Photo: Regent Street decorated for Pride, June 2022
Hello Interoperable readers, June was merely a decent reading month, not the great reading month I might have hoped for. I must admit that news from my home country that Women's rights are being stripped away has made my largely escapist reading habit hard to keep up with. As I type this, the Supreme Court seems hell-bent on slashing through more legislation.
- Mythos: The Greek Myths Retold By Stephen Fry
Stephen Fry is undeniably a once-in-a-generation entertainer, a raconteur in the truest sense of the word. Despite counting myself a fan, this is my first time consuming his long-form writing despite having watched hours of QI and listened to Fry's voice for countless more hours (In my, opinion Fry's version is the definitive audiobook of the Potter series) Mythos is a collection of contemporary retellings of Greek myths. Admittedly my knowledge of Greek Mythology begins with Disney's Hercules and ends with scratching the surface of myths as an art student. I think this is best enjoyed as an audiobook Fry's prose read by Fry is massively entertaining. (✶✶✶✶) - Draft No. 4: On the Writing Process by John McPhee
McPhee is possibly our most significant living non-fiction writer, and Draft No. 4 is his guide to writing based on a lifetime of teaching at Princeton University. It is both broadly insightful and accessible, even to someone unfamiliar with McPhee's writing (I'm a fan of Uncommon Carriers if you are keen on a recommendation). I think this is an excellent read for anyone wanting to hone their writing skills further, and along with an earlier reading challenge book, How to Take Smart Notes, will remain part of my permanent writing reference collection (✶✶✶✶✶) - Rice's Church Primer by Matthew Rice
Matthew Rice is best known for his architectural guides done in his unique and playful style. Church Primer, as it says on the tin, focuses specifically on church architecture of Rice's native Britain. I'm a big fan of Rice's work, a more grown-up version of those big "what's inside of a castle" books I remember from elementary school. Unless you're specifically into religious architecture, I would heartily recommend Rice's Language of Buildings (✶✶✶✶) - The Old Ways: A Journey on Foot by Robert Macfarlane
The Old Ways is my second Macfarlane read after reading the lovely Landmarks during a trip to Scotland in late 2019. Macfarlane's research and writing intersect at the intersection of language and landscape, possibly one of the most exciting places for a reader like me. Macfarlane's books have been one of my favourite ways I've learned about my current home here in the UK. (✶✶✶1/2)
✷✷✷✷✷✷✷
I'm Tyler Dickey, and this is my newsletter Interoperable. In this space, I celebrate my never-ending love for reliable, available, and maintainable systems like RSS and telephony and write about topics that interest me: art, reading, making things, and technology. Please consider subscribing or following me elsewhere on the internet: Website | Instagram | Twitter