books

June 19, 2021 by achrilock

“In short, Europe’s colonization of Africa had nothing to do with differences between European and African peoples themselves, as white racists assume. Rather, it was due to accidents of geography and biogeography—in particular, to the continents’ different areas, axes, and suites of wild plant and animal species. That is, the different historical trajectories of Africa and Europe stem ultimately from differences in real estate.”
— Jared Diamond, ‘Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies’

Pages: 1 2

https://achrilock.com/2021/06/19/10587/

June 17, 2021 by achrilock

“He said, They’ve got life rafts, right?
We don’t know, we said. Inflatables, you mean?
Yeah.
I guess so.
So, they’ll either get those inflated and over the side or they won’t. If they don’t, they’ll get what’s coming to them.”
— Kim Stanley Robinson, ‘The Ministry for the Future’

Pages: 1 2

https://achrilock.com/2021/06/17/10533/

June 17, 2021 by achrilock

“They stand in time’s eye like principalities and powers, only on a shorter scale.”
— John Christopher, ‘The Death of Grass’

Pages: 1 2

https://achrilock.com/2021/06/17/10516/

June 16, 2021 by achrilock

“The poverty rate in the United States is half again as high as in Canada and the U.K., twice as high as in the Netherlands and France, and three times as high as in Finland, Iceland, and the-country-we-are-not, Denmark.
Then, of course, there’s healthcare.”
— Kurt Andersen, ‘Evil Geniuses: The Unmaking of America: A Recent History’

Pages: 1 2

https://achrilock.com/2021/06/16/10480/

June 15, 2021 by achrilock

“No matter how it exercises your temper, Mr. Quill, it is long established that a strict reading of the traditional text of the witchcraft laws leads to the conclusion that the involvement of Satan is not stipulated but rather must be proved. That the possession of an extraordinary ability is not prima facie evidence of Satanic involvement, and that this specifically arises from the tradition of ecclesiastical law, which must always leave room for the possibility of a miracle enacted by faith in Jesus Christ and the intervention of heaven.”
— Orson Scott Card, ‘Heartfire’

Pages: 1 2

https://achrilock.com/2021/06/15/10461/

June 14, 2021 by achrilock

“‘That which is to be healed will be healed,’ Linda Lampton said. ‘That which is to be destroyed will be destroyed.’”
— Philip K. Dick, ‘VALIS’

Pages: 1 2

https://achrilock.com/2021/06/14/10442/

June 14, 2021 by achrilock

“People sometimes say no one saw it coming, but no, wrong: they did.”
— Kim Stanley Robinson, ‘New York 2140’

Pages: 1 2

https://achrilock.com/2021/06/14/10431/

June 13, 2021 by achrilock

“Feeling conflicted about fast-talking the slow-witted? Don’t be! It’s usually better to use your charisma (or caps) to solve problems, though stealing the key is always available for those of a sneaky disposition.”
— Bethesda, ‘Vault Dweller’s Survival Guide’

Pages: 1 2

https://achrilock.com/2021/06/13/10408/

June 12, 2021 by achrilock

“‘Maybe we should put it up on the scoreboard,’ joked Lepidus.
‘I’m sure the tributes would find that helpful,’ said Coriolanus. ‘Seriously, that’s a good idea.’”
— Suzanne Collins, ‘The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’

Pages: 1 2

https://achrilock.com/2021/06/12/10383/

June 11, 2021 by achrilock

“The Candor man wears a black suit with a white tie—Candor standard uniform. Their faction values honesty and sees the truth as black and white, so that is what they wear.”
— Veronica Roth, ‘Divergent’

Pages: 1 2

https://achrilock.com/2021/06/11/10361/

June 10, 2021 by achrilock

“A succinct recitation of how it was that all real estate in the state, and the whole country, was ultimately owned by the government, and everyone else just had a kind of permission to occupy it or extract resources from it or both. An idea at the base of American law that went all the way back to William the Conqueror divvying up England among his victorious warlords. But one that, when you dug down to the roots, had no principled basis—just whatever force had been able to take it and keep it. If you could expose the flaws behind that premise, it would upend the whole system.”
— Christopher Brown, ‘Rule of Capture’

Pages: 1 2

https://achrilock.com/2021/06/10/10330/

June 9, 2021 by achrilock

“He shook out even more coins, haphazardly. The clink-clink-clink of metal falling upon metal echoed in the foyer.”
— Scott Lynch, ‘Red Seas Under Red Skies’

Pages: 1 2

https://achrilock.com/2021/06/09/10311/

June 9, 2021 by achrilock

“If they were going to read what he was working on, he might as well see if he could scare them back.”
— Christopher Brown, ‘Rule of Capture’

Pages: 1 2

https://achrilock.com/2021/06/09/10296/