Six Things, Volume 85

Love maps | Infinity squared | London pictures | Tom & Jerry | Battleships | Sheep

Nov 09, 2024

Six things that have given me joy and wonder this week.

Thing 1 – Love maps

I’ve been doing Simon Haisell’s slow read of War and Peace, and very enjoyable it has been, too. If, like me, you’re a fundamentally shallow reader who shies away from the classics because oh god they’re so LONG and all those Russian names to boot, then you might want to join in next year. The worst thing I have to say about War and Peace is that there aren’t nearly enough birds.

Some time ago now (I’m a couple of weeks behind – don’t tell Simon) he shared this charming piece about Maps of Love. While Feeland, Inhabited by Lawyers, immediately catches the eye in George Skaife Beeching's 1880 Map of Matrimony, I’m also intrigued by the Coast of Spoons.

Here’s the first of these allegorical maps – Francois Chaveau’s 1654 Carte de Tendre. If there’s a more stereotypically French concept than the Lake of Indifference, then I don’t want to know about it.

Thing 2 – Infinity squared

“I have not met one person who’s said ‘No, you cannot look through my telescope.’”

Six and a half minutes of wonder and (for me, at least) hope.

Thing 3 – London pictures

Matt Brown’s excellent (dare I say ‘indispensable’? I think I do) Londonist: Time Machine this week explored the possibility of a Street View For History – it’s an enticing idea, and Matt’s palpable enthusiasm for the idea is infectious.

It also introduced me to the endlessly browsable London Picture Archive, as well as this delightful exercise in artistic windmill-tilting: Jack Hines is drawing all of London, because, well, why ever not? So far he’s managed 0.175524% of his target. I hope I live to see him reach 1%.