February was my worst month since records began, at least for my reading. It seemed like no matter what I tried, life would conspire to keep me from my books. What rescued me was that I was reading a spectacular book (recommended below) which, as well as being riveting, reminded me how good my life is. I am grateful to live outside war zones and famine stricken counties. I’m grateful to have access to goods from around the world at truly tiny prices. And I am grateful for the freedoms both personally and politically I am blessed to have.

Fiction Bite - His first grandchild

I hurried behind his long strides as we channelled through the corridor.

‘Let me in,’ he barked.

‘Sir, they’re in the middle—’

‘If you want to keep your job,’—he bent forward, pushing the name tag into the poor man's chest hard enough to make him stumble—’Sgt. Williams, open that door.’

‘Yes, Sir.’

We marched past the shining stainless steel sinks and rows of scrubs without a sideways glance and burst into the blinding lights of the operating theatre.

‘What they hell? You can’t be in here.’ asked a surgeon, head down, hands still stitching her gaping abdomen.

‘Sure I can. Where is it?’

‘Back corner.’

The nurses smiled as they held out a grimy bundle of blankets.

‘Congratulations, Sir, it’s a boy.’

‘No, it’s not.’ Their smiles slid off their face as he snatched the bundle, grasping the head like a softball as the blankets fluttered to the ground. He turned, arcing his arm high above as tiny feet crashed off a lamp, before rushing down and hitting the steel table with a crunch. ‘Stillborn. Tragedy.’

He crashed out the doors while I flipped open my clipboard.

‘May I remind you all that you have signed the official secrets act. We would like the records to show…’

Quote of the Week

All things are subject to interpretation; whichever interpretation prevails at a given time is a function of power and not the truth. – Friedrich Nietzsche

Book recommendation - The Silk Roads: A New History of the World by Peter Frankopan  -  Amazon, Bookshop, Kobo, Wordery*

The book lays out a breathtaking history from a new perspective. Frankopan demonstrates how the countries from the Eastern Mediterranean through to the Hindu Kush are really the centre of the world, and their effects affect each one of us. He covers a dazzling timespan, from 6th BC through to the turn of the 21st Century. Each step along the way, he shattered my understanding of world history, revealing the fascinating, surprising and sometimes appalling truths hidden in our collective past. The first half delighted me with tales of Alexander the Great, The Roman Empire and Genghis Khan, the second half appalled me with the nefarious dealings we (the west and specifically Britain) made, crushing indigenous populations, depleting resources and all for profit at the expense of our fellow humans. A truly groundbreaking book, written with an appealing, easy-to-read style that packs one hell of a punch.

Final Words

In the west, we like to think of ourselves as self-sufficient, independent people. We stand on our own two feet and we’re proud of that. I've been reminded of how much we have stood on the backs of others, playing god and deciding their fates with abandon. And this is still the case, vast swathes of my life are decided for me by the powers that be. I could fight this and have rebelled against it more than once, or I could work within the constraints and do the best I can. Deciding which is the best answer is difficult, and changeable. Which side of history will I be on?

With Love

Joe

P.S. What did you think of this week’s email? Which was your favourite bit? What didn’t work for you? Hit reply and let me know.

*These are NOT affiliate links.