I have disagreed with most of what I have read of Alain de Botton's work over the years and am not likely to read his latest, The News: A user's manual. In case you do, here is my take on what I understand him to be saying, so you can judge for yourself. In other words, here's a user's manual to his book. Read more...
It's curious how youthful optimism hasn't dimmed: I have been around long enough to be sceptical of achieving much now, but my aspirations are neither reduced nor feverish, so far as a I can see. Read more...
For a couple of years I have been what's called careful about what I eat, and have taken quite a lot of exercise. I wrote this as a kind of vanitas. Read more...