Category: • Book Notes •

Through the Language Glass

by Guy Deutscher

October 2024

This is an excellent book; interesting well-documented science, and some beautiful and erudite writing as well. The basic argument — that grammar determines what must be specified, rather than what can be specified, and in that manner instills certain habits of mind that effect how people see the world — seems correct, if not quite living up to the subtitle of the book: Why the World Looks Different in Other Languages.

Perhaps the most interesting and fun part of the book was to be introduced to languages that work very differently from English: The Mates language (in Peru) that requires speakers to specify whether the fact they report is based on personal observation, indirect evidence, or hearsay; and the Australian language that has no egocentric prepositions, but requires all positional information to be reported in terms of the cardinal directions, thus requiring their speakers to always be oriented.

This book was a pleasure to read. I plan to seek out other work by this writer. 

Contents

Front Matter

On whether languages reflect the characteristics of their speakers, he writes:

Many a dinner table conversation is embellished by such vignettes, for few subjects lend themselves more readily to disquisition than the character of different languages and their speakers. And yet should these lofty observations be carried away from the conviviality of the dining room to the chill of the study, they would quickly collapse like a soufflé of airy anecdote-at best amusing and meaningless, at worst bigoted and absurd.

— p. 2

The basic argument of the book is this:

The effects that have emerged from recent research, however, are far more down to earth. They are to do with the habits of mind that language can instill on the ground level of thought: on memory, attention, perception, and associations. And while these effects may be less wild than those flaunted in the past, we shall see that some of them are no less striking for all that.

I think it is correct, but that the subtitle of the book – Why the World Looks Different in Other Languages – is a bit of an exaggeration.

C1-5: <Reprise of history and status of color terms>

C1: Naming the Rainbow

This chapter reprises now-unknown work by William Gladstone (now remembered as an English prime minister) on Homer and his writings, and focuses in on particular on one chapter in Gladstone’s monumental 3,000 page work: a chapter on Homer’s use of color terms.

Gladstone’s scrutiny of the Iliad and the Odyssey revealed that there is something awry about Homer’s descriptions of color, and the conclusions Gladstone draws from his discovery are so radical and so bewildering that his contemporaries are entirely unable to digest them and largely dismiss them out of hand. But before long, Gladstone’s conundrum will launch a thousand ships of learning, have a profound effect on the development of at least three academic disciplines, and trigger a war over the control of language between nature and culture that after 150 years shows no sign of abating.

Gladstone notes that Homer uses color terms in odd ways — the famous “wine dark sea” (really “wine-looking” sea) being just one example.

Mostly Homer, as well as other Greek authors of the period, use color very little in their descriptions: mostly they use black or white; terms for colors are used infrequently and inconsistently. For example, the only other use of “wine-looking” is to describe the color of oxen.

Gladstone’s fourth point is the vast predominance of the “most crude and elemental forms of color”-black and white-over every other. He counts that Homer uses the adjective melas (black) about 170 times in the poems, and this does not even include instances of the corresponding verb “to grow black,” as when the sea is described as “black-ening beneath the ripple of the West Wind that is newly risen.” Words meaning “white” appear around 100 times. In contrast to this abun-dance, the word eruthros (red) appears thirteen times, xanthos (yellow) is hardly found ten times, ioeis (violet) six times, and other colors even less often.

C6: Crying Whorf

This chapter describes the origin, rise and fall of linguistic relativity. Sapir is depicted as respectable but making over-stated claims; Whorf comes across as a charlatan, for example, making claims to have deeply studied Hopi, when he only had access to a single informant in New York – and making broad claims that are entirely wrong (e.g. that the Hopi language does not have a future tense). 

Deutscher traces the origin of linguistic relativity to Wilhelm von Humboldt in 1799,  whose “linguistic road to Damascus led through the Pyrennes.” Deutscher encountered the Basque language, and found that it was radically different from the languages linguists tended to study. He then sought out other ‘more exotic’ languages, which he found by going to the Vatican library and studying the notes of Jesuit missionaries to South and Central America: “…Humboldt was barely scratching the surface. But the dim ray of light that shown from his materials felt dazzling nonetheless because of the utter darkness in which he and his contemporaries had languished.” p. 135 Although Humboldt’s ideas led to linguistic relativity, it should be noted that he had a much more nuanced and correct view: In principle, any language may express any idea; the real differences among languages are not what they are able to express but in “what it encourages and stimulates its speakers to do from its own inner force.” But this view was not carried forward, and instead: “The Humboldtian ideas now underwent a process of rapid fermentation, and as the spirit of the new theory grew more powerful, the rhetoric became less sober. ”

All that said, Deutscher argues it is a mistake to dismiss the idea that language has no influence over thought. But rather than taking the strong case the language constrains thought, he instead argues the habits of language may lead to habits of mind. In the case of the influence of language, and refers to the idea that Boas introduces and that Jakobson crystalized into a maxim: “Languages differ in what they must convey, and not in what they may convey.”

