Reflecting on how exorable I am.

Because I read on my phone, I always look as though I'm just on my phone rather than reading deeply impressive stuff, as I generally am. So I'm going to buy myself a hard copy of Cioran's Ecartèlement.

Just literally bought a book from the literal Vatican bookshop.

“Lucidity is the only vice which makes us free—free in a desert” - Emil Cioran, The Trouble with Being Born.

Apparently there are people who believe that regarding astrology and tarot as nonsense is misogynistic and queerphobic. This is the news.

You may be interested to learn that once you have avoided it for a quarter of a century, Moby's "Play" becomes quite enjoyable again.

I was, you will understand, entering the kingdom of death, though why this landscape was so conventional I could not say - Louise Glück.

Somewhat ironically I am mysteriously unable to find my copy of L'Avventura.

Considerably impressed by Joachim Radkau's biography of Weber.

I'm rather appalled to discover that quite a lot of people think Lars von Trier's films are good. For the avoidance of doubt, they are contrived meretricious nonsense.

On the other hand, I'm impressed by Lynn Barber's choice of music for Desert Island Discs.

Blown away more than ever by La Notte this time round.

Trying to decide which is more horrifying, Lars von Trier or Sally Rooney.

One of the more important yet little used words in the understanding of modern culture is 'velleity."

The (submerged) key to the difference between New Historicism and Cultural Materialism is Marcuse.

I have begun to feel comprehensively outnumbered.