On mental illness: “I have not yet seen that case in which a “diagnosis” led to a “cure”, or in fact to any outcome other than a confirmed, and therefore enforced, debility.” – Joan Didion, in Blue Nights
The Whys of a Philosophical Scrivener — Martin Gardner
I love reading almost anything that Martin Gardner wrote. His thinking is clear and logical, sensitive and nuanced. Mostly I have read his writings on mathematics and puzzles, though I also really enjoyed his book of essays The Night Is … Continue reading
Human Relations and Other Difficulties — Mary-Key Wilmer
Mary-Kay Wilmers writes like she’s the editor of an august literary magazine. And in fact she is the founder and editor of my favourite magazine, the London Review of Books. She also writes for it sometimes, and this book is … Continue reading
Unless — Carol Shields
This affecting story has a bit of mystery and a satisfying resolution, and some lovely writing along the way. I also quite appreciated the single-word chapter titles, which reinforce an atmosphere of uncertainty throughout. Continue reading
The Art of Logic — Eugenia Cheng
Like you, I try to think carefully and express my points of view clearly, with meticulous steps of reasoning combining seamlessly to form watertight, irrefutable arguments. And yet people still argue with me and fail to be convinced. How can … Continue reading
I Am Dynamite! — Sue Prideaux
Friedrich Nietzsche has been called the most influential philosopher of the 20th century. His life story is full of pain and frustration; it’s harrowing at times and does not end well for him personally. This detailed yet lively biography is … Continue reading
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Six Clever Girls Who Became Famous Women — Fiona Farrell
This book starts out as a day in the life of a group of six schoolgirls. This is a world that is unfamiliar to me, so it seemed exotic and yet still quite believable. After establishing the characters and putting … Continue reading
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Anna Karenina — Leo Tolstoy
Many people consider this to be the greatest novel ever written, and who am I to argue — I loved it. The main characters are well-rounded and believable — I especially liked the man-about-town Oblonsky (he of the famous unhappy … Continue reading
Maus — Art Spiegelman
Everyone should read this book. Art Spiegelman spent years “interviewing” his father Vladek about his experiences during World War 2. Most of the book is Vladek’s story, illustrated as a graphic novel. People are drawn as animals according to the … Continue reading
The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work — Alain de Botton
This book sees de Botton travelling on a commercial fishing vessel, shadowing an accountant for a day, and accompanying an aeronautical engineering team as they prepare and launch a rocket into space, among other adventures. He takes us through each … Continue reading
This review is about Alain de Botton, books, Edward Hopper, life. Bookmark the permalink. Leave a comment