Celine Nguyen

About:

Celine Nguyen is the author of the website 'personal canon', a Substack publication. The site focuses on finding meaning in life through literature, art, design, and culture, featuring weekly posts and enthusiastic conversations.

Website:

www.personalcanon.com

Specializations:

Writer

Incoming Links:

Caroline Crampton Jana Wiese Nick Heer Olu Online rwblickhan.org

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2025-10-20 • chatgpt technology psychology eliza effect ai

The blog post discusses the evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) and chatbots, starting from Joseph Weizenbaum's ELIZA in 1964 to the modern-day applications of large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT. It highlights the emo...

2025-09-03 • book reviews contemporary 20th century cultural criticism aids activism

In this reflective blog post, the author Celine Nguyen shares her reading experiences from July and August 2025, focusing on 20th-century history, contemporary fiction, and the AIDS crisis. She reviews various books and films, inc...

2025-12-29 • writing newsletter and rss management personal development cultural criticism literary fiction

A two-year journey of writing a newsletter reveals the intrinsic value of literary pursuits and the unexpected audience for serious literary criticism in a digital age.

2025-07-25 • photography art novel writing narrative bill beckley

The blog post reflects on the author's experience with the artwork of Bill Beckley, particularly his narrative art that combines photographs with short texts. The author expresses admiration for Beckley's ability to create engagin...

2026-01-28 • writing innovation freelancing cultural criticism economic decline

Writers and artists struggle to make a living in today's economy, revealing the precarious nature of cultural labor and the need for new financial models to support artistic innovation.

2026-02-01 • activism reading recommendations philosophy fiction nonfiction writing

In January 2026, the author explores the interplay between fiction and nonfiction reading, highlighting the beauty of literature and the importance of activism amidst political turmoil.

2025-12-03 • reading recommendations book reviews literary fiction film criticism tsundoku

The author reflects on their struggle with 'tsundoku,' the phenomenon of accumulating unread books, while sharing insights from their recent reading experiences. They discuss various novels, including 'Happiness and Love' by Zoe D...

2025-11-18 • writing technology substack cultural criticism ai

The blog post features a conversation between the author and Jasmine, a former Substack PM and independent writer, discussing various topics including tech, culture, the humanities, and the impact of AI on writing. They explore th...

2025-08-27 • literary criticism stem cultural criticism books emerging critics

The author announces their selection as an Emerging Critics Fellow for 2025-2026 and reflects on their journey into literary criticism over the past few years. They discuss the importance of critics in enhancing the reading experi...

2025-11-05 • nostalgia art exhibition cultural criticism art criticism and analysis contemporary art

The blog post reflects on the author's experiences with contemporary art exhibitions in London, inspired by the writings of art critic Peter Schjeldahl. It discusses five exhibitions, including works by Nihaal Faizal, Wolfgang Til...

2025-10-05 • book reviews literary criticism contemporary reading list

Celine Nguyen reflects on her reading experiences in September 2025, initially planning to read Michael Lentz's 'Schattenfroh' but ultimately setting it aside. Instead, she explores various newly published novels, including Hamid ...

2025-07-02 • design poetry cultural studies film books

The author reflects on their recent reading experiences, highlighting a variety of books and films that explore themes of design, grief, spirituality, and cultural history. They review a nonfiction book on design history, several ...

2026-01-14 • reading recommendations poetry literary criticism books essays

Celine Nguyen encourages readers to prioritize reading over digital distractions, sharing her favorite books from 2025 to inspire a more fulfilling literary life.

2025-06-22 • reading recommendations adaptation books literary fiction annie ernaux the lost years

The text is about the author's struggle to read and how Annie Ernaux's books helped her overcome her reading recession. It describes Ernaux's writing style, themes, and provides a ranking of her books. The author also discusses th...

2025-05-31 • entertainment artistic growth and achievement art criticism and analysis marcel proust literary fiction

The text is about the author's experience reading Marcel Proust's In Search of Lost Time and how it transformed her perspective on literature and art. It discusses the impact of Proust's writing, the distinction between entertainm...

2025-05-13 • art community technology industry san francisco bay area nepa

The text is a defense of San Francisco's art scene, highlighting the vibrant arts and music spaces in the city, such as The Lab. The author discusses the impact of the NEA funding cuts on arts nonprofits and emphasizes the importa...

2025-03-11 • writing philosophy art self-help romance economics love dance energy transition

The text is a review of books and films read and watched in February 2025. It includes a discussion of love and romance in novels, the difficulty of doing personally meaningful work, and the author's experience reading Hannah Aren...

2025-02-08 • music technology book reading recommendations newsletter and rss management art design classic literature personal essay films

The author shares her philosophy on reading and reviews 4 books in different genres, 2 films, and some design and music recommendations. She also mentions her favorite newsletters and interviews she has been a part of.

2025-01-26 • writing design classic literature craftsmanship essay writing

The text is about the author's experience of learning and improving her work by copying and deep copying the work of other writers. She explains how she learned from a designer to copy a book cover she loved and how she applied th...

2024-12-31 •

The text reflects on the author's 31st birthday and the concept of commitment and exploration in one's thirties. It discusses the idea of devoting a year to going deeper instead of wider, and the author's personal experiences with...

2024-12-30 •

The text discusses the feeling of information overload and the value of reading new and old books. The author shares a list of the best books read in 2024, categorized into fiction, nonfiction, and experimental, along with favorit...

2024-12-09 •

The author started writing a newsletter one year ago, and the post is about her experience and the reasons why she continued writing. She shares the rules she broke and the advice she didn't take, and how she built her newsletter....

2024-12-01 •

The author confesses to not finishing any books in November, despite starting four. She discusses three books, four films, and five links she read in November. She talks about Rachel Kushner's Creation Lake, Susan Sontag's Regardi...

2024-11-15 •

The text discusses the theme of self-deception and how it is the most difficult deception. It explores the works of various authors and their portrayal of self-deception in literature. The author also shares personal experiences a...