In Guns, Germs & Steel, Jared Diamond showed how and why civilisations unfolded differently across the globe. In Collapse, he uses a five-point framework to analyse why different civilisations collapsed. He cites examples from the past and then examines modern societies, their challenges and what leads civilisations to make disastrous decisions. Not an easy read, and the depth of research sometimes overwhelms, but an insightful read.
24 stories that showcase the power of imagination. Stories that include magic, science fiction, twisty fairy tales, and ghost stories. And a fair warning – “Many of these stories end badly for at least one of the people in them. Consider yourself warned”
Goffman uses the metaphor of a theatrical performance to explore the nuances and interplay that occur in practically every interaction we have. Stages, props, audiences, and all of us actors, working on “impression management”. Not an easy read, but well worth the time.
The lockdown gave me the time to explore an old favourite. While I have read the strips online and offline, reading it in one stretch makes the contexts and narrative arcs clearer, and also allows one to dwell on personalities and their nuances. Just amazing stuff!
Ted Chiang is master of speculative fiction and the nine stories are an example of his abilities – not just the imagination, but the ability to articulate it. There is profound insight in all the stories, irrespective of its length, and across multiple streams – from artificial intelligence to free will. An absolute must-read.