I was delighted to see The Economist give a glowing review to Ananyo Bhattacharya’s brilliant new book The Man From The Future, noting that it fills “a yawning gap in the history of science”. You heard about that book here first.
A different book in almost every way is Grant Morrison’s The Invisibles, which I’ve caught up with about a quarter of a century late. Although like other graphic novels of that vintage it can occasionally be shlocky and in questionable taste, overall it’s an excellent read. (Imagine a fantastical and X-rated version of The Matrix – and indeed the Matrix was surely inspired by The Invisibles.) HT to Ralph Lovegrove’s wonderful fiction-and-gaming podcast, Fictoplasm.
Christmas is coming – at least, if you know what’s good for you you’re ordering early… – and I really enjoyed the boardgame Mission: Red Planet. Quick, characterful, easy to learn, and just the right amount of back-stabby.
An interesting short essay in the New Yorker by Cal Newport asks whether commuting to the office is a broken way of working?
The paperback of “The Next 50 Things That Made The Modern Economy” is now out in the UK.
“Endlessly insightful and full of surprises — exactly what you would expect from Tim Harford.”- Bill Bryson
“Witty, informative and endlessly entertaining, this is popular economics at its most engaging.”- The Daily Mail
I’ve set up a storefront on Bookshop in the United States and the United Kingdom – have a look and see all my recommendations; Bookshop is set up to support local independent retailers. Links to Bookshop and Amazon may generate referral fees.