Media roundup Jun-Jul

[superborb]

An Immense World, by Ed Yong:

Pop sci about animal senses. One scientific error (if you consider light to not be instantaneous, neither are electric fields), though of course some of the science has actually updated in the years since it was written (hypotheses on why birds call in the morning). This is probably one of the best pop sci books I've read: well written, informative, and interesting, when discussing both material I already knew or didn't know. Highly recommend.

Inspector Imanishi Investigates, by Seichō Matsumoto, translated by Beth Cary:

Police detective investigates a mysterious death of an unknown person. The best parts were about 1960s Japanese society, but I overall wasn't a fan. It's probably because of expectations around coincidence, plot holes around why someone would take certain actions, that sort of thing. Was a bit of an awkward feeling translation, but I thought it was interesting that this was abridged in order to be published as a mystery and because the original was a serial and needed polish.

Wolf Hall, by Hilary Mantel (DNF):

Thomas Cromwell during his rise. Certainly the style was interesting, but I was somewhat bored 15% of the way though... I think knowing how it ends does detract (which I don't usually find to be the case). Maybe I'm too immature a reader to enjoy this like it should be because I don't care enough about the subtleties of the language? Distinct Cromwell is my woobie vibe.

Lady Eve's Last Con, by Rebecca Fraimow:

Interstellar rom-com between a con woman and the sister of the man she is trying to get revenge on. A fun romp and I love prince type (female) love interests always, but does follow rom com logic.

Memoirs of a Spacewoman, by Naomi Mitchison:

Old school sci fi about exploring other worlds! I liked this well enough, and I appreciated the weird aliens (who still felt weird today!) But am not sure the social stuff aged as well (in terms of insightfulness / interesting newness). The fascist butterflies were a lot, but I am still thinking about them a month later...

Language City, by Ross Perlin:

The history of NYC through the lens of language. Frequently fell into the trap of lists, which I did not enjoy. I learned some things, but I think less than I wished to have (despite all the lists... density of information in the form of lists is not the way...)

Wellness, by Nathan Hill:

A couple that met as counter culture college students in the 90s in Chicago face the doldrums of middle age and marriage. I was Highly Skeptical at the superficiality of the psych major's understanding of psych (I think this is really the author's gap in knowledge) -- and I think compared to the poignancy and emotion of sections that probably were more in line with the author's actual experiences e.g. of the beauty of the prairie, Wellness the company and the supposed psychological research sections felt much less realistic and therefore frustrating. HOWEVER, overall I kind of loved it? All its disparate plot strands, spanning locations, people, and time, really came together in a perfect jigsaw puzzle way, and in the end I did really want to root for the main couple as a couple. Highly recommend.

Comments

[brownbetty]

Woobie!Cromwell might be too much for me. I have always vaguely intended to read this book, but maybe I will not make any special effort

[superborb]

It is also possible that the woobie vibes were due to Cromwell's narrative of himself and not meant authorially, and/or I have only read 15% of the book and the vibes shift! But!

[shati]

though of course some of the science has actually updated in the years since it was written (hypotheses on why birds call in the morning)

I don't remember what the book said about this, but what's the update? Or is it easy to google?

I've been wondering if Wolf Hall was woobie Cromwell, thank you for this important data ...

I think I liked Language City better than you, but I don't disagree, lol.

[superborb]

In incredible timing, NPR wrote an article about it right after I finished the book! https://www.npr.org/2025/06/20/nx-s1-5436078/why-birds-sing-dawn-chorus-research-study

[nnozomi]

Frequently fell into the trap of lists, which I did not enjoy. I learned some things, but I think less than I wished to have
I know why there's always a lot of background information (as lists or otherwise) in nonfiction, because the author has to provide context etc. etc., but I tend to read it for the people who appear, so I skip a lot of the lists... (I did just that with this book, which in general I liked.)

[superborb]

I think I just really enjoyed the first chapter, so the rest of the book felt like a let down in comparison, but perhaps that's not fair to it!

[chestnut_pod]

Distinct Cromwell is my woobie vibe -- amazing sentence, just on its own.

I was Highly Skeptical at the superficiality of the psych major's understanding of psych -- *having just emerged from eating a class about Violence that was about 40% psych majors* Well… I am glad my experience is not universal.

[superborb]

Okay but she works in psych research after!! Not just an undergrad major!

[(Anonymous)]

Very fair!