Friday's Notes

John Scalzi, "Omelas State University," whatever, 10 November, thinks some things should be obvious to adults. Thanks to David Silbey for the tip.

David Mikics, "The Unexamined Socrates," The Book, 10 November, reviews Paul Johnson's Socrates: A Man for Our Times.

Stephen Bates, "Medieval monarchs' books showcased by British Library," Guardian, 10 November, reviews "Royal Manuscripts: The Genius of Illumination," an exhibit at London's British Library. Charles McGrath, "Separating Royal Myth From Fact," NYT, 8 November, is a biographical sketch of Robert K. Massie, Catherine the Great's most recent biographer.

Edward Rothstein, "Museum's New Center of Gravity," NYT, 10 November, reviews the $70,000,000 renovation of the New York Historical Society in Manhattan.

Toby Ash interviews Juliet Gardiner on 1930s Britain for The Browser, 10 November, for her recommendation of five essential books on the subject. Andrew Roberts, "New Biography Explores the Life and Myth of Eva Braun," Daily Beast, 10 November, reviews Heike Görtemaker's Eva Braun: Life with Hitler.

Phil Baker, "Beastly Aleister Crowley," TLS, 9 November, reviews Richard Kaczynski's Perdurabo: The life of Aleister Crowley – the definitive biography of the founder of modern magick and Tobias Churton's Aleister Crowley, The biography: Spiritual revolutionary, romantic explorer, occult master – and spy. James Campbell, "Boris Vian, the Prince of Saint-Germain," TLS, 9 November, reviews "Boris Vian," an exhibit at the Bibliothèque nationale de France.

Beverly Gage, "Were J. Edgar Hoover and Clyde Tolson lovers?" Slate, 10 November, reviews "J. Edgar," Clint Eastwood's new film that features the controversial relationship between the FBI's top (and bottom?) twosome.