bratfarrar

The Most Important Book in Human History, by Michael Phillips - I got this because a blogger I follow highly recommended it, and--well, I'm still trying to figure out what I think about it. The topic of the book is the nature and effect of modern commerce on society as we know it. Which is an important topic, but I suspect the title is overselling the goods a bit. It's very brief, so if the subject interests you, it might be worth checking out--it's an easy and lucid read with some food for thought.

On the other hand, taking a break from s13 of SPN, some things I enjoyed from 14.01, "Stranger in a Strange Land":

• Sam turning off the intro music on the Impala's tape deck


• Okay, so Michael's got the 'true believer' creepy vibe going, better than in the AU dimension, where he just seemed angry


• First overhead shot of the bunker's war room, I totally thought it was Sam sorting bullets until they panned down and it was some random dude instead. A very effective way of emphasizing that the bunker's full of other people now.


• Jack learning how to box with Bobby is adorable


• ....And Cas is once again an idiot without any sense of self-preservation


• Jack's boxing outfit is so nice and clean, Sam must have gone out and bought it specially for him


• (Sam's trying so hard to be a good dad and a good leader)


• Cas: Why are you using me as bait? | Demon: Well, it's kind of what you're for, isn't it? -- Well, that's a bit on the nose. :P


• I suspect Sam and Dean should've ridden in the car together--they probably would've found more comfort in each other than in their respective ride partners (...and where was Maggie? In the Impala's trunk?)


• How does Jack manage to continue being so darn cute?


• Well, that was a pretty impressive fight scene -- and Sam kicks major butt <3


• Nice little detail of Sam thinking to use some of the BMoL tech--can't use it, of course, because that would make things too easy, but thinking of it makes Sam look smart. :D


• It's kind of amusing how Cas is still just wandering around the bunker all blood-spattered and banged up


• Also kind of amusing--Mary and Cas both try to fill Dean's role of "we'll figure it out, like we always do", and neither Sam nor Jack really buy it

Overall--season arc episode, not my cuppa tea, yadda yadda--but despite that, was still a nicely diverting 42 minutes. And I know people were knocking Michael's "Peaky Blinders" outfit, but it does a decent job of making him look very out of place (as he is), so I figure it fadges well enough.