Latest Readings — February 2023

Trust Me, I’m Lying by Ryan Holiday – Don’t believe anything you read (or watch or listen to) can be a good summary for the book. Ryan Holiday explains how coverage in media outlets – large and small – is up for grabs by interested parties. US media is the book’s main subject and most (all?) cited companies are US companies. I’m not sure how much of the criticism applies to Portuguese media. Our media certainly likes sensationalism and controversy but I’d argue they’re not pushing an agenda or fake news. I don’t think there’s much to be learned by reading the book if you’re already a skeptic.

Last Sane Man on Wall Street by Andrew Rice – Brief piece on Hindenburg Research, a company profiting off of doing research on other company’s fraud. The most interesting food for thought is how companies that show themselves to be a bit shady (e.g. Theranos, Nikola and Tether) are taken as if they were the real thing – backed by serious cash and reputable investors.

De Quase Nada a Quase Rei by Pedro Sena-Lino – Biography of Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, known more commonly as the Marquês de Pombal – a very powerful figure in Portuguese history. I found book’s writing very dry and somewhat confusing. Facts and dates were aridly stated and quotes were frequently reproduced but didn’t seem to add anything. I also found it poor on context which didn’t help in understanding what was going on.

Grey Eminence by Aldous Huxley – Biography of Father Joseph, the Grey Eminence, a Capuchin friar and France’s de facto secretary for foreign affairs and right-hand man of Cardinal Richelieu. It’s the contrast between these two sides that makes Father Joseph such an interesting character. Huxley refers to them as Ezéchiely and Tenebroso-Cavernoso. The chapter on the friar’s religious background dragged for too long and Huxley sometimes opts to slightly digress – like describing a Rubens would be painting. Huxley expresses an enormous admiration for the man, always finding a justification for the friar’s less christian actions. It was a very enjoyable read, Huxley really is a master writer, and I wholly recommend it.