Book — Dailies | Marcel Wichmann

September 5, 2026

Marcel reads Biological War in bed and stays up late.

I loved Annie Jacobsen’s Nuclear War, so when my friend Matti told me she had a new book out that follows the same general principle, just with a different civilization-ending weapon, I ordered it on the spot. It was another great read. Biological War is slightly less good than Nuclear War, but that didn’t stop me from finishing it in less than two days.

For some reason, though, someone decided to put AI-generated images in the book. I’m not an anti-AI hardliner by any means, but why would you ever choose to include completely optional AI-generated images in a heavily researched book? It made the whole thing feel a little cheaper and, weirdly, less trustworthy.

Bad choice.

August 27, 2026

Marcel and Anna lie in bed as he thinks about Greek myths, then wake as his back hurts.

Let’s just say Anna’s and my preferences when it comes to mattress hardness are slowly converging on a point in the future where the only sensible solution will be two different mattresses in her bed.

I’m reading Stephen Fry’s Heroes at the moment, and just like Mythos, it’s a great way of finally getting all the details of the Greek myths without having to slog through the badly written originals. Sorry, not sorry. I especially love how he keeps connecting the myths to modern-day life, whether it’s words we still use or names that have survived for thousands of years. Who would have known that the Perseids are named after Perseus!

August 18, 2026

Marcel gives up on a book he finds boring, comparing it to a relationship that did not work out.

Deciding to stop reading a book is an art form in itself. I think many people never get into reading because they haven't found the right book for them and aren't willing to give up quickly enough when one doesn't click. Even I find it difficult, and I've stopped reading dozens of books. There are simply too many good books out there to spend time on ones you don't enjoy. The book in question was A Philosophy of Walking, by the way. It was just... so uninteresting.

April 23, 2026