The front dust jacket art of The Great Gatsby with title against a dark sky. Beneath the title are lips and two eyes, looming over a city.
The Great Gatsby was published on this day in 1925.
It’s about the lie of the American Dream.
Fitzgerald was a drunk, an abuser, a snob, a literary genius.
All four show up in the book.
#OnThisDay #TheGreatGatsby #FScottFitzgerald #JusticeForZelda #TheMessThatMadeThem
Cover of The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
Banned Book of the Day:
The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
Banned for “existential themes” and disturbing imagery.
Kafka is one of the Messes That Made Them. Even powerlessness, dread, and transformation can make something unforgettable.
#OnlyBadGuysBanBooks #FranzKafka #TheMessThatMadeThem
Oscar Wilde and Lord Alfred “Bosie” Douglas
On This Day (April 6):
In 1895, Oscar Wilde was arrested after losing his libel case. It marked the beginning of the trial that would ruin him.
I wrote about this moment—and what it cost him—for Ponder Review (Spring 2025). Out soon-ish.
#OnThisDay #OscarWilde #LiteraryHistory #TheMessThatMadeThem
The Russian composer, conductor and virtuoso pianist performs at the Lobero as part of the Community Arts Music Association’s (CAMA) 10th season.
On This Day (April 1):
Sergei Rachmaninoff was born in 1873.
Composer. Pianist. Conductor.
And one of the biggest emotional anchors in my forthcoming book, The Mess That Made Them.
Nobody fell apart more beautifully—or rebuilt more defiantly.
#OnThisDay #ClassicalMusic #TheMessThatMadeThem
On this day in 1853, Vincent van Gogh was born.
I’ve felt more connected to him than almost any other historical figure.
To celebrate, I’m sharing an Open Letter to Vincent on Substack today: ryantpozzi.substack.com
#OnThisDay #VincentVanGogh #ArtHistory #Persistence #TheMessThatMadeThem
Beethoven illustration by Daniel Adel
On This Day (March 26)
Ludwig van Beethoven died in 1827.
He kept composing after going deaf.
He reshaped music by sheer force of will.
And when he died, Vienna showed up loud. Thousands at the funeral. Of course the man went out dramatic.
#OnThisDay #Beethoven #ClassicalMusic #TheMessThatMadeThem
On This Day:
Claude Debussy died in 1918.
He made music that sounded like dreams melting.
He threw shade at tradition and still made it gorgeous.
One of my favorite chapters in The Mess That Made Them. Pure chaos, beautifully dressed.
#OnThisDay #ClaudeDebussy #ClassicalMusic #TheMessThatMadeThem
On this day in 1839, Modest Mussorgsky was born—a chaotic genius whose raw, rule-breaking music still hits like nothing else. He’s also the subject of an upcoming journal piece of mine (more on that soon). #OnThisDay #Mussorgsky #ClassicalMusic #PettyIcons #ComingSoon #TheMessThatMadeThem
Vincent van Gogh, Self-Portrait, 1888. Oil on canvas. National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. Public Domain via National Gallery of Art Open Access Collection
On this day in 1901, Amsterdam hosted the largest Van Gogh exhibition yet—100 paintings, decades before the museum that now bears his name even existed. Proof that sometimes the world catches up to the vision late, but it does catch up. #OnThisDay #ArtHistory #VanGogh #TheMessThatMadeThem
On this day in 1804, Johann Strauss I was born in Vienna. He gave us waltzes and a whole musical dynasty—but let’s be honest: his son Josef Strauss (right) was the real standout. More nuance, more melancholy, more soul. Also, much less fame. #OnThisDay #ClassicalMusic #TeamJosef #TheMessThatMadeThem
The Portrait of Felix Mendelssohn
On This Day: March 13, 1845
Felix Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E minor premiered in Leipzig. One of the most beloved works in the classical repertoire, it redefined what a concerto could be—lyrical, virtuosic, and emotionally alive.
#OnThisDay #Mendelssohn #TheMessThatMadeThem
On This Day: March 12, 2015
Terry Pratchett died on this day, leaving behind the Discworld series and a legacy of wit, wisdom, and absurdity. He made satire sharp, fantasy funny, and readers better for having wandered his strange, brilliant worlds.
#OnThisDay #TerryPratchett #TheMessThatMadeThem
Photograph of the Jazz musician Charlie Parker in Gävle, Sweden, with the young Göran Schultz.
On This Day: March 12, 1955
Charlie Parker—jazz giant, bebop pioneer, and one of the most electrifying saxophonists in history—died on this day. His playing rewrote the rules of modern music, and his influence still echoes in every corner of jazz.
#OnThisDay #CharlieParker #TheMessThatMadeThem
A photo of tiny Ryan T. Pozzi playing a toy plastic saxophone at an outdoor parade.
