Policymaking and law aren’t rocket science. They’re much harder than that. Here’s an introductory lesson in public debate, for all the scientists who think they don’t need it.

Motivated in part by a guest, I read even more books than usual last month. From literary fiction to dark fantasy, satire, and two very different works of nonfiction, here’s what I thought of them.

As a relatively mild Mud Season came and went here in western Massachusetts, I read an immensely fun LitRPG bestseller, some dark fantasy stories, an eye-opening historical survey, and a lovely tale of people facing disaster with dignity and art.

My March reading spanned global capitalism, a guide to personal journaling, a depressingly realistic dystopia, a page-turner about taxes, and a celebrated time travel novel. Here’s what I thought of each of these books.

I finally set up one of those email newsletter things, so anyone who wants to keep up with my blogs can do so more easily.

The Great Blizzard of 2026 only grazed us, with less than a foot of snow falling, but between the other snowstorms and a brutal cold snap, it was still a good month to curl up in a warm house with some good books.

Last year’s reading pace shows no signs of abating, and in January I happened to pick some great books from my long list. The three award-winning novels I read were all excellent, in completely different ways, and the nonfiction book that accompanied me through most of my January workouts was a solid piece of reporting with only a few minor flaws. Laura and I also finished the third co-operative game in a fun series.

December arrived cold and snowy, perfect weather for sitting indoors with a cup of hot tea and a good book. I finished a trilogy I’d started a couple of months ago, read two books about food, and enjoyed a well-crafted memoir.

In November, I read three books and listened to a fourth, which I count as reading. The selection included an interesting historical biography, a somewhat informative book on corporate innovation, and two pretty good novels. Laura and I also played a couple of excellent co-operative iPad games.

My October reading included a fantasy trilogy, the first volume of another trilogy, and a fun book about the joys of poetry.

Another editor allowed my fiction into their publication, this time a very short story (under 1,000 words) in Nature: Futures, the prestigious scientific journal’s flash fiction column.

In September I read a hilarious satire, a pretty good continuation of a fun series, and a work of speculative fiction that could also qualify as serious literature. After that, I played a few good games my wife recommended.