Nonfiction

Essays, articles, and posts on culture, history, beliefs, and the many ways people make sense of the world.

Besides his novels, Ivan Obolensky has spent years writing nonfiction that readers describe as both an ongoing education and a quiet pleasure.

Here you’ll find a curated pathway into his essays, blogs, articles, and Substack posts — explorations of culture, history, the social sciences, philosophy, and myth, written in clear, story-rich prose.

Long-form: Substack Writings

For ongoing writings, deep dives, and new explorations, Ivan offers his perspective on culture, history, the social sciences, philosophy, myth, and how people make sense of the world.

Visit Substack Featured Piece: Free Will?

Short-form: Blogs

Before Substack, Ivan published a long-running series of blog posts that many readers still return to and share.

Visit the Blog Archive Featured Piece: Growing Old

Selected Reviews

“Thanks and congratulations to Ivan for these great articles… I not only enjoy them, but I gladly pass them along… I also often present them to my students…”

— Georgette Blanchard

“He can take the most esoteric subject and not only make it interesting – but understandable…”

— Suzanne Houchin

“What sets Ivan’s writing apart from the rest is that he consistently draws abundant details into his work in a gracious way…”

— Rebecca Price

Reviews from our Readers

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'Dark of the Earth' is the third novel in the Eye of the Moon series about a remarkable family of American aristocrats and their mysterious estate on the Hudson River. As in the previous two novels, 'Eye of the Moon' and 'Shadow of the Son', the story's setting is an old mansion estate on the upper Hudson known as Rhinebeck. It's a place of tranquil beauty, aristocratic order, and ancient mystery that borders on the supernatural.

Craig Houchin

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Very entertaining. Great dialogue, and the combination of human frailty and spiritual intervention makes for a very unique family drama/ghost story/love story.

Craig Houchin

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This is another beautifully crafted journey back to Rhinebeck, with all of its larger-than-life personalities. I wasn't sure what to expect with this latest book, but I was not disappointed. I always enjoy Dagmar's magical creations, tailored for the circumstances of the day. A dinner there would be a bucket list item. But to be a fly on the wall, courtesy of Ivan's fine writing, satisfied the taste buds. She, and the "ghostly" efficient Stanley, make a formidable team—two of my favorites!

Art Watanabe

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Obolensky shows us a highly entertaining view of high society family dynamics where female characters possess wealth and power, and where secrets of the past are revealed. At times witty, sexy, and immensely unpredictable, this novel will keep you on your toes and turning pages!

Jennifer Nguyen

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I didn't just like the book, I loved it! It is a page turner with interesting, clever characters and a story line that draws you in like a rare earth magnet. Ivan's imagery, humor and fleshing out of characters make them come alive in my mind. I loved the twists and turns of the plot lines. It is a fabulous read and left me wanting to know more.

Mary Ann Dorman

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Loved it! World of finance meets Egyptology, in a modern-day Agatha Christie setting. Great twists and unexpected revelations. I want more! The house itself was a character and I want to know its next adventure.

Ann Marie

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What a great time I had reading Ivan Obolensky's 'Eye of the Moon'! Full of wonderfully fresh characters, it's a story full of stories that become interwoven as the novel unfolds. Looming over the book and all the characters is the fabulous estate of Rhinebeck, part Gothic castle, part 'Downton Abbey' and part upstate New York country home. The estate holds many secrets, mysteries, and the hearts of all who have lived there or hope to. But it's the characters that we take with us and hope to see again. Finely drawn, unique and complex, these are less characters in a book and more people we come to know better as we spend time with them.

Kurtwood Smith

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'Dark of the Earth' is a masterful blend of suspense, elegance, and mystery that grips you from the very first page. Author Ivan Obolensky draws you deeper into his world with each chapter. His descriptions are so well-crafted that you can almost feel the chill in the air and taste the complexity of flavors in each serving and the wines. He transports you to a different world while entangling you in a fascinating mystery. It's a book that keeps you wanting it to never end! Highly recommended!

Maria Candelaria Alvarez

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There were so many parts of 'Shadow of the Son' that I truly enjoyed... First of all, what a brilliant title, 'Shadow of the Son'. The use of 'son' implying its homonym 'sun' was clever, making the title memorable, but beyond that, it carried the theme of the story.

Lyn Blair

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'Eye of the Moon' is an engaging and entertaining read. In it, the reader is taken on a journey in which the storyline, and each of the characters, are built around a web of mystery, intrigue, betrayal, and suspense. Based on a wonderful country estate, one is guided by the two main characters through an investigation of the family's secrets, which include magic and the occult, financial trouble, and secret relationships. Detailed descriptions of the fabulous meals and wines served throughout the story make it a delightful journey through the various surprises that we encounter at each turn.

Dr. Patricia Alireza