Books and articles
This is a running list of books and articles I’m currently reading or have recently finished.
I update it as I go, with the most recent entries at the top. The notes are intentionally brief and written for my own reference as much as anyone else’s — a simple record of what I’ve been reading and what I took from it at the time.
Some book titles link to Amazon. These are affiliate links where applicable.
The most recent entries appear first.
Utopia for Realists
Rutger Bregman
Genre: Non-fiction, philosophy
Pages: 316
Acquired: Secondhand
Date added: December 2025
In Utopia for Realists, Rutger Bregman explores how modern societies might aspire to a healthier and more fulfilling vision of the future. One where equality is strengthened and poverty meaningfully reduced. He challenges the idea that quality of life should be defined primarily by income, instead arguing for a model that places greater value on leisure, security, and the freedom to pursue activities that are both personally meaningful and socially beneficial.
Status: Currently reading
[Utopia for Realists details on Amazon →](https://amzn.to/3NocjaC)
[Listen the Rutger Bregman’s Reith Lectures on BBC Sounds](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/b00729d9?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile)
The Lord of the Rings
J.R.R. Tolkien
Genre: Fiction, fantasy
Pages: 1078
Acquired: Secondhand
Date added: August 2023
I grew up listening to the BBC radio adaptation of The Lord of the Rings. My dad, an avid Tolkien fan, introduced it to me from a young age. Tales of adventure, companionship, long journeys, hearty food and drink, mountains, dragons, elves, swords, and wizards captured my imagination early on.
As I grew older, I read The Hobbit and later watched the film adaptations, seeing characters I had long imagined brought to life. So when I came across a secondhand copy of The Lord of the Rings collected in a single volume, it felt like the right moment to embark on the journey properly. Reading it now has been an adventure in itself. Tolkien has a rare gift for conjuring vivid, fully realised worlds through language alone.
Status: Currently reading
[The Lord of the Rings details on Amazon →](https://amzn.to/494Besv)
Reworking Joseph 