Missive #734 Published 13 Jun 2026
In The Future of Men, Grace draws on research, interviews and her own experience to examine how these dynamics and presumptions have shifted in her lifetime, and will continue to change in coming decades. Men have been writing about the future of women since words came into existence now Grace returns the favour with this sharp, funny and personal essay.
Missive #733 Published 12 Jun 2026
143. The Donkey on the Ledge
As Nasruddin was leading his donkey down a steep mountain path, the donkey stumbled and fell.
“O God,” Nasruddin shouted, “if you save my poor donkey, I’ll donate a gold coin to the mosque!”
Miraculously, the donkey landed on the ledge below. Nasruddin was amazed. “Thank you, God!” he exclaimed. “I had no idea you were so desperate for cash!”
Then the ledge under the donkey started to crumble.
“Okay, God, okay! I’ll donate two gold coins.”
Then the ledge collapsed and the donkey plunged to its death. Nasruddin sighed. “I never thought God would drive such a hard bargain.”
Missive #732 Published 10 Jun 2026
Luke Stone was alone. And he liked it that way.An ex-bodyguard, sworn never to protect again after his last failure, Luke needed no one. Until he met Jessica Chan.A journalist with a dark past, Jessica had uncovered deadly information that made her a target. And only Luke stood between her and certain death. She was everything he didn't a woman who attracted trouble…and attracted him. But as assassins closed in and emotions ran high, Jessica might become everything he needed.….
Missive #731 Published 9 Jun 2026
She’s a friendly voice on the phone. But can you trust her?
The people who call End of the Line need hope. They need reassurance that life is worth living. But some are unlucky enough to get through to Laura. Laura doesn’t want them to hope. She wants them to die.
Laura hasn’t had it easy: she’s survived sickness and a difficult marriage only to find herself heading for forty, unsettled and angry. She doesn’t love talking to people worse off than she is. She craves it.
Missive #730 Published 8 Jun 2026
Sharpe's job as Captain of the Light Company is under threat and he has made a new enemy, a Portuguese criminal known as Ferragus. Discarded by his regiment, Sharpe wages a private war against Ferragus – a war fought through the burning, pillaged streets of Coimbra, Portugal's ancient university city.
Sharpe's Escape begins on the great, gaunt ridge of Bussaco where a joint British and Portuguese army meets the overwhelming strength of Marshall Massena's crack troops. It finishes at Torres Vedras where the French hopes of occupying Portugal quickly die.
Missive #729 Published 7 Jun 2026
Continuing The Anti-Federalist Papers
Federal Farmer XVIII
by Federal Farmer
Missive #728 Published 6 Jun 2026
In Deeds of Darkness Master Hugh learns that the Bampton coroner, an old friend, has been slain while traveling to Oxford. As he seeks the killer (or killers) he discovers a band of goliards in the area between Oxford and Bampton. But how to apprehend these youths? They have protectors far above Hugh's station. He must deal with the claims of justice on the one hand and the power of great men to protect their henchmen on the other.
Missive #727 Published 5 Jun 2026
142. Nasruddin Needs New Clothes
The whole town had put on their best clothes for the mayor’s birthday parade.
Ashamed of his threadbare garments, Nasruddin was hiding in an alley as the parade went by. “O God,” he prayed, “please give me some new clothes!”
At that moment, a man who had bought new clothes for the celebration threw his old clothes down into the alley. Joyfully, Nasruddin grabbed the bundle, only to discover these clothes were even more shabby than his own.
“God,” said Nasruddin, “you’re going to have to do better than this!” and he threw the bundle back up in the air.
Missive #726 Published 3 Jun 2026
In his boldest and most far-reaching book yet, world-famous economist Yanis Varoufakis argues that capitalism is dead and a new economic era has begun.
Insane sums of money that were supposed to re-float our economies in the wake of the financial crisis and the pandemic have ended up supercharging big tech's hold over every aspect of the economy. Capitalism's twin pillars - markets and profit - have been replaced with big tech's platforms and rents. Meanwhile, with every click and scroll, we labour like serfs to increase its power. Welcome to technofeudalism.
Missive #725 Published 1 Jun 2026
This is an interesting book but has it's downside. The author is more of a poet that a novelist and uses a lot of poems, or parts of poems, to make his points. That may be fine for those people that understand poetry but I'm not among them. He also uses fairy tales and other mythological tales as a base for the book. These stories I liked and they did help make his points. Recommended but with the qualifier.