Phrases I like

“…has still the power to disturb our hearts.” [Sapir, referring to Homer, Ovid, etc.] p. 129

“[His] linguistic road to Damascus led through the Pyrennes.” p. 134

“…Humboldt was barely scratching the surface. But the dim ray of light that shown from his materials felt dazzling nonetheless because of the utter darkness in which he and his contemporaries had languished.” p. 135

Views: 6

Henry V

October 2024

Reading as part of the Fall 2024 Shakespeare course — see general notes for more.

Precis

Background: Henry V is son of Henry IV, who obtained the throne by usurping it from Richard II – this means that there is some feeling that neither Henry is a legitimate ruler. Before becoming King, Henry V was a wild youth, dissipated and engaged in lascivious acts. But on his father’s death, Henry becomes a serious and mature ruler. 

The play opens with a chorus praising Henry as an unmatched warrior King. But then, the next act depicts the Archbishop of Canterbery revealing his plan to avert a harsh tax on the Church by legitimizing and encouraging Henry’s plans to invade France and take its throne.

Act 2 begins with the chorus describing the desire of the young men of England to pursue honor by participating in this war. The first scene following this shows conversation – and almost a fight, between three old soldiers who are erstwhile companions of Henry – the depicts honor as the least of their concerns. The second scene of Act shows the unmasking of traitors among the Lords who support Henry. 

Act III. The war has begun. The English army, led by Henry, lays siege to the French town of Harfleur. Before the gates, Henry delivers a rousing speech (“Once more unto the breach…”) to rally his soldiers; the siege takes a heavy toll, and the town eventually surrenders.

 In Act IV, Henry has arrived at Agincourt; his army is weary and outnumbered. Henry, in disguise, walks among his soldiers at night, listening to their fears and doubts. In the morning, Henry delivers his famous St. Crispin’s Day speech, which lifts the English spirits.

In Act V, the battle of Agincourt is won by the English. Henry returns to England, where the victory is celebrated, and then to France, to negotiate the final terms of the peace. There he woos a reluctant Princess Katherine, which marriage will solidify his claim to the thrown. The play ends with a reminder that Henry will die, and things will unravel.

Structure of the Play

1. Invasion Groundwork

  • Prologue: Chorus wishes for a greater stage, and tells audience to use its imagination.
  • 1.1 Theological Justification
    Bishops of Canterbury and Ely discuss bill that will seize money from the search; they plan to avoid it by providing a theological justification for Henry V’s claim to France, and thus his invasion. They also mention how much Henry V has changed since his father’s death: “And so the Prince obscured his contemplation / Under the veil of wildness / which, no doubt, grew like the summer grass, fastest by night / Unseen yet crescive in his facility”
  • 1.2: Bishops assure H of invasion’s morality; tennis ball mock
    Henry V     invites the Bishops to give an explication of the law regarding his claims to France, and they do so, even as Henry repeatedly asks them to be honest about it. Henry also raises the possibility of Scotland invading should he go to France, but the Bishops argue that that can be defended against. Finally, after deciding that he will take control of France, by invasion if necessary, he invites in the French ambassadors, who, in a message from the Dauphin, present him with a barrel of tennis balls. Henry says he will play play a set in France, and will “strike his father’s crown into the hazard.” Exter, uncle to the King, is present and speaks a line or two. 

