What We Are Reading Today: Monsters

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Updated 04 May 2023
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What We Are Reading Today: Monsters

Author: Claire Dederer

Claire Dederer’s “Monsters” a passionate, provocative, blisteringly smart interrogation of how we make and experience art in the age of #MeToo, and of the link between genius and monstrosity.

Dederer explores the audience’s relationship with artists from Woody Allen to Michael Jackson, asking: How do we balance our undeniable sense of moral outrage with our equally undeniable love of the work?  In a more troubling vein, she wonders if an artist needs to be a monster in order to create something great. 

Highly topical and honest to the core, “Monsters” is certain to incite a conversation about whether and how we can separate artists from their art.


What We Are Reading Today: ‘Geology’ by David Bainbridge

Updated 22 February 2026
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘Geology’ by David Bainbridge

The geological processes that underlie all life on Earth can seem intimidatingly vast, ancient, and sometimes even alien. 

Our planet’s dynamics have fascinated humans for millennia, yet only recently have we developed a clear picture of how they work. 

This book presents the discoveries and critical scientific advances that inform our understanding of Earth’s origins and the forces driving geological change. 

Each chapter tells a key piece of the story, focusing on a major aspect of geology that shapes how we experience our world.