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My favorite reads of 2025
My favorite read of 2025 was actually my re-read of George Eliot’s “Middlemarch”. But sticking to new works as usual: I read 38 works of fiction and nonfiction for the first time in ’25, and of those I’ve picked out again my favorite ten. This year I went somewhat dark, for me. I took in…
on the second hand
second Death Starsecond world warsecond atomic bombsecond frontsecond blitzsecond tower second wonderSecond Templesecond sitesecond kingssecond princesecond armysecond populationsecond citizenssecond history second looksecond chancesecond surgerysecond opinionsecond principlesecond explanationsecond introductionsecond sightsecond beautysecond homesecond cropsecond firesecond stormsecond snowseconds to go second birthsecond thoughtsecond soundsecond tracksecond timesecond lifetimesecond attachmentsecond proposalsecond polesecond noonsecond startsecond sidesecond handsecond choicesecond bestsecond bestiesecond voice…
Victor Frankenstein, scientist?
There’s a popular belief that Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” is a warning about science “going too far”. But she actually presents Victor Frankenstein as something of a pseudo-scientist, at least when left to his own devices. In his resting state, or when working in isolation, Victor Frankenstein is a romantic more inclined to enjoy nature than…
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