Dear lovers of mystery, music, and meaning,

⏳ Thanks to BookTok, I became aware of Solvej Balle’s On the Calculation of Volume series. I’m currently reading the second novel, which was translated into English and published earlier this year. The series is an exploration of a “time loop” experienced by the protagonist who awakes to find that each day is still November 18. It’s moody (French) and mysterious and weird. I’m eager to continue reading this series and see where it goes.

🏢 Another recently published book is about a building complex that has always fascinated me: the Citicorp Center in New York City and the small St. Peter’s Lutheran Church that sits in its shadow. I’ve been fascinated by this place ever since watching a PBS documentary about the tuned mass damper at the top of Citicorp Tower many years ago. (If the documentary mentioned the church that lies under the corner of the lofted skyscraper, it didn’t register.)

The Great Miscalculation, by Michael M. Greenburg, does a wonderful job of setting the stage. An aging Lutheran church building, an energetic new pastor, a vibrant Jazz ministry, an opportunistic developer, a Lutheran bank executive — all of these things come together for a very creative approach to building a skyscraper, some public space, and re-housing a historic congregation. 

Both Citicorp Tower and St. Peter's Lutheran Church remain impressive today. Since 1977, the white triangular roof of the Tower has been a distinctive part of the New York City skyline. I finally had a chance to visit the church in 2019 and see the interior designed by Massimo Vignelli. The book details a problem that could have brought it all crashing down — literally.

Until next week,
-David