Reading a few essays from A Communion of Subjects, which is an anthology about the views and uses of animals in religion and science. I recently attended a conference at Oxford University on the topic of animal rights and how they relate to research animals, and it was quite interesting. As the sole practicing scientist among the crowd of 150 or so people, I was both heavily queried and loathed by some of other attendees (mostly theologians, philosophers and historians, plus non-academic activist types). But anyway, I learned some valuable stuff, and hope I taught some valuable stuff, as well. The book is an outgrowth of some talks I had with people there.

On the plane ride, I tried reading Milan Kundera's new book, A Festival of Insignificance. Short as it is, I put it down half way through. By the half way point, which is only like 75 pages, I found myself getting less and less interested with every page (and I'm a Kundera fan, generally). So even though finishing it would have taken only minimal effort, I gave it up. Too many things to read in the world to waste time on books that can't hold my interest.

Next up is Murakami's South of the Border, West of the Sun. I'm hesitant to read it, because it is the only full length book of his that I haven't read; I'll be sad to have no more material immediately available (except short stories, but I've never been a fan of short stories as a format; I'll read them eventually, I suppose).