2. Preparations for War

Elimination of traitors; introduction of common solidiers; preparation by France

  • Chorus: The chorus describes the excitement in England about the coming war – They sell the pasture now to buy the horse – and provide notice that three nobles – Cambridge, Scroop, and Grey –have become traitors. 
  • Bardolph, Henry’s former tavern companion, prevents two solidiers – Nym and Pistol – from fighting over Hostess Quickly, Pistol’s wife, and requires them to become friends. They are interrupted by news that Falstaff is dying. 
  • Cambridge, Scroop, and Grey are brought into Henry V’s presence, not realizing that he knows they are traitors, and are asked about whether Henry should show mercy to someone who has spoken against it. They say no, and override Henry’s wishes to show clemency. He the reveals that he knows of their betrayals, and they are all condemned to death.
  • Falstaff has died. Bardolph, Nym, Pistol and Hostess Quickly morn his death. The three men prepare to depart for France, and Pistol bids Hostess Quickly goodbye. 
  • The King of France and the Dauphin plan for the defense of France against Henry – the King is cautious, the Dauphin is not, being contemptuous of Henry, and ignoring warnings about Henry’s new ethos. Exter enters as ambassador, and asks the King of France to yield to Henry, and returns insults to the Dauphin. The King says he will answer in the morning: “A night is but small breath and little pause / To answer matters of this consequence.”

3. Invasion, part 1: Success as Harlefor surrenders

Initial success: Harlefor surrenders; commoners show cowardance; 5:1 odds

  • Chorus: Describes the departure of the English navy: …
         Play with your fancies and in them behold, 
         Upon the hempen tackle, shipboys climbing.
         Hear the shrill whistle, which doth order give 
         To sounds confused. Behold the threaden sails, 
         Borne with th’ invisible and creeping wind, 
         Draw the huge bottoms through the furrowed sea 
         Breasting the lofty surge. O, do but think 
         You stand upon the rivage and behold
         A city on th’ inconstant billows dancing…
    and notes that the French King offered the hand of his daughter and some small unprofitable dukedoms – this offer is disregarded (and is reported only after the navy is described as being launched). 
  • The invasion begins: “Once more into the breach, dear friends, once more / Or close the wall up with our English dead.” Henry makes a speech as the prepare to advance.
  • The three soldiers show their cowardence in trying to withdraw from the assault – they are driven back to it by Captain Fluellen. Captain Fluellen then engages in discussions and disputations with three other Captains: Glower, Jamy, Macmorris. [Not quite sure of the point of this scene]
  • Henry gives a speech before the gates of Harlefor, saying it is their last chance, and that they will be to blame if they do not surrender and the city is ravaged:

I  will not leave the half-achieved Harfleur 
Till in her ashes she lie buried.
     The gates of mercy shall be all shut up, 
     And the fleshed soldier, rough and hard of heart 
     In liberty of bloody hand, shall range 
     With conscience wide as hell, mowing like grass
     Your fresh fair virgins and your flow’ring infant
     What is it then to me if impious war, 
     Arrayed in flames like to the prince of fiends, 
     Do with his smirched complexion all fell feats 
Unlinked to waste and desolation?

  • Katherine, Princess of France, has one of her maids teach her English. [The scene appears to be presented in French – would the audience have understood???]
  • The governor surrenders the town, and Henry spares its citizens.
    [Neither of these things happened in history.]
  • The French nobles are embarrassed by Henry’s successful invasion. But they convince themselves they will triumph, and send an ambassador to ask what ransom Henry will offer when he is captured.
  • Ancient Pistol has distinguished himself and pleads with Captain Fluellen for the life of Bardoph, who has been sentenced to death for stealing. His plea is rejected, and he departs with a curse. Captain Fluellen talks with Henry, and mentions Bardolph, whose execution Henry upholds. The French Ambassador, Mountjoy arrives to enquire about Henry’s ransom: Henry says ‘nothing but my body.’
  • The French nobles, confident of their victory on the eve of the battle, boast and banter among themselves.

4. Invasion, part 2: Triumph at Agincourt

Eve of  battle; Henry & Williams & Fluellen; Pistol demands ransom;  triumph at Agincourt

