Esperando al Diluvio (Awaiting the flood) by Dolores Redondo.

Super fun, gripping, and addictive read. Could not stop. Literally. It is not a perfect story. I had to suspend my disbelief, but I enjoyed it. I found some incongruencies and some corny scenes but kept reading cos I wanted to know what was going to happen. The novel is very immersive. I was transported to Glasgow and then Bilbao. I forgot I was reading a book!! I guess Redondo is really good with (gross/brutal) crime, suspense, and thriller, but I don't think romance is her thing.

Exterminator 17 written by Dionnet, drawn by Bilal and Baranko

There are 4 stories in the book. The original Exterminator 17 by Dionnet and Bilal and the sequel trilogy by Dionnet and Baranko. I liked the first story, charged with philosophical themes like the meaning/nature of life, mortality and the ethics of the use of technologies. Amazing artwork. Interesting read, but the ending was unsatisfactory. Actually it didn't feel like an ending. The trilogy was a bit of a let down. Not much food for thought but the Exterminator 17 in a boring gangster plot. The art was OK, but not at the level of Bilal's.

Human Society. How Evolution and Psychology shaped our world. New Scientist. Essential Guide No 14.

Includes a variety of articles looking at civilisation and our societies from different perspectives. My favourites were the ones about evolution, social hierarchies, and religion. I'd like to read more about religion. I want to understand why humans tend to and need to belief. Was religion the catalyst for the formation of big societies and our current civilisation? As Steven Pinker says, "belief in God is a kind of belief you hold for its moral benefits, not for its factual accuracy." Three theories explain why we believe: Cognitive by-product theory: "religious belief is a side effect of cognitive skills that evolved for other reasons." Someone who believes that (all) events are caused by agents have more chances of survival than someone who doesn't. Theory of Mind: a mechanism which "evolved so that we could infer the mental states and intentions of others, even if they aren't physically present." This is extended to assign mental states and intentions to inanimate objects or invisible entities. Existential Insecurity - fear of death, randomness, and loss of control can be soothed if we belief there is someone looking after us and that death isn't the end.

Choice of Gods by Clifford Simak.

A good read with philosophical food for thought. It's a critique of our worship and dependency on technology and the neglect for everything in nature. Those who were taken were technology worshipers and continued to be in the planet's they were sent to. The ones who stayed developed a strong connection with nature, especially the Indians. While white people had strong roots on earth, they relied on the robots for all their household and farming work. This seemed to me a contradiction, but after thinking a bit, I realised this is how many of us live, in love with nature and with our dishwashers, cars, and smartphones. Anyways the ending was a bit unclear to me, but I guess it was well worth the ride.