kind of admiration that turns underlines into quiet rituals. Her essays have moved me, surprised me, and stayed with me—the kind of writing you return to like a well-worn book or a half-remembered dream. At Jot Down, we’ve had the privilege […]
French/English Interpreter: Brian Valente-Quinn. Wolof/French Translator: Babacar Thiaw Versión en español aquí Version française ici Tekki bi ci làkkub Wolof Omar Pene, co-founder and lead singer of the Dakar-based supergroup Super Dianomo, has been composing and playing for 50 years, releasing albums both with Dianomo and as a solo artist. […]
(Versión en español aquí) Philippe Sands (London, 1960) is a writer, university professor and international lawyer. He has been involved in cases concerning the war in Yugoslavia, the Rwandan genocide, the abuses in Iraq and Guantanamo, the indictment of Pinochet, the killing of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri, the persecution […]
(Versión en español aquí) People say that succeeding with the publication of a first work can become the worst burden for a writer. Whether this is true or the justification of the most envious, Richard Morgan (London, 1965) does not seem to have fallen into this trap. After the appearance […]
(Versión en castellano aquí) When asked the secret of doing science, the great chemist Michael Faraday, replied in the early 1800s: Work, finish, publish- no-nonsense common sense from a humble autodidact, who rose from working class ob- scurity to being offered (and refusing) the Presidency of the Royal Society in […]
Photography: Óscar Fernández Orengo (Versión en castellano aquí) As you will see in the turbulent start of the interview, Blixa Bargeld (Berlín Occidental, 1959) has come to the Kosmopolis CCCB festival in Barcelona to talk about his book and offer one of his solo vocal performances, and he doesn’t seem very […]
(Versión en español aquí) They are always there. On the road that goes from the monolith with a seahorse – the symbol of this city – to a mosque that the war left in ruins before it was even built. It is enough to greet any one of those who […]
(Versión en español aquí) In Zuwarah the streets have no name. This is not a cliché, but a fact. It’s not that important, because nobody sends letters anymore, not there or here, and in Zuwarah they don’t receive bills. Somebody told me that, in 2012, a group of inspectors was created whose mission […]
(Versión en castellano aquí) For fans of the genre, the film «The Man from Earth», released in 2007 is already one of the essential titles in the catalog of modern science fiction. Included in the circuits of independent cinema, and with a modest ticket office, it never reached the general […]