Andrew Blackman, literary fiction writer, traveller, book reviewer and essayist

Reading

Borges Marathon, Part 16: The Library of Babel

An infinite library of every possible book sounds wonderful until you contemplate the realities of it, which Jorge Luis Borges does masterfully in "The Library of Babel".

Reading

November 2024 Reading Roundup

From Indigenous Americans discovering Europe to Voltaire destroying my last shred of optimism, here's a summary of my reading this month.

Reading

Borges Marathon, Part 15: A Survey of the Works of Herbert Quain

Join me as I survey Jorge Luis Borges's survey of the works of the non-existent writer Herbert Quain.

Reading

Review: The Other Side by Alfred Kubin

What would a dream world look like? A world in which the normal rules of cause and effect don't exist, in which social obligations are subordinate to each individual's ability…

Reading

There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak

Why was I disappointed by a novel that everyone else seems to love? Follow me as I try to find the answers.

Reading

Review: 912 Batu Road by Viji Krishnamoorthy

A Malaysian debut novelist combines a contemporary love story with a historical narrative of Japanese occupation. I enjoyed one much more than the other, but would recommend it nonetheless.

Reading

Norng Chan Phal: The Mystery of the Boy at S-21

A harrowing true account of a small child surviving the Cambodian genocide.

Thinking

Pluralistic Ignorance and Climate Change

How can most people support serious action on climate change and yet continue to believe we are in the minority? The answer: pluralistic ignorance.

Reading

July 2024 Reading

Will AI destroy us? Why do some novels not quite work despite having all the right ingredients? Can a bad title ruin a good book? These are just some of…

Reading

Review of Eclipse by John Banville

My thoughts on Eclipse, a beautifully written novel by Irish writer John Banville.

Degrowth Communism vs. Climate Capitalism

Can degrowth communism solve the climate crisis by ending the growth obsession and distributing resources more fairly? Or should we put our faith in climate capitalism instead?

Reading

June 2024 Reading Roundup

Can capitalism save the planet? What would a world of dreams be like? How can we start forming better habits? My June reading answered these questions and more.

Reading

Borges Marathon, Part 14: The Lottery in Babylon

How do you explain the effects of random chance? Borges invented an all-powerful Lottery governing all possible events in life to help us think through it.

Reading

The Echoes by Evie Wyld: Review

My review of a beautifully dark and thought-provoking new piece of literary fiction by Evie Wyld, set between a remote Australian outback village haunted by terrible memories and a London…

Andrew Blackman

Andrew Blackman

Andrew Blackman