Maria Popova to release new essay collection ‘Crossing’

Author Maria Popova, creator of the Brain Pickings blog, is releasing a new interdisciplinary essay collection titled ‘Crossing’ on October 16. Following the success of her previous work ‘Figures’, this new 540-page book explores the lives and discoveries of historical figures who shaped the future.

The collection weaves together the stories of individuals such as Mary Shelley, Walt Whitman, Frederick Douglass, and Margaret Mead. It examines their contributions—ranging from the invention of the bicycle to the decoding of insulin—to address fundamental questions regarding life, death, and the nature of existence.

Popova, who grew up in Bulgaria and currently resides in Brooklyn, is a widely followed writer whose work is included in the Library of Congress digital archives. The book is translated by Paulina Micheva with cover art by Stefan Kasarov.