Category: Uncategorized
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Nelson’s Jane: A Murder
Jane: A Murder Maggie Nelson Maggie Nelson is one of my favorite writers. Her book the Argonauts knocked me on my ass. Its still one of my go-to gift books. I’ve read almost everything she has written and honestly, you can’t go wrong. But if you want to start somewhere really excellent, I suggest the…
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Cline’s The Girls
The Girls Emma Cline A novel about a cult leader, very much like Manson, and a woman, very much like Susan Atkins, who befriend / seduce a very young teenage girl and bring her into the dark side of the post-summer of love hippie land. Our hero, the very young teenage girl (Evie) is lost,…
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Brown’s The Boys in the Boat
The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics Daniel James Brown Dad literature in extremis. Which usually isn’t something that turns me off, but this time, it was all just a bit too much bootstrapping, a bit too much greatest generation propaganda, a bit too…
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Kurtz’s Stronger Than Iron
Stronger Than Iron: Not Finishing Was Not An Option Wayne Kurtz and Stefan Zetterstrom There are endurance events, like a marathon, or even a half marathon. And then there are ultra endurance events, like 50 milers and hundred milers, and, I’d argue, ironmans. But then there is shit that is just so crazy that’s its…
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Walker’s Why We Sleep
Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams Matthew Walker, Phd. A truly terrifying book about the long term health consequences of cutting your sleep short. Especially if, like me, you’re the parent of young children, who drinks coffee and alcohol. Its all around a grim scene, increased risk of all cause morbidity,…
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Bonne’s New Rules for Wine
New Rules for Wine: A Genuinely Helpful Guide to Everything You Need to Know John Bonne Widely thought of as one of the best books on wine in the last decade, this one does not disappoint. A clear, concise, and approachable guide to drinking wine today. Filled with insights and tips that will be helpful…
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Wrights Why Buddhism is True
Why Buddhism is True: The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment. Robert Wright This book is about much, much more than the truth of Buddhism. Yes, it convincingly makes the argument that the central tenet of Buddhism (i.e. there is no “you”) is true but it does so by marshalling the best that cognitive…
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Milo and the Calf Hits 250,000: Top 25 Post and Pages
So this trusty old website just went over 250,000 hits. That’s nothing in the world of big internet, but for little old me and my eccentric tastes, it’s a lot. As has become my tradition, I figured I’d take a moment here to say thanks to everyone who has stopped by, and to note the…
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Review: Knecht’s Who Is Vera Kelly
Who Is Vera Kelly Rosalie Knecht A clever spy novel that doubles as a coming out story, while also being an disection of gender and sexuality in 1950-60s American and is an subtle exposition of the catastrophic effects of U.S. involvement in Latin America. Many spy novelists are ostensibly liberals (LeCarre, Steinhauer come to mind)…
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Review: Holiday’s The Obstacle Is the Way
The Obstacle if the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph Ryan Holiday When I first heard of Ryan Holiday, and his mini-stoicism inspired empire, I figured he was probably an asshole. It was all a bit too Silicon Valley bro-y for me (and I’m someone with a deep interest in stoicism and…
Milo and the Calf 