Bookshops And Watchmen

What Makes A Great Bookshop?

Rebecca Marks | Culture Dump | 12th May 2026

Character and the possibility of serendipitous discovery. Both are more often found in independent, secondhand bookshops, although a well-curated chain store like Waterstones or Daunt Books can still do the trick. Specialist shops, such as those that stock only volumes on the occult or that cater to the LGBT community, also rank highly. