Borges and $: The Parable of the Literary Master and the Coin

Thirty years ago, the world lost a great literary mind—the Argentine writer and poet Jorge Luis Borges. Elizabeth Hyde Stevens revisits the financial conditions that produced this life of pure literature, finding unexpected hope in the darkest period of Borges’ forgotten past.

Source: Longreads
Published: Jun 14, 2016
Length: 31 minutes (7,830 words)

Longreads Best of 2013: The Most Surprising Piece of Cultural Criticism of the Year

Source: Longreads
Published: Dec 2, 2013

On Muppets & Merchandise: How Jim Henson Turned His Art into a Business

In 2011, we highlighted an essay called “Weekend at Kermie’s,” by Elizabeth Hyde Stevens, published by The Awl. Stevens is now back with a new Muppet-inspired Kindle Serial called “Make Art Make Money,” part how-to, part Jim Henson history:

“The real breakthrough in Henson’s career—the thing that would make him a mogul—was Sesame Street. It debuted in 1969, a good fifteen years into Henson’s television career. Because it taught children across the country, Henson became a household name, and through Sesame Street toys, Henson became a millionaire. In short, merchandizing is the ‘secret’ to Henson’s success. However, licensing toys, to Henson, felt like selling out. Before he became a mogul, he had to find a good reason to do so.”

Source: Longreads
Published: Sep 17, 2013
Length: 16 minutes (4,102 words)