Books and some interesting pages I read in May 2026
Non-fiction
The End of Everything by Katie Mack (2020)
- 226 pages
- 5 stars
We know that the universe started with the Big Bang, and that it currently is expanding. But will this go on forever, or is the universe destined to end, and if so, will there be a new Big Bang?
The writer, a theoretical cosmologist, gives an easy to read overview of the current scientific understanding on the future of the universe.
During this tour we encounter subjects like dark matter and dark energy, the Cosmic Microwave Background, measuring the expansion rate, get an explanation about the equilibrium of forces that keep the stars together, the Highs field, and much more. We learn about the different models for the end, like the Big Cruch, Heat Death, the Big Rip, and the Vacuum Decay.
Interesting read, never boring, highly recommended!
Fiction
The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien (1954)
352 pages
5 stars
This is a re-read, I have read the book several times, first time in the early seventies, the last time at least a decade ago.
During this re-read I discovered that my memory of it is distorted by the movie directed by Peter Jackson, which I have seen a few times.
It was good to re-read the book again.
Short story
The Last Martian by Raymond Van Houten (1942)
- 24 pages
- 4 stars
A short science fiction story about an unexpected visitor arriving at an outpost. Nice read.
Interesting internet reads
Some noteworthy internet reads:
A Splash of Courage
A lovely blog post from Brian the Goldfish, the Third.
It is a quick read, just above 300 words. Enjoy it!
https://brianthegoldfish.blog/a-splash-of-courage/
3 ways to think and talk like a philosopher
A "Big Think" publication written by by Jonny Thomson.
Jonny shows in this essay three ways to think like a philosopher.
https://bigthink.com/mini-philosophy/3-ways-to-think-and-talk-like-a-philosopher/
The Real Story Behind "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance"
Ted Gioia talks in this essay about the history of the wonderful book "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" written by Robert Pirsig. The book was first published in 1974, but carries the atmosphere from the sixties.
"Zen and the art ..." is one of my favorite books, and Ted's essay brings it into a new perspective.
https://www.honest-broker.com/p/the-real-story-behind-zen-and-the
The old world of tech is dying and the new cannot be born
Baldur Bjarnason explains in this essay how the globalized tech industry can only exist because of the protectionism and policy uniformity imposed by the US on its techopolistic hegemony.
Because of Trump, the US no longer has the power or influence it once did, with major implications for the US-controlled globalized market.
https://www.baldurbjarnason.com/2026/the-old-world-of-tech-is-dying/
Beneath the Linux surface: the UNIX legacy, a lively ecology
A brilliant essay published on the Unix Social Club.
An inventory that shows that a Linux system bundles a lot of free software, that developed on and originally for different operating systems.
FOSS is a ecosystem that keeps on thriving, innovating and evolving, but only because of the people maintaining and developing it.
Informative, and also fun to read!
https://club.unix.rocks/commentary/under-linux/
Gnutella Explanation - A Protocol Outliving the World That Created It
A nicely written essay on Gnutella, the once very popular file sharing protocol.
This is a thorough piece of work, easy and fun to read.
Interesting quote:
Managing disk space, directories, backups, and downloaded files was still a palatable and acceptable activity for even casual computer users of the era.
https://rickcarlino.com/notes/p2p/gnutella-explanation.html
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