  • The Chorus draws a beautiful picture of the two armies the night before the battle, camped across from one another, awaiting the morning. The French confident, the English anxious… but with Henry moving among them to raise morale.
         Now entertain conjecture of a time
         When creeping murmur and the poring dark
         Fills the wide vessel of the universe
    From camp to camp, through the foul womb of night,
         The hum of either army stilly sounds, 
         That the fixed sentinels almost receive 
         The secret whispers of each other’s watch.
         Fire answers fire, and through their paly flames 
         Each battle sees the other’s umbered face
  • Henry walks though his camp, in disguise. He encounters Pistol, overhears a conversation between Grover and Fluellen that leaves him impressed with the Welshman’s quality, and argues with a soldier – Williams – about the King’s responsibility for the spiritual fate of his solidiers – they exchange gloves with the intention of dueling later. Last, Henry laments his father’s usurpation of Richard II’s throne. 
  • The French nobles, about to fight, lament that the English are so few and weak.
  • Henry gives a speech of encouragement again. Responding to someone wishing for more men, Henry says he does not wish for more, and furthermore that those who do not wish to figtht will be furnished with passage home. ‘I do not wish to share the honor more than I have to,’ is his sentiment.
  • The ambassador, Mountjoy, comes again to negotiate a ransom, which Henry refuses. 
  • A French soldier surrenders to Pistol, who threatens to kill him unless he provides a ransom. 
  • The French nobles recognize that they have been defeated, and, ashamed, vow that they will die in battle. 
  • Henry hears of the deaths of York and Suffolk; unsure of whether he had victory, when he hears a French call to arms he orders all French prisoners killed. 
  • Fluellen in conversation with Grover compare Henry to Alexander the Great. Montjoy arrives with the French surrender. Williams appears with the glove, which Henry does not acknowledge; but Henry give Fluellen the other glove and sends him after Williams, and then sends others after Fluellen to prevent a full fight. 
  • William encounters Fluellen, and strikes him. The other men arrive and prevent an escalation. Henry arrives and explains what happens and ‘pardons’ Williams, and has his glove filled with crowns. [I’m not quite sure of what happens after this, especially between Williams and Fluellen—Fluellen seems to do an about face and now thinks well of Williams.] The scene ends with the numbers of the dead being announced, and Henry giving credit for the victory to god.

5. Treaty signed, and marriage

Treaty signed and Princess Kate agrees to marry Henry; Fluellen gets revenge

  • Chorus: Brings Henry back to England where he and his victory are celebrated, and then back to France where the treaty recognizing Henry as sovereign will be signed. 
  • Fluellen, via use of a cudgel, forces Pistol to eat a leek to avenge his insults; Pistol decides to return to England where he will wear his cudgel wounds to pretend to be a wounded soldier. 
  • Henry and the King of France meet, and Henry delegates negotiation to his nobles while he woos Princess Katherine – she consents to marrying him, but without, it seems to me, much understanding or enthusiasm. Henry rides roughshod over her preference not to kiss before the wedding: “O Kate, nice customs curtsy to great Kings.”

A few notes

Throughout the play we see that Henry has separated himself from his old base companions: Falstaff dies (and was previously exiled); Henry allows Barloph to be hanged for stealing; the Bishops remark on how Henry has changed.

Deception: Not much. Henry goes in disguise among his troops. Henry incident with William. Henry does not tell Fluellen what is up when he sends him after William. Henry uses lots of flowery words which it is unlikely Princess Kate will understand.

??? Is Henrys order to kill the prisoners proper?

??? Does Henry really think the war is just?

??? Henry says that if they do not surrender, governor will be responsible for soldiers’ depredations.

Quotes I like

Now entertain conjecture of a time
When creeping murmur and the poring dark
Fills the wide vessel of the universe.
From camp to camp, through the foul womb of night,
The hum of either army stilly sounds, 
That the fixed sentinels almost receive 
The secret whispers of each other’s watch.
Fire answers fire, and through their paly flames 
Each battle sees the other’s umbered face;

 I will not leave the half-achieved Harfleur 
Till in her ashes she lie buried.
The gates of mercy shall be all shut up, 
And the fleshed soldier, rough and hard of heart
In liberty of bloody hand, shall range
With conscience wide as hell, mowing like grass:
Your fresh fair virgins and your flow’ring infant
What is it then to me if impious war,
Arrayed in flames like to the prince of fiends,
Do with his smirched complexion all fell feats
Enlinked to waste and desolation?

Play with your fancies and in them behold,
Upon the hempen tackle, shipboys climbing.
Hear the shrill whistle, which doth order give
To sounds confused. Behold the threaden sails,
Borne with th’ invisible and creeping wind,
Draw the huge bottoms through the furrowes
Breasting the lofty surge. O, do but think
You stand upon the rivage and behold
A city on th’ inconstant billows dancing…

Othello

Views: 1

Measure for Measure

October 2024

Reading as part of the Fall 2024 Shakespeare course — see general notes for more.

