Books

Go buy it, I guess. —

The late art critic Peter Schejdahl once wrote a piece about an art show that starts with his observation of autumn in New York: “I was riveted especially by a heartbreaking little trick nature plays with trees whose leaves turn pale yellow. Seen from afar when an exact mix of…

An enthralling narrative of tenacious survival and resilience that fearlessly delves into the abyssal depths of human nature. — Have you ever considered the saying “If it seems too good to be true… it probably is?” In a world that is filled with enticing promises and tempting shortcuts, this timeless adage serves as a cautionary reminder of the pitfalls that await the unsuspecting. …

Being labeled an “Enemy of the State” will be a badge of honor — Orwell said the future was a boot stepping on a human face over and over. I see it more as a Nike Air Force 1 parkour shoe stepping on us and the face is smiling. We’re in deep totalitarian shit, but it’s not pain that controls us. It’s pleasure. It’s…

Key books on the Russian mentality — People often say that Germans are meticulous, French people are witty, and Americans are energetic. Have you ever heard it? Dare I suppose, you have heard. These and other simple generalizations are extremely popular. However, each person is unique, regardless of their nationality. Right? Ok, what about national character or…

If I ask you who is responsible for your happiness, what would you say? Yes, you are smart enough to say ‘I Am.’ But then I have two questions, If you are responsible for your happiness then why are you not happy? …

McConaughey turned his 35 years of diaries into a memoir. — Why I read this book I listened to an interview with Matthew McConaughey on Kelly Ripa’s podcast Let’s Talk Off Camera. In it, they spoke about Matthew’s memoir, which he wrote after taking his 35 years worth of diaries to the desert to read through and write up his life story. I wouldn’t normally gravitate…

There’s a list of books that we all have — Ones we feel we should read but never do. Everyday life makes many demands of us, and quiet, contemplative reading often doesn’t fit in. A good contender for this list is Gandhi’s Autobiography (also called The Story of My Experiments…

Is it normal to love numbers, stats and charts? I’m asking for a friend… —