The Year in Review: 2024
A list of my favourite books, films, albums and exhibitions of the year.
Lorraine Daston: Rules. A Short History of What We Live By
"Rules: A Short History of What We Live By" by Lorraine Daston is a fascinating, dense and highly readable book, which explores the concept of rules and their role in shaping human behavior.
The Year in Review: 2023
The best books that I read, the best films that I watched, the best albums that I listened to and the best exhibitions that I visited in 2023.
Ray Monk: Ludwig Wittgenstein. The Duty of Genius
Ray Monk’s excellent Wittgenstein biography "Ludwig Wittgenstein. The Duty of Genius" is a joy to read and also serves as a good introduction to his work.
Paul Griffiths: Modern Music and After
Paul Griffiths' “Modern Music and After” provides a magnificent introduction to avant-garde music, covering key composers and major works with clarity and depth.
Hans Belting: Face and Mask. A Double History
In "Face and Mask. A Double History" Hans Belting provides a detailed exploration of the historical and cultural significance of faces and masks. Through an analysis of the relationship between these two concepts, Belting presents a novel conceptual framework for rethinking the history of art.
The Best Books of 2022
The best fiction, best general non-fiction, best biography, philosophy and history books, best graphic novels, the best art and photography books and the most disappointing books that I read this past year.
Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith: Van Gogh. The Life
I thought I knew everything I needed to know to appreciate Vincent van Gogh's work. As it turns out there is a lot that I didn’t know and after reading "Van Gogh. The Life" I appreciate his work even more.
The Best Books of 2021
The best of the best, the best fiction, the best biography, the best science, philosophy and history books and the best art and photography books and the most disappointing books that I read this past year.
Jürgen Kaube: Hegels Welt
I never thought I’d ever say this, but I greatly enjoyed reading a book about Hegel. I also finally understand what Hegel was trying to do in his "Phänomenologie des Geistes" and his "Wissenschaft der Logik".
Valerie Trouet: Tree Story
As Valerie Trouet recounts the study of tree rings has made surprising contributions to our understanding of Earth's climate and the past 10,000 years of human history.
The Best Books of 2020
A selection of the best books I read this year, including best art and architecture, best book by Ali Smith and most disappointing.