Precis of Measure for Measure

The Duke of Vienna (aka Friar Lodowick) plans to travel abroad, leaving young Angelo as regent, empowered to enforce laws that the Duke has allowed to go fallow. However, the Duke really plans to remain in Vienna, disguised as a Friar, to see how Angelo carries out his duties. Angelo immediately shuts down many of the houses of prostitution, and condemns Claudio, a man who has only erred in having sex after handfasting but before the banns were read, to be executed. This seems extreme and disturbs many: Escalus, a judge; the Provost, who runs the jail; and Lucio, a friend of Claudio and ne’r do well Viennese noble. Lucio seeks out Isabella, Claudio’s sister, who is in the process of joining a convent, to persuade Angelo to be merciful, after protests by Escalus and the Provost fail. Angelo speaks with Isabella, steadfastly refusing, until she asks him to look into his heart and see if has not had similar feelings that led Claudio to his current straits.  Angelo wavers, and tells her to return tomorrow. In a soliloquy he reveals that is attracted to her virtue, and wishes to have sex with her. In a second interview he tells her he’ll free Claudio if she’ll sleep with him. She refuses, and he tells her if she does not relent he’ll torture Claudio to death.

Continue reading Measure for Measure

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The Tempest

October 2024

This is not being read as part of the Shakespeare course; there is a week’s break for midterms, and, as CT and I are discussing S’s plays as I read them for the course, we are adding in the Tempest for this playless week.

That said, here is a link to the Shakespeare course notes: general notes

Precis of The Tempest

Before the play: Duke Prospero deposed, with young Miranda cast adrift, but Gonzalo secreted food, water and books as gifts. Now magician-ruler of the isle, he’s bound Ariel, enslaved Caliban, and his magically-raised storm has brought his enemies to him. They are Sebastian, his usurping brother; King Alonso, who went along, and Antonio who has learnt sibling-treachery from Sebastian. Innocents too, are also present: Prince Ferdinand, Alonso’s son, and old Gonzales, faithful one. 

     The play itself: the travelers are cast separately, each group to take a journey. Ferdinand will Miranda woo; Caliban will revolt, but rue; Alonso’s overthrow is thwarted. Prospero has a change of heart, forgives those arrayed against him, All return, but Caliban, to rule Naples and Milan. 

Continue reading The Tempest

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Shakespeare course, Fall 2024

I’m taking an introductory Shakespeare course at the U of Minnesota this fall.

Week 1: Intro & Life of Shakespeare, 1

The course looks very promising. The professor, Katherine Schiel, is a Shakespeare scholar and in particular researchers the life of Shakespeare’s wife. The course focuses on literature (rather than TV and move adaptations), and the syllabus shows that we will cover eight of Shakespeare’s works, including the sonnets. I was also struck by how much more talkative and friendly the other students in the course are – both in engaging in in-class discussion, and in engaging with me.

These are more general notes; I also notes on each play read that can be found from the “About this site” page.

Continue reading Shakespeare course, Fall 2024

Views: 7

Much Ado about Nothing

October 2024

Reading as part of the Fall 2024 Shakespeare course — see general notes for more.

Precis of Much Ado About Nothing

Don Pedro and his cohort arrive at the residence of Leonato, governor of Messina, who has a daughter Hero and a niece, Beatrice. Beatrice, a witty and assertive woman has long been in a “merry war” of words with returning soldier Signor Benedict. Don Pedro decides to play match maker and deceives them both, leading each to think the other is in love with them, and so Beatrice is matched with the marriage-shy Benedict. At the same time, her cousin, Hero, is on course to wed Count Claudio, hero of the recent war, until she is framed by the villainous Don John, brother to Don Pedro. Don John’s ruse succeeds for some, pitting Beatrice and Benedict against Count Claudio, Leonato and others, until Dogberry, a crazy constable, exposes the deception carried out by John’s henchmen, Borrachio and Conrade, and everyone is reconciled and married. 

Continue reading Much Ado about Nothing

Views: 2

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

September 2024

Reading as part of the Fall 2024 Shakespeare course — see general notes for more.

Precis of A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Theseus, ruler of Athens, is to marry Hippolyta, conquered Amazon Queen, in four days. Two men, Demetrius and Lysander, are interested in Hermia; Hermia is promised to Demetrius, but is in love with Lysander. Helena, her friend from childhood, is in love with Demetrius, but he spurns her. Oberon and Titania, King and Queen of the Faeries, are amidst a long quarrel over an Indian boy. Oberon engages the Puck, Robin Goodfellow, to enchant Titania, and while he’s at it, tells puck to enchant Demetrius so that he will love Helena. Puck enchants the wrong person, Lysander, and then the right person, Demetrius, so that they are now both in pursuit of Helena, much to Hermia’s distress. Helena believes neither Lysander nor Demetrius, nor Hermia when she says she believes its true. Eventually Puck releases Lysander from the enchantment, and the marriage matches are now aligned. 

