Booknotes 3.18 — Blog

Sick Societies, by Robert B. Edgerton, published 1992. An anthropological critique of cultural relativism, detailing how some folk societies develop maladaptive behaviors that harm themselves or others. Fascinating book with lots of interesting (and often sad and disturbing) anecdotes. From the Psmiths’ review, which is where I heard about the book in the first place: “That’s the case the late UCLA anthropologist Robert Edgerton set out to make in Sick Societies: that some primitive societies are not actually happy and fulfilled, that some of their beliefs and institutions are inadequate or actively harmful to their people, and that some of them are frankly on their way to cultural suicide. The mere fact that people keep doing something doesn’t mean it’s actually working well for them, but just as the market can stay irrational longer than you can stay solvent, your society can stay dysfunctional longer than you can stay alive.”

Death at La Fenice, by Donna Leon, published 1992, mystery. Murder mystery set in Venice. It was okay, though I don’t think I liked the writing enough to continue the series.
The Redoubtable Pali Avramapul, by Victoria Goddard, published 2022, fantasy. Quite liked it. The first part of the book retells events from The Hands of the Emperor and The Return of Fitzroy Angursell from Pali’s perspective, which was interesting. (I probably should have read the rest of the Greenwing & Dart books before this one, by the way. I’m planning to read the rest of Goddard’s books in publication order, which I find is usually the best way to read an author’s works.)
The Midas Rain, by Adam Roberts, published 2023, science fiction. Heist story. Stylistically interesting. Liked it. Looking forward to trying one of Roberts’ novels.
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, volume 7, by Beth Brower, published 2022, fiction. Loved it as usual. And now I’m finally caught up! Just in time, apparently — my wife tells me Brower is announcing the volume 8 release date in a few weeks.