My I.O.U. Principle for Literature

Feb 15, 2025

This is my first Substack newsletter post. How exciting! I’m looking forward to building a benevolent community of Wonderers who love to share their thoughts about the ideas and values that inspire them to become their best selves.

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I was wondering during a recent daily morning walk about the fiction that gathers at my bedside. That pile grows from two streams. The first is through recommendations made by those whose judgment I value. The second is through serendipitously scanning blurbs on the backs of books while meandering through used bookstores or rummaging through what’s on offer in free little libraries (like the one pictured below).

It dawned on me that these two streams are united by what I am calling the “I.O.U. Principle”:

(1) Intriguing: The character descriptions need to indicate depth and subtlety and the plot needs to sound compelling.

(2) Original: Even timeless themes and plots need to suggest a fresh approach.

(3) Uplifting: I adore a well-told Hero’s Journey and yearn to see protagonists face and overcome various internal and external challenges as they grow into the best versions of themselves.

While occasionally disappointed by what emerges from either stream, more often than not I hit a satisfying jackpot when I rely on and call in that I.O.U. I’m looking forward to digging into today’s Little Library haul!