In a series of 52 essays, many initially published on the website Medium, Ryan Ten delves into topics including film theory, political organization, the changing critical attitudes to the
Star Wars
prequels, the conservatism of
The Simpsons
, the United States Electoral College, and the beauty to be found in mathematics, among many other topics. Although conceived mostly separately from one another, all of the essays share a pursuit: the search for more understanding of our world in all its complexity. These titular quests for knowledge hold a special place for Ten as both a teacher and a lifelong learner, and in this essay collection he brings readers along on journeys that reach toward the core of our humanity or allow us to grasp small parts of the vast universe. Welcome, and enjoy your journey.