kenny

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

Books:

• Tolstoy's War and Peace. Still dealing with the aftermath of Borodino.

• Stephen King's 11/22/63.

• Gene Wolfe's The Shadow of the Torturer. I finished this one. Writing last week, I was confused by Agia and her motivations. Most of my questions were answered by the end of her first day with Severian. Now my curiosity has refocused on Dorcas, the wall, and the autarch. On to the Claw of the Conciliator.

• Annie Ernaux's A Man's Place. I ordered this slim volume after reading about Ernaux on Celine Nguyen's excellent Substack. I've only read 20 of the ~60 pages, but the straighforward narrative and prose is refreshing after Tolstoy's digressions and Wolfe's obfuscation.

Podcasts

• Chris Arnade and Paul Salopek on Tyler Cowen's podcast. Both men have made walking a central part of their lives. I've long been fascinated by long-distance journeys on foot and by bicycle.