Weekend Reading #296

This is the two-hundred-and-ninety-sixth weekly edition of our newsletter, Weekend Reading, sent out on Saturday 14th December 2024

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What we're thinking.

A pretty uneventful week in markets all round. It seems we are on autopilot until year end unless something dramatic unfolds. Away from markets, well Syria did indeed change hands bringing Turkey and Israel within touching distance of each other. If nothing else, then this development is something to keep an eye on. Two of the world's leading militaries that close together with differing views on life, the universe and everything else. Let’s hope there are no fireworks. 

This is the last newsletter of 2024. We will be taking a much-needed rest. 2025 is going to be lit. We will return with our newsletter on January 11th, 2025. We usually can’t stay still for that long, but we are REALLY going to try. We wish all of our readers a restful festive season with family and friends, and we thank you deeply for reading and considering our rather unusual musings each weekend. Go touch some grass as they say.  

What we're reading.

The third book in Wilbur Smith’s ancient Egypt series, Warlock, was spectacular. It continues to follow the fortunes of eunuch former slave, Taita, who is now serving his third generation of Egyptian royalty. This book was the best of the bunch. What particularly appeals to me is how much of the book focuses on Taita’s mystical abilities, something which was alluded to in earlier books but really features in this one. There are still quite a few books to go and despite these days finding it so hard to keep with a series of books, I would bet on myself to finish the series. 

Somewhat disturbingly I came across this photo of a quote found in the ransacked, private home of Bashar Al-Assad. Disturbing because it’s one of my favourite quotes that I have shared in this very newsletter before. I remember when at school, once reading about a holocaust survivor who said that she couldn’t believe that both she and Hitler both loved listening to Wagner’s music.  

On the topic of Assad, two much heralded historians wrote pieces on Syria, Simon Sebag Montefiore and Peter Frankopan are both worth reading on the topic. Not much surprise in here in terms of what they say but it's the panache that's impressive especially the former.

Konstantin Kisin is someone I really like to pay attention to. And his musings on today’s Britain are worth a read. This is an excellent precis of where we are today. The question is: what are we going to do about it. DC 

Last week saw the latest of Brandon Sanderson’s works being released: Wind and Truth, the latest in The Stormlight Archive series, further adding to his ever-expanding universe. The fifth in the series, it recontextualises events from previous books and provides answers to some long-running mysteries. It remains a modern-day wonder how he is able to write so prolifically yet remain consistent and coherent in world-building and crafting engaging and gripping narratives. Wind and Truth is a massive piece of work and will take some time to get through, and it is beyond question that Sanderson should be counted amongst the greatest writers of our times. EL 

What we're watching.

Franklin on Apple TV is the story of what happened when Franklin was despatched to France to convince Louis XVI to support America in its war of independence with Britain. It stars Michael Douglas as Franklin himself. It’s excellent and educational all at once! DC 

What we're listening to.

I listened to quite a few pods this week and can’t remember any of them. This is probably as good a message as any to say stop listening for a bit and take a breather. Sometimes you just have to listen to what the universe is telling you. DC