"The Language Instinct: How the Mind Creates Language" by Steven Pinker - audiobook review

I read a chapter of this book at university and remember really enjoying it. I think it was chapter 12: "The Language Mavens". At the time I was interested in notions of correct grammar and standard English. I found it to be persuasive: that artificially imposed grammar rules (such as you shouldn't split an infinitive or shouldn't end a sentence with a preposition) are unnecessary and meaningless. I enjoyed listening to that chapter again, but it's quite different from the rest of the book, which, although written for a general audience, is still quite academic and thick in the weeds of linguistics. It was interesting but, to be honest, not much of it has stayed with me on the surface level of knowledge since I read the book. I'm not sure how much of it is original research by Steven Pinker, or whether he's just synthesizing the research of others.

"Intermezzo" by Sally Rooney - book review

I loved this book. It took me a moment to get used to the way it was written and figure out what was going on, who was who. But I really enjoyed the dynamic between the two brothers, Ivan and Peter; the fact one of them was neurodiverse but it was no big deal; the different way they treat women (Margaret, Naomi, and Sylvia). I don't read a lot of contemporary fiction, but I doubt if many other authors write with the same emotional intelligence as Sally Rooney. The scenes between Ivan and Margaret were my favourite. Their empathy and gentleness were really touching. I also liked the way that Rooney describes the physical response you can have to a big, difficult conversation. It was satisfying and surprising. I also loved the simple pleasure of domestic scenes: of arriving at a warm and cosy house, seeing a loved one, sharing food. Oh, and the sex scenes are hawt.