Occam’s Razor and the Rise of Populism
Over the past few years, people have been wringing their hands over the rise of populism, whether it's far-right parties in Europe, Brexiteers in…
Happiness by Aminatta Forna: Review
Although in her previous novels Aminatta Forna has grappled with wars and atrocities in Sierra Leone and the former Yugoslavia, her latest…
Review of Border by Kapka Kassabova
Have you ever read a book that seemed to contain all the right ingredients but somehow failed to live up to your…
Innovative Small Publishers Around the World
I just wrote a quick post for OZY Books highlighting 10 innovative small publishers from Australia to Brooklyn that are worth watching.
Review: Electric Arches by Eve L. Ewing
"This book is about my life and maybe also your life. And it is about the places we invent. Every story in…
The Prison of Perfection
In the earlier years of this blog, I blogged more regularly because I didn't put much pressure on myself to make each piece perfect.…
Black History Month 2048
Celebrating airbrushed versions of the heroes of the past is easy. A more urgent task is to identify and support the heroes…
“H is for Hawk” by Helen Macdonald: Review
H is for Hawk is a beautiful evocation of grief and the way in which the sudden death of a loved on…
“Tram 83” by Fiston Mwanza Mujila: Review
It isn't every day that you get to read a Congolese novel in English. In fact, the last time it happened, the…