Edward O. Wilson in 2009: “The real problem of humanity is the following: we have paleolithic emotions; medieval institutions; and god-like technology. And it is terrifically dangerous, and it is now approaching a point of crisis overall.”
Al Fresco Garden Setting Made for Entertainment
Filmmaker captures human aging from 1 to 100
In this awe-inspiring video, a group of people aged 1 to 100 stand in front of the camera and say their ages. Although the video features 100 different people, it somehow felt like watching someone grow up. Most of the people in this video are stopped on the streets of New York City.
Solvej Balle, On the Calculation of Volume I, Volume II. Volume III is due out in English late this year I have read it already in German. A very strong series, reading ahead in German is a good demonstration of how much I like them.
Suat Dervis, The Prisoner of Ankara. A Turkish novel from mid-century, in English for the first time.
Emmanuel Carrere, V13: Chronicle of a Trial. Non-fiction but it is more likely reading fiction, it just happens to be true (supposedly).
Alain Mabanckou, Dealing with the Dead. Most African fiction does not connect with me, and there is a tendency for the reviews to be untrustworthy. This “cemetery memoir,” from the Congo (via UCLA), held my interest throughout.
Kiran Desai, The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny.
Eça de Queiros, Adam and Eve in Paradise. Originally from the 19th century, but translated into English only this year. A 60 pp. novella about exactly what the title indicates, noting that matters are not as simple as the first telling of that story might have suggested.
The Poems of Seamus Heaney. Not yet received, but obviously this is a winner.
Overall, the Balle, Desai, and Heaney make for very strong entries, so this was a good year for fiction.
Coetzee started as a programmer
How is the Norwegian wealth tax working out?
Engelhardt talk on the black hole information paradox. I think of it as a talk on faster than light travel
Did prisons just replace mental hospitals?
“Date me” doc from a highly intelligent and aesthetic woman.