          Throughout the play, some humble townsfolk have been preparing a play for Theseus and Hippolyta’s marriage, interrupted only by Puck enchanting Bottom, the chief player, by turning his head to that of an ass. After Puck releases Bottom, the play is performed, and it is so bad that it amuses the wedding party. Puck concludes with a speech about creativity and airy nothings.  

Continue reading A Midsummer Night’s Dream

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The Light Eaters…, Zoë Schlanger

September 2024 – January 2025

These are notes on “The Light Eaters: How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth“, by Zoë Schlanger (read with Rachel). On the positive side, it changed my perspective on ‘plant behavior’ — I knew about some tropisms, but it introduced me to a whole range of ways in which plants sense and respond to their environment and surroundings. Schlanger also writes clearly, and has some lovely turns of phrase, some of which I list below. On the negative side, I think the book is marred by attempts to make it overly dramatic or paradigm-shifting — or perhaps she really buys the claim that plants can be seen as having nervous systems, agency and even consciousness. I don’t think that’s supportable, unless one really wants to broaden (and weaken) the criteria by which we assess such things, and I don’t see the value in that.

Continue reading The Light Eaters…, Zoë Schlanger

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The Taming of the Shrew, WS

Reading as part of the Fall 2024 Shakespeare course — see general notes for more.

Precis of The Taming of the Shrew

All that follows is a play within a play, put on for Christopher Sly, a drunken beggar ejected from a tavern and berated by the barmaid. A Lord returning from the hunt has the unconscious Sly installed in a Lord’s bed and, when he is awakened, tricked into believing he is a Lord who has been insane for a decade. For his entertainment, traveling players put on a play for him: The play: Baptista will not allow Bianca, his desirable daughter, to marry until her shrewish sister Kate is wed. Bianco has three suitors, Gremio a rich old man, and Hortensio; but then Luciento, a younger man arrives, and falls in love with Banca as well. All three, through various deceptions, attempt to court Bianca. In the meantime, Petruccio, friend of Luciento, arrives and court’s Kate; he is interested only in Kate’s dowery, arranges for a marriage, and then ‘tames’ Kate via gaslighting, sleep deprivation and starvation. In the meantime, Luciento has won Bianca, Hortensio has found a wealthy widow, and Gremio has disappeared. There is a double wedding, and at the feast, after others’ make fun of Petruccio, he challenges them to a contest to see whose wife is most obedient: Kate comes when called; Bianca and the Widow do not, until Kate goes to fetch them. The moral is…

Continue reading The Taming of the Shrew, WS

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Army of None: Autonomous Weapons and the Future of War, Paul Scharre

Discusses semi- and fully-autonomous weapons, our experiences with them, and the debates about their degree of autonomy and the design of policies regarding them. The author is a Pentagon defense expert, who began as an Army Ranger and developed into a defense analyst.

The book is quite interesting. It was published in 2018, so given the advances in AI since then, it feels a little dated. But still much of interest. Could have been significantly shorter. But glad to have read.

Continue reading Army of None: Autonomous Weapons and the Future of War, Paul Scharre

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The Power Law: Venture Capital &…, Sebastian Mallaby

May 2024

I did not do a thorough reading of this book due to other commitments; the parts I have read are quite good, and so I am a bit sorry about that. Athough on the other hand this is not aligned with my current projects/interests, so I will probably let it go.

Here are the notes I have:

Precis

The book explores venture capital and its impact on the technology sector and the broader economy – looks at its beginnings in the mid-20th century and follows it up to the present day. Its theme is that VC depends on the power law, in which a small proportion of investments result in a few huge wins  that more than compensate for all the other losses. Many big risks, a few huge rewards.

Examples covered in the book include:Fairchild; Genentech; Apple; Google; Amazon; Ebay; Twitter; Uber

Continue reading The Power Law: Venture Capital &…, Sebastian Mallaby

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w/CJS: Best Science & Nature Writing, 2022

April 2024 on…

Reading The Best American Science and Nature Writing , 2022 (ed. Ayaba Elizabeth Johnson) with CJS.

So far, as of May 2024, this is a very enjoyable read. I particularly appreciate the efforts of the editor to create a nice progression of topics, giving what is essentially an eclectic sampling of articles a higher level narrative.

