Author Archives: stuartelden

Alex Sharpe, We’re Nobody’s Children: David Bowie and Existentialism – Counterpress, February 2026

Posted on January 19, 2026 by stuartelden

Alex Sharpe, We’re Nobody’s Children: David Bowie and Existentialism – Counterpress, February 2026 This book brings existentialist philosophy (atheistic and Christian) to life through the artistic life of David Bowie. Working with Søren Kierkegaard, Friedrich Nietzsche, Martin Heidegger, Jean-Paul Sartre, … Continue reading →

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Mircea Eliade on alchemy; Marie-Madeleine Davy on mysticism and symbolism

Posted on January 18, 2026 by stuartelden

Among many other topics, the Romanian historian of religion Mircea Eliade wrote about alchemy. His 1937 book Cosmologie Şi Alchimie Babiloniană was translated into French as Cosmologie et alchimie babyloniennes, but only in 1991. A substantial part of this text appeared in English … Continue reading →

Posted in Marie-Madeleine Davy, Mircea Eliade, Simone Weil, Sunday Histories | 2 Comments

Andrea Bagnato, Terra Infecta: Disease and the Italian Landscape – Mack, January 2026 and interview at JHI blog

Posted on January 17, 2026 by stuartelden

Andrea Bagnato, Terra Infecta: Disease and the Italian Landscape – Mack, January 2026 Ranging from Italian unification to the aftershocks of Covid-19, and drawing on architectural records, medical history, and the author’s own travels, Terra Infecta reveals the lived realities of grand … Continue reading →

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William Whyte, The University: A History in Stone, Silk, and Blood – Harvard University Press, August 2026

Posted on January 17, 2026 by stuartelden

William Whyte, The University: A History in Stone, Silk, and Blood – Harvard University Press, August 2026 We often idealize the university as a sanctuary for disinterested reason, where material concerns are set aside in favor of higher principles. Yet … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized, Universities | 1 Comment

Alain Badiou, A Political Life: 1937-1985 – trans. Robin Mackay, Polity, November 2025

Posted on January 16, 2026 by stuartelden

Alain Badiou, A Political Life: 1937-1985 – trans. Robin Mackay, Polity, November 2025 In this book, the renowned philosopher and polymath Alain Badiou tells the story of the first five decades of his life, from 1937 to 1985, setting it … Continue reading →

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Kerry Goettlich, From Frontiers to Borders: How Colonial Technicians Created Modern Territoriality – Cambridge University Press, August 2025 and New Books discussion

Posted on January 16, 2026 by stuartelden

Kerry Goettlich, From Frontiers to Borders: How Colonial Technicians Created Modern Territoriality – Cambridge University Press, August 2025 I’ve shared the book details before. There is now a New Books discussion with Morteza Hajizadeh – thanks to dmf for the … Continue reading →

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Oli Mould, Postcapitalist Cities: Towards a Common Urban Future – Manchester University Press, February 2026

Posted on January 15, 2026 by stuartelden

Oli Mould, Postcapitalist Cities: Towards a Common Urban Future – Manchester University Press, February 2026 A visionary exploration of what the city might be in a postcapitalist world. In a world dominated by capitalism, where urban landscapes suffer from inequality, … Continue reading →

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Friedrich Nietzsche, The Birth of Tragedy / Unpublished Basel Writings (Winter 1869/70–Fall 1873) – trans. Sean D. Kirkland and Andrew J Mitchell, Stanford University Press, January 2026

Posted on January 14, 2026 by stuartelden

Friedrich Nietzsche, The Birth of Tragedy / Unpublished Basel Writings (Winter 1869/70–Fall 1873) – trans. Sean D. Kirkland and Andrew J Mitchell, Stanford University Press, January 2026 The Complete Works of Friedrich Nietzsche Volume 1 During his early years in … Continue reading →

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Frédéric Gros, A Philosophy of War: Why We Fight – trans. Gregory Elliott, Verso, January 2026

Posted on January 14, 2026 by stuartelden

Frédéric Gros, A Philosophy of War: Why We Fight – trans. Gregory Elliott, Verso, January 2026 The best-selling author of A Philosophy of Walking returns to address the eternal subject of human conflict Russia’s invasion of Ukraine seems to many like a … Continue reading →

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Miguel de Beistegui, Crisis: A Critique – Bloomsbury, January 2026

Posted on January 13, 2026 by stuartelden

Miguel de Beistegui, Crisis: A Critique – Bloomsbury, January 2026 Crises abound.The ‘end of history’ in the form of the triumph of liberalism has given way to a proliferation of crises internal to liberal, and especially neoliberal democracies: our economies and … Continue reading →

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