“If you were to ask me what is the single most amazing thing that science has ever done, I would say: calculating the birthdate of the universe”
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'The audiobook version of The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao is narrated by the legendary Lin-Manuel Miranda and Karen Olivo, who also won a Tony for her role in West Side Story.'
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While researching Maoism, China expert Julia Lovell battled against two incorrect assumptions: “firstly that Maoism is a story of China; and secondly that Maoism is a story of the past.”
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'It’s the first book I read where I was absolutely rooting for the villain, my entire emotional energy focused on willing him not to get caught.' The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith — currently appearing on the screen for at least the 3rd time:
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Literary historian & critic Stephen Greenblatt recommends Five Books on Adam & Eve, discusses the sensuality of the Hebrew language, Augustine & slippery slopes, the human tendency to self-destruct, Milton on modern love, & what counts as a metaphor 📚 👉🏼 fivebooks.com/best-books/ada…

“Chemists use test tubes and Bunsen burners; what do economists use?”
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“I’ve chosen books that I think are incredibly important and not too threatening to read if you haven’t studied philosophy formally” Nigel Warburton 🇺🇦 #FreeUkraine chooses five key texts in the Western philosophical canon. Which ones would you choose?
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Metal music, developed in the sixties and seventies, is notorious for its dark and disturbing imagery and its aggressive sound. But there's nothing to be afraid of, says sociologist and fan Keith Kahn-Harris: it's all part of the mythmaking of metal:
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“The psychological effect of these exercises in self-deprivation is that when you come out of them you enjoy what you have much more”
Philosopher Massimo Pigliucci recommends books on Stoicism:
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They were young, they were radical, they influenced everything from Nietzsche to The Sound of Music. Angela Hobbs (Angie Hobbs) introduces the best books on the Presocratics.
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'When I feel my faith flagging in the whole enterprise of fiction – and all writers experience this – a few pages of Updike will restore my energies and optimism.' Ian McEwan on some of the books that inspired his novels:
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'I became a good friend of his, our children went to the same school, we covered stories together.' Our interview with British journalist Richard Beeston (1962-2013) on Britain's most famous spy, Stalin's show trials, and other books he enjoyed:
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“She was a gifted, perceptive and knowledgeable mathematician, with a keen eye for detail, fascination with big questions, and flair for deep insights” Ursula Martin recommends books to learn more about Ada Lovelace (1815-1852)
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William Shakespeare: so influential as a writer, yet whose works influenced him? How do we reconstruct what he read?

Robert S Miola discusses the staggeringly innovative ways that Shakespeare shaped his sources

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It’s book day! A good occasion to check out Five Books for new ideas. As someone who adores traditionally structured novels, I enjoyed Tim Parks’ recommendations on Italian lit. I would add #TheBetrothed , which has accompanied me for a lifetime. Jason Furman: what say you?

'The very best books are often those that look the most closely but think most broadly '
Our 2011 interview with Robert Macfarlane on 'Wild Places'
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If you’re going to look at the past, you have to understand the people who were living there and see the world through their eyes, says historian and Renaissance specialist Kenneth Bartlett. He picks the best books written during the Italian Renaissance.
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'Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.' —Arthur C Clarke (1917-2008)
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