This book had many interesting and compelling elements that did not quite mesh. There's the story of Jerry Westerby, following the trail of Soviet intelligence money through British Hong Kong and the collapsing regimes of 1970s Southeast Asia. Then there is George Smiley and his team, maneuvering the Circus through bureaucratic minefields in London, while also looking for clues to Jerry's mystery. While the Smiley-Circus story had some interesting parts, but felt rushed and generally relied on too much explication; it should have either been fleshed out much more, or should have been cut out. The Jerry Westerby story felt much more natural and compelling, and could have stood on its own as a novel or novella. While I enjoyed the Honourable Schoolboy, I can see why the BBC skipped over it and went directly to Smiley's People when they did the Sequel to the Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy miniseries.

Good 1970s SF read. It had the usual 1970s SF critiques of overpopulation and rampant capitalism. I liked the characterization of the world; It has mysterious alien technology and artifacts, soylent-green style food of the future, and computerized Freudian analysis. I found the characters relateable, especially in their economic plights. Even though they are surrounded by ancient wonders created by incredibly advanced alien technology, most of the characters are still caught in a rat race, trying to earn enough to pay for food and oxygen.

A very dreamlike narrative. I had to read this book a couple times to try to figure out what exactly was going on. I'm still not sure! I found David to be creepily compelling, despite his fixation on an abstract ideal of femininity. The whole thing seemed like a dream, or a daydream. I also couldn't get enough of the comic within the comic, The Yellow Streak.

The key to success in any Sci-Fi or fantasy story is always emotional. It doesn't matter if the setting or the rules of the story is plausible or not from a scientific perspective; the reader has to be in the emotional world that the writer creates. The same goes for alternate history stories. It doesn't matter how plausible the historical scenario is that is described in the story, the world that the characters are inhabiting emotionally must be real. Man in the High Castle succeeded in this way for me. I also liked the depictions of the dynamics of San Francisco society between the conquerors and the conquered.

A fun tour through western philosophy. If you enjoy this, you should check out the webcomics Existential Comics or Dead Philosophers in Heaven.

A story about the birth of Athenian Democracy from the perspective of the people. Fictionalized account taken from historical sources.

Kim Gordon talks a lot of shit about a lot of people, including Lydia Lunch, Courtney Love, Keanu Reeves fangirls (but not Keanu). It's hilarious! It was also interesting to hear her history of Sonic Youth and of her own art career.

A fun read. More of a place to start to learn about Lafayette than a be-all-end-all. Sarah Vowell's books always make me want to learn more about their topics. Also touches on the competing visions of the United States dating back to it's very founding.