September 2024: Nearing the end; still an enjoyable read.

Favorites

After finishing the book, here are my favorites

Top Five Six

  • C2 – What Slime Knows. Really gave me a new view of slime molds. I hadn’t realized the degree of intelligence a seemingly simple colonial organism can possess. Offers a counter-narrative to the usual ideas about what is necessary for intelligence.
  • !! C7- Rising Groundwater. This is the biggest eye-opener in the book, at least for me. While sea level rise will have very obvious impacts on costal regions, this makes the point that sea water will also cause a rise in ground water and, with or without infiltrating it, will cause a lot of problems for a lot more people than are effected directly by sea level rise. Think corroding water and gas pipes, malfunctioning sewage systems, and failing electical systems. This is one I’ll tell other people about.
  • C15: Poisoned—Part I: The Factory. Not a pleasant story. Talks about working conditions in a battery recycling factory, the horrible degree of exposure to lead, and the toll it takes on the workers. Shocking for two reasons: one is that the company behind this is based in Minnesota, and is in theory doing good things (recycling lead from batteries); second, that the industry and factories are regulated, but that in spite of that conditions are horrible.
  • !! C25 – Why Combining Farms & Solar Panels Could Transform How We Produce Both Food and Energy. A hopeful and plausible tale about how we can do better quite easily. A win-win. Perspective shifting and positive. I’ll mention this to others.
  • : – ) C28 – Beavers Are Firefighters Who Work for Free (Sierra) A perspective shifting article on role beavers can play in making land more resistant to wildfires, and also points out that the autonomy of tribes can allow them to take the forefront in experimenting with more sustainable approaches to environmental problems.
  • : – ) C32 – A River Reawakened (Orion). Not a perspective shifter, but just a very pleasant positive piece on what happens when a river is undammed, the problems that need to be addressed, and the rapidity of recovery. This was going to be an honorable mention, but I liked it too much!

Honorable Mentions

Continue reading w/CJS: Best Science & Nature Writing, 2022

Views: 16

BG: The Dictionary People: : The Unsung Heroes who Created the Oxford English Dictionary, Sarah Olgilvie

March 2024

Book Group: The Dictionary People: The Unsung Heros who Created the Oxford English Dictionary, Sarah Olgilvie, 2023

A pleasant read. I can’t say it was deeply engaging, or that it gave me a new perspective on anything, but it was an interesting snapshot of a time and of the project to produce the OID; and it provided glimpses of the lives of those who contributed words and usage examples to the dictionary.

Continue reading BG: The Dictionary People: : The Unsung Heroes who Created the Oxford English Dictionary, Sarah Olgilvie

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w/RB: The Master Builder: How the New Science of the Cell is Rewriting the Story of Life, Alfonso Martinez Arias

* The Master Builder: How the New Science of the Cell is Rewriting the Story of Life, Alfonso Martinez Arias, 2023

March 2023…

I am reading this book with RB, a chapter or two at a time. My first impression is that it is going to be a great read. It has interesting and new-to-me science straight from a scientist who has spent his career studying this area, and it is well written too.

The premise of the book is that DNA gets too much credit for its role in shaping organisms, and that it is also important to pay attention to the ways in which cells carry out the ‘instructions’ of DNA. Unlike DNA, cells can respond to their environment, sense ambient conditions at the cellular level, and respond to distance and orientation. Quite a number of things that we would presume would be determined by genetics — everything from finger prints and retinal patterns to birth defects, propensity to diseases, and the location of organs in the human body — are determined by cells rather than DNA.

Continue reading w/RB: The Master Builder: How the New Science of the Cell is Rewriting the Story of Life, Alfonso Martinez Arias

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LS: A Wilder Time,* William E. Glassley

*A Wilder Time: Notes from a Geologist at the Edge of the Greenland Ice. William E. Grassley, 2018.

A lyrical book that provides an account of a geologic expedition to gather evidence for a 1.8 Ga collision between continents that resulted in a series of shear zones in western Greenland. Also important for providing evidence that plate tectonics has been going on for a long time, something that has been contested. Content is quite interesting, but I also appreciate it for its lyrical writing about landscape and geology, which is this focus of my “LS” project.

