Wednesday Wonders 10

1. The Department of Truth

I have not been completely blown away by a graphic novel in a very long time. And then James Tynion IV's "The Department of Truth" came along and broke me. It's a great reminder that this medium has unique storytelling capabilities. If you want to see the JFK assassination, Aleister Crowley, Bigfoot, Donald Trump, Epstein, alien abductions and the Satanic Panic all tied together with truly incredible artwork, amazing characters and a lot of deep, deep research, then seek this out immediately. I'm going to be hoovering up everything James Tynion has done.

2. After the Plague - People of Medieval Cambridge

This is an incredible project, using all the latest science and tech to analyse the remains of people buried in the cemetery of the Hospital of Saint John in Cambridge, between 1000 and 1500 CE. The project uses all the data to produce in-depth biographies of each person. It is an incredible insight into the time, and a really absorbing rabbit-hole to explore: https://www.aftertheplague.org/people-of-medieval-cambridge

3. Deep Questions Episode 373.

Cal Newport's podcast is always interesting, but I'm highlighting the most recent episode (No. 373) because he explores five great tips for resetting your life this autumn. It's a good listen, the ideas are great, and the notion feels timely: https://www.thedeeplife.com/podcasts/episodes/ep-373-the-internets-best-advice-for-reinventing-your-life/

4. Being Offline

Or, more specifically, being away from social media. I haven't engaged with any of it for several weeks now, and I can thoroughly recommend the experience. I can read the news without anyone telling me what I'm supposed to think of it, I can watch a movie or a TV show, or listen to an album or read a book, and it's just me and the thing, and I get to make up my own mind about what I think, unencumbered by the screeching of randos. It's such a simple and obvious thing, but it feels like stepping out into the light and breathing fresh air after having been imprisoned in a public toilet for several years.

5. Actual Magazines

Related to Number 4, I can’t say enough good things about having actual printed magazines dropping through the door. Getting news from a weekly, printed source is a really great way to make the world seem marginally less awful (news that has happened and been assessed by smart people beats the hell out of minute-by-minute hysterics and hyperbole on 24hr news and social media). And there are still so many well-written long-form pieces published every month, on topics that you might not think you were interested in until the first few paragraphs suck you in. My current subscriptions:

• The Economist
• The New Yorker
• The London Review of Books
• The Idler
• Monocle
• Nautilus
• The Atlantic

Obviously your mileage on titles may vary, and not everyone wants to commit to a subscription. But grabbing a good magazine and spending an hour or two with it is worth ten times the amount of time clicking links on the internet.