I have been thinking about connection in a digital age, one that is flooded with fakery and false humanity. That has led me to this issue’s main topic: why people want books—or other items—signed by an author? What does the ink represent that makes the resulting object valuable?

Before I get to that, thank you once again for signing up to help support my writing of these kinds of pieces. Some of them will develop into larger articles, future books, podcast episodes—or perhaps modern dance performances. You are giving me the freedom to have an excuse to write at length for an audience that has opted in to receive it.

I’ve already received support that makes this premium tier viable for the long run. If I continue to add subscribers, I’ll have the resources for more writing, travel, and research that will unfold in future installments.

Please note that I am using footnotes in this newsletter that seem to rely on JavaScript.¹ I’m not sure how they will work in various email apps, and I may shift to hardcoded ones in future installments. You can always read these newsletter by clicking the title or visiting the archive.