I’m still ploughing through War and Peace – a little further on than the photo suggests, just about to start book 5, chapter 11: “god’s folk” at Bald Hills). Allegedly 10hours 40min to go – which is longer than it was 3 days ago. How reading time on the kindle is calculated is rather a mystery – it is pretty generally incorrect, especially with longer books.

I’m so absorbed that I’ve had it on my desk at SML and occasionally have surreptitiously read a paragraph or two during the day.

So far I have learned several interesting facts, among which is that you could send your unsatisfactory serfs to Siberia. I had always assumed this started with political dissidents under communism! Also I was very surprised <semi spoiler> to learn that the cult of aprons, white gloves and funny handshakes was even a thing in Russia.

But if I get nothing else out of reading this book, it has been completely worth it just to have discovered the word cunctator.

You’d better believe I’m using it (and its variants) at every possible opportunity.