CULTURE
Know a little about a lot.
Care deeply about a few things.
Art, books, food, music, architecture, conversation and the things worth knowing—not because you should, but because life is richer when you do.
THE CULTIVATED MAN
BE INTERESTED.
BECOME INTERESTING.
Culture isn't a list of things a man is supposed to know. It is curiosity practiced over a lifetime.
Read something outside your profession. Learn why a building looks the way it does. Know the story behind the bottle being poured. Visit the museum without needing to understand every painting. Listen to music made before you were born. Ask good questions.
The objective isn't to appear cultured. It's to become curious.
THE CULTURAL PRIMER
Enough to appreciate it. Enough to join the conversation.
An ongoing series designed to provide an intelligent introduction to the subjects worth knowing. We offer just enough depth to appreciate the craft and participate thoughtfully in the cultural dialogue.
01
How to Look at a Painting
03
Why Mid-Century Modern Still Matters
05
Understanding the Restaurant Wine List
07
A Brief Education in the Martini
02
A Gentleman's Introduction to Jazz
04
The Five Books Worth Reading Twice
06
Why Everyone Should Know a Little Hemingway
08
The Architecture You Should Recognize
AT THE TABLE
DINNER IS ABOUT MORE THAN THE FOOD.
A good table brings together nearly everything Form & Character values: conversation, manners, food, drink, hospitality and the ability to make other people feel welcome.
FUTURE STORIES
01
Ordering Well Without Showing Off
02
How to Choose Wine When You Aren't an Expert
03
The Lost Art of Dinner Conversation
04
Being a Good Host
05
Being an Even Better Guest
06
The Martini: Simple, Until It Isn't
THE READING ROOM
A library is built the same way a wardrobe is—slowly.
THE CLASSICS
Books that have earned their place in the permanent library. Timeless wisdom bound in leather and paper.
THE MODERN SHELF
Contemporary writing worth your time. New voices defining the current cultural landscape.
BIOGRAPHY
Lives worth studying. Portrayals of character and conviction that offer a blueprint for living.
THE ESSAY
Something worth thinking about over coffee. Short-form brilliance and long-form investigation.
ON MERCER'S NIGHTSTAND
The current selection: A meditation on travel, architecture, and the slow accumulation of taste.
"We are mirrors of what we read. Choose the reflection carefully." — A. Mercer
You needn't be an expert. You should be curious.
THINGS WORTH KNOWING
01
“What's the difference between Art Deco and Art Nouveau?”
02
“Why does a martini have an olive?”
03
“What makes Miles Davis important?”
04
“Why is everyone still reading The Great Gatsby?”
05
“What actually makes something Bauhaus?”
06
“Why do restaurants decant wine?”
07
“What makes a Negroni a Negroni?”
08
“Why does a proper steakhouse feel different?”
THE CONVERSATION
HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY. KNOW WHEN TO LISTEN.
Being interesting has remarkably little to do with talking about yourself.
Ask better questions. Listen to the answer. Know enough about the world to participate, but never so desperately that you need to demonstrate it.
Good conversation isn't performance. It's generosity.
01
The Art of the Question
02
How to Disagree Without Becoming Disagreeable
03
Why Listening Is a Social Advantage
04
Making Introductions Properly
05
The Topics Better Left Alone
IN FUTURE ISSUES
FROM THE DESK OF A. MERCER
“Never learn about something merely so that other people will know that you know it. Read the book. Order the unfamiliar dish. Enter the gallery. Ask the question. Curiosity is considerably more attractive than expertise performed for an audience.”
Keeper of the Standard
— A. Mercer
No. 12 Mercer Row
THE AUGUST LIST · No. 01
THE CULTURE LIST
Ten things to read, see, hear, taste or discover.
01
A book worth reopening
02
An album to hear from beginning to end
03
A film worth revisiting
04
A building worth knowing
05
A restaurant worth dressing for
06
A drink worth learning to make
07
An artist worth discovering
08
An essay worth twenty minutes
09
A place worth wandering without an itinerary
10
Something you know nothing about—yet
Curiosity is a habit.
FORM & CHARACTER
The Art of Living Well.