kenny

What have I read, watched, listened to, and considered this week? Here's a selection:

Books:

• John Stuart Mill's Autobiography. I finished this one shortly after Christmas. Highlights included Mill's account of his intensive upbringing and education, his discovery of Romanticism during a period when he began to doubt his utilitarian ideals, and his highly pragmatic maneuverings during his short time as a member of parliament. Most of the sections on particular newspapers, patrons, and political figures were lost on me, but only because of embarassing unfamiliarity with British society in this period. Recommended for those interested in utilitarianism, radical thought in 19th-century Britain, and a portrait of a strikingly intelligent man.

• Jose Saramago's All the Names. I'm glad I chose this book to start my year. It was the closest thing to a page turner that I've read recently--unexpected for a novel following Senhor Jose, a clerk in the rigid hierarchy of the Central Registry of Births, Marriages, and Deaths. Highly recommended for anyone, but especially for Calvino fans, those (like me) addicted to exploring mundane archives, and anyone who has worked a bureaucratic job.

Podcasts:

• Various Tyler Cowen episodes (his own year-end recap as well as appearances on Odd Lots, Going Big, Parker Conley, and others).

• Sam Enright on Matt Teichman's Elucidations podcast. I desperately want to be in one of Sam's reading groups.

Note

• I was busy the past few weeks with various Christmas celebrations (parents, both sets of grandparents, and my girlfriend each spoiled me). I hope to read at steady pace this year, especially as I keep accumulating books.