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EP#14: 2023 Best Science & Nature Writing–Overview

* The Best American Science and Nature Writing of 2023 (ed. Carl Zimmer)

February – March 2024

CT and I selected this book to continue our essay project. However, after reading the first three pieces, we have reconsidered. Although the articles are interesting, they are not what either of would call essays. It’s really journalism, with the focus on ideas. The prose is generally clear and workman like, but as yet we have not encountered any writing that makes us pause to savor the phrase. We intend to look through the book, and — by paying attention to where the piece was originally published – see if we can come up with more essay-like pieces. However, we both suspect, that the book will not past muster vis a vis our project, and that we will move on to something else following our next meeting.

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LS: Land Above the Trees: A Guide to American Alpine Tundra, Ann Zwinger & Beatrice E. Willard

February 2024…

This book was recommended in Kim Stanley Robinson’s The High Sierra: A Love Story, as a good guide to the ecology and botany of the Sierra Nevada (and the upper portions of other North American ranges). And, indeed, it is beautifully written with a narrative style in which the reader moves through landscapes with the authors, looking at this and that, in contrast to what I had expected would be more of a catalog or encyclopedic approach. The book is divided into two principle parts: part 1 examines elements of ‘above the trees’ ecosystems, like fellfields or krumholtz; part 2 looks at particular North American tundra ecosystems, with one chapter being on the Sierra Nevada.

Continue reading LS: Land Above the Trees: A Guide to American Alpine Tundra, Ann Zwinger & Beatrice E. Willard

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BG: Medici Money: Banking, Metaphysics, and Art in Fifteenth Century Florence, Tim Parks

February 2024

Book Group: Medici Money: Banking, Metaphysics, and Art in Fifteenth Century Florence, Tim Parks, 2005.

My initial impression, after one chapter, is that it will be a pretty straightforward read – it is not clear to me if it will be anything other than a slightly-dramatized history of the Medici’s. Parks is not a historian, cites no references, and has a 4-page “Bibliographic Note” which makes it clear that he doesn’t think much of academics. All this does not make me optimistic.

Final impression: My initial impression was accurate, but I did learn some very general things.

  • Most interesting was to understand how chaotic the Italian City States were at the time.
    • There were continual wars conducted by mercenary armies; citizens were taxed to support the wars, and some smaller towns were sometimes looted or ravished, but mostly the wars didn’t involve civilians
    • Many governments were nominally ‘elite republics’ that were governed by councils of members of powerful families, but in practice it appears that one family would typically be in power, and would uses a combination of nepotism and favoritism to stay in power.
    • Italy consisted of five power centers that were continually shifting alliances: Naples in the south, Rome farther north, and then Milan, Florence and Venice. When one would become dominant, a couple others would enter an alliance against ti.
  • Also of interest was the way banks worked
    • While banks loaned money and effectively collected interest, that counted as usury and so they used various facades to avoid the appearance of usury
    • Banks also needed to participate in trading to create means of getting repayment for their investments
    • Bankers also, apparently because they were really concerned about their souls, cultivated close relationships with the catholic church to achieve absolution.
  • As time went on
    • the Church became more and more corrupt, and became of less use as a way of allowing bankers to ‘purify’ themselves by association
      • bankers, in an effort to cultivate a high social status, made more and more loans to princes and others who could not be counted on to repay them in anything but social capital.
      • the generations of Medici morphed from
        (1) just bankers who kept a low social profile (e.g., Giovani),
        (2) bankers and behind-the-scenes political operators (e.g.,Cosimo);
        (3) primarily politicians and elite patrons with little compentence in banking (e.g., Lorenzo)
Continue reading BG: Medici Money: Banking, Metaphysics, and Art in Fifteenth Century Florence, Tim Parks

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w/CS: Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal, Mary Roach

January-February 2024

Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal, Mary Roach, 2022. I am reading the with CS. Mary Roach is a popular science writer who has developed a ‘brand’ of doing popular science books with toungue-in-cheek titles like Gulp, Stiff, Bonk, and so forth.

My impression after the first two chapters is that it will be a fun, fairly light read. She is very good at tossing in the amusing descriptive phrase.

Continue reading w/CS: Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal, Mary Roach

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EP #`13: Awakenings, Oliver Sacks

January 2024

Entry 13 in the Essays Project with CT; this is the seventh book we’ve read by Oliver Sacks. This is the book that, with the help of a documentary and then movie, transformed him into something of a celebrity. It is an account of the experience of ‘awakening’ patients with Parkinson’s induced by Encephalitis Lethargia by administering L-Dopa, their experiences of returning to a sort of normal life, and then their declines due to the follow-on negative effects of L-Dopa.

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