Dilettantes and Vienna
In Praise Of The Dilettante
Jay Miller | Aeon | 30th October 2026
A dilettante is an amateur, yes, but that is not all. Characterised as someone with a superficial, distracted kind of attention, they are in fact driven by curiosity and fully aware that they have the freedom to explore the world as they see fit. "Far from deficiency, dilettantism is a constant quest for abundance," it is argued here. It is a noble calling: dilettantes receive less acclaim, but perhaps live more fully (3,300 words)
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Tour Of An Old City
Ingeborg Bachmann | Granta | 4th November 2026
Austrian poet takes a tour of Vienna with a bus load of American tourists. Horrors ensue. "‘Here you can see the hearts of all the Habsburgian emperors and empresses, archdukes and archduchesses.’ A drunk American starts to laugh, the petite Miss drops the Beethoven mask and exclaims ‘Gosh!’ All of us want to get out of the crypts, the older American, who still liked the Merry Widow, has to throw up" (1,700 words)
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