In “Homo Faber,” his introductory essay to the Discovery issue of Lapham’s Quarterly, Lewis Lapham charts explorations scientific, geographic, and literary. The works of Alexander von Humboldt, William Shakespeare, and Vera Rubin are considered alongside a six-year-old Lapham’s voyage of the imagination.

Listen to him read his essay below.

For more audio from Lapham’s Quarterly, sample this series of audio adaptations from the magazine (produced in partnership with curio.io) and our new podcast, The World in Time.

This recording is made possible by a gift from James J. “Jimmy” Coleman Jr.