The Monday Mix (15/11/2021)
Hey friends,
Again, I’m late in sending this out, so I’m going to jump straight into what I want to share as there’s not much to report from my end.
Serial Killer Expert
This is one of the most intriguing and bizarre stories I’ve read all year. I’m not sure a brief summary here can do it justice. It’s a wacky tale of how an amateur enthusiast of serial killers (yes, I said it was bizarre), became a national celebrity in France and how his story began to unravel. It’s a long read but well worth it.
The Bad Guys Are Winning
Anne Applebaum is quite possibly the best political writer on the planet right now. Every time she posts a new story, I learn something new. This is a look at the rise of autocracies across the globe and how the trend of the 20th century, which saw an increase in liberal democracies, is being eroded by the reverse in the 21st century. An essential read.
Being 97
This is a really powerful documentary that follows an American philosopher in the latter years of his life. As someone in their early thirties, hopefully, I have many years ahead of me. Yet, the reality is one day, I will go the way of every other human who has walked this Earth. It’s uncomfortable to confront your own mortality, but at the same time, it’s a powerful tool we can use to reflect on to help us make the most of our lives.
Book I’m reading - To Hell And Back: Europe 1914-1949 by Ian Kershaw
This is the precursor to the recent book I read on Europe’s postwar history. It’s written by the same author, Ian Kershaw, and is just as engrossing. I studied a lot of this when I was at school and university, but it’s nice to revisit it and learn a lot of new things too. If you're looking for an overview of this period, this is the book you should read.
Quote I’m pondering: “There seems a general rule that, the more obviously one’s work benefits other people, the less one is likely to be paid for it.” - David Graeber
That’s all for this week.
Until next time,
Tom