Leo Kofler and the Legacy of Tuberculosis
@Work
Have you ever heard of Leo Kofler? He was an Austrian-born singing teacher (1837-1908), who spent most of his career in the United States. His ideas were later taken up in Germany. You may hear the story that he cured himself of tuberculosis by singing. Spoiler alert: he didn't. Tuberculosis cannot be cured by singing. But he created some beneficial breathing exercises, and we can learn a lot by looking at the way he (and others) thought about breathing, back in his day. You can find his entire book online at the . And if you'd like to take part in more conversations like this, please...
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On the face of it: Kate Gies's It Must Be Beautiful to Be Finished (2025) and Louis Kuhne's The Science of Facial Expression (1917)
@Work
Kate Gies's wonderful (and devastating) memoir, It Must Be Beautiful To Be Finished shows that the mainstream medical profession has a lot to answer for when it comes to deciding which bodies are "attractive," which ones need "fixing," and how all that should take place. But there's another powerful thread running through this book -- and that should make those of us in the wellness world take a good, hard look at underlying ideas, as well. I provide some historical context by discussing book by a pioneer of naturopathy, Louis Kuhne: The Science of Facial Expression. Please buy at your...
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Why history?
@Work
Why should we have conversations about the history of wellness and performer-training practices? For one thing, they're really, really interesting, and there are other reasons ... You can click to find out more, and to join.
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The Work: Straight Talk on Craft and Method
@Work
https://www.mariameindl.com/These days, there are a host of methods (and Methods) available for looking after our bodies. They can save our lives, mess with our minds, and sometimes a bit of both. In this series, I offer a historical perspective on today’s self-care, fitness and performer-training methods. Subscribe to join the conversation.
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Jade Wallace @Work
@Work
In this first episode of @Work, I talk with the incomparable about their novel, : writing additively, literature's preoccupation with youth, and the value of million dollar words.
info_outlineIn this first episode of @Work, I talk with the incomparable Jade Wallace about their novel, Anomia: writing additively, literature's preoccupation with youth, and the value of million dollar words.