Salman Rushdie, commenting on my book God Is Not Great, remarked rather mordantly that the chief problem with its title was a lack of economy: that it was in other words exactly one word too long.

The mediocrats (see “mesocratic” in Figure 15.8) curve refers to Quercus, Tilia, Ulmus, and other trees/shrubs characteristic of the climatic-optimum part of interglacials.

Corn sugar is a key ingredient in home beer making.

Alistair Beaton's new translation of Brecht's parable restores the frequently cut prologue, in which a harassed government official attempts to persuade a group of farmers to see the benefits of collectivisation, and is told that he will have to watch a play first.