The Priory
Karen Swallow Prior, Kelsey Kramer McGinnis, Samuel Loncar, Marginalia Review of Books, AlexandraPrayers of Attention
| Platform |  | Pricing | Only free issues | Publishes | Twice weekly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Issues | 241 | Founded | 3 years ago | Last Issue | 12 days ago |
| Active | |||||
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karenswallowprior.substack.comLatest Issues
The Joy of Hazel
It’s been twelve years.
Twelve years since my husband and I last had a puppy.
Hazel on her first day home.
That puppy was our sweet Ruby, whom we lost in May, sooner than we hoped or expected.
We knew we’d get another dog, we knew it wo...
Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe: Wrap-up
Portrait of Virginia Woolf who praised Moll Flanders, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/en:George_Charles_Beresford
I thought it would be fun to offer some highlights from the history of the reception and literary criticism of Moll Flanders, a...
Becoming Human with Samuel Loncar
Readers, I do a lot of interviews, but this is a special one among special ones—it is a delightful conversation I had with one of my students from long ago who has since gone to Yale, earned a Ph.D., and is a tremendous scholar. It is my pl...
Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe: Week 7
One of my past students found this tattered old paperback edition and got it for me years ago. Hilarious! This was a 1964 edition based on a film adaptation. See below for the description of the story which is very 1960s-sexual-revolution-e...
It's the Third Anniversary of The Priory!
“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”
― Dr. Seuss, Happy Birthday to You!
Today, August 1, 2026, marks three years of The Priory here at Substack!
What a few years it’s been …...
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Authors
The writers behind this newsletter.
A reader and writer attending more closely to what is good, true, and beautiful. 2025-26 Karlson Scholar at Bethel Seminary. The Priory is devoted to the holy cultivation of a rich inner life. “Attention is the beginning of devotion.” -- Mary Oliver
Writer, musicologist. Writing on music, worship, and culture at Christianity Today. Working on a book about Christian wellness culture. Teaching courses on music history, theology, and social justice. Living quietly in the middle of Iowa.
A place for people desiring a deeper life. Created by philosopher Samuel Loncar, Ph.D (Yale), Editor, Marginalia Review \ud83d\udcda
Curated by expert editors and guided by Marginalia' s vision of democratizing depth in an age drowning in the shallows, our pages unite the separated silos of the university, arts, science, and culture into a single space of insight and learning.
Alexandra Hart is a playwright and novelist based in Oxford. BA(Hons), MSt, MFA
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