I think this is the final round of revision on the manuscript. Though, let’s be honest—I’ve said that before. The good news? Soon I get to dive back into everyone’s favorite thing: querying! Can’t wait! (That’s sarcasm. Deep, weary sarcasm.)
#AmRevising #AmQuerying #PictureofMe #TheMessThatMadeThem
On This Day: March 10, 1933
Émile André died today in 1933. A master of Art Nouveau, he designed buildings that looked like they grew out of the earth—curves, leaves, iron, and glass all woven together. And then some other stuff that was just normal.
#OnThisDay #ArtNouveau #TheMessThatMadeThem
I’ve been lucky—my marriage rules. But after 5 months with this manuscript, I’m starting to wonder if this is what people mean when they talk about getting “bored” in marriage. Like, I appreciate you, but I’m so tired of looking at you every day.
#WritingLife #AmEditing #TheMessThatMadeThem
On This Day: March 9, 1994
Charles Bukowski passed away, leaving behind a legacy of raw, unfiltered storytelling. His novels Post Office and Ham on Rye captured the grit of everyday life with dark humor and brutal honesty.
#OnThisDay #CharlesBukowski #TheMessThatMadeThem
Revisions today, and honestly? Feeling pretty discouraged. Querying is an emotional rollercoaster I wasn’t fully prepared for—one moment, hope, the next, existential dread. Not asking for pity, just admitting it's harder than I expected. Anybody else?
#WritingLife #AmQuerying #TheMessThatMadeThem
On This Day: March 7, 1875
Maurice Ravel was born in Ciboure, France. The composer of Boléro and Daphnis et Chloé, Ravel pushed musical boundaries with his intricate orchestrations—proof that being a perfectionist isn’t always a bad thing.
#OnThisDay #MauriceRavel #TheMessThatMadeThem
Did you know Rembrandt went bankrupt because he couldn’t stop buying stuff? He collected art, armor, and random oddities until he had to auction off everything—including his house. Artists: terrible with money since forever.
#DidYouKnow #ArtHistory #Rembrandt #TheMessThatMadeThem
That’s a wrap on today’s chaos. Tomorrow’s episode: “Maybe I’ll Have My Life Together By Then” (Spoiler: I will not.)
Subscribe for more questionable life choices and a chance to win money for books: ryantpozzi.substack.com
#WritingLife #ChaosInProgress #SendCoffee #TheMessThatMadeThem
Did you know? Ulysses by James Joyce was banned in the U.S. until 1933 due to its explicit content. It took a landmark court case to legalize the book, paving the way for modern freedom of expression in literature. #DidYouKnow #BannedBooks #JamesJoyce #BookHistory #TheMessThatMadeThem #FightForIt
On this day in 1810 (or maybe March 1—Chopin himself wasn’t sure), Frédéric Chopin was born.
A fragile genius, he composed the most expressive piano music ever written while battling illness for most of his short life. #OnThisDay #Chopin #ClassicalMusic #Piano #Romanticism #TheMessThatMadeThem
Did you know that Agatha Christie is the best-selling novelist of all time? With over 2 billion copies of her books sold worldwide, her mystery novels have captivated readers for decades. (And I love her.) #DidYouKnow #AgathaChristie #MysteryNovels #LiteraryHistory #BookLovers #TheMessThatMadeThem
On this day in 1930, Igor Stravinsky's Symphony of Psalms premiered in Brussels, Belgium. This choral symphony was commissioned by Serge Koussevitzky for the 50th anniversary of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. #OnThisDay #Stravinsky #SymphonyOfPsalms #ClassicalMusic #TheMessThatMadeThem
#ScienceFiction #MaryShelley #Frankenstein #GeekCulture #WomenInSciFi #LiteraryHistory #ClassicLit #TheMessThatMadeThem
On this day in 1891, Grant Wood was born near Anamosa, Iowa. He is best known for American Gothic, a painting that earned him $600. Its popularity as a symbol for rural American life and his sudden fame arguably ruined his life. #OnThisDay #GrantWood #AmericanGothic #ArtHistory #TheMessThatMadeThem
🚨 New Announcement! 🚨 I'm officially on Substack! 🎉 My first monthly newsletter is live—check it out here:
🔗 open.substack.com/pub/ryantpoz...
Expect history, art, writing, and some chaos. Subscribe & let’s build something cool! #Substack #Newsletter #TheMessThatMadeThem #AmWriting #HistoryNerd
On this day in 1915, The Birth of a Nation premiered. It was the first blockbuster…and also deeply, horrifically racist. Hollywood’s seems to have been perfecting the “movie with deep moral problems” genre ever since. #OnThisDay #FilmHistory #ClassicCinema #WeirdHistory #TheMessThatMadeThem
Did You Know?
Publishers use preorder numbers to decide how hard they’ll push a book, how many copies to print, and even whether retailers will stock it.
So if you love an author, preorder the crap out of their book. #BookishTips #PublishingIndustry #AmWriting #PreorderPower #TheMessThatMadeThem
