Books

Day eight: The Things They Carried 

This was my first reread since I was a teenager and I’m pleased to report that it holds up. The writing is excellent and the stories hit like one ton of bricks after another. 

Its posture towards war is right down the middle. Not as willing to address the special bonding or moments of excitement as War by Junger. But doesn’t treat it as a series of unmitigated miseries like All Quiet on the Western Front. 

It does a good job of looking fear and shame in the face, in the tradition of Red Badge of Courage. But it also has one of the best lines about courage ever written. To paraphrase: it’s a muscle you build, not a hoard you store up to draw down when you need it. 

This is tenth grade English teachers’ favorite book to assign for good reason. Great writing, great storytelling, universally accessible. Five stars.

Day nine: The Ancient City

An incredible portrait of life in ancient times, centered around how early religion grew into early civic life. 

If you think about the Roman Empire every day and you haven’t read this yet, you should treat yourself. 

It’s so juicy and homey compared to the sanitized and streamlined histories of wars and large scale politics. 

I keep multiple copies in my house to give away so that I don’t end up losing my personal copy. 

The most vivid and human look at life in classical Greece and Rome. Pound for pound my favorite book on ancient times. 

Five stars. Keep the home fire burning 🫡

I’ve been thinking about how taxes are analogous to keeping the home fire burning.