A delightful read of essays with a different take on everyday experiences. I enjoy the author's writing and his other books (Blink, Tipping Point). This one is easier to take in. I had several marked pages quoted below:
p 44 There are five known fundamental tastes in the human palate: salty, sweet, sour, bitter and umami. Umami is the proteiny, full-bodied taste of chicken soup, cured meats, aged cheese, mother's milk, soy sauce, mushrooms or seaweed.
p. 154 [a puzzle vs a mystery] If things go wrong with puzzle, identifying the culprit is easy; its the person who withheld information. Mysteries, though, are a lot murkier; sometimes the information we've been given is inadequate and sometimes ; mysteries don't always come to satisfying conclusions. Puzzles are "transmitter dependent" they turn on what we are told; mysteries are "listener dependent" they turn on the skill of the listener.
Theory of risk homeostasis - Gerald Wild - Target Risk book
He also referenced the list of 11 most important poems in the American canon. Fun to look up.
Published: 2009 Read: October 2019 Genre: Essay non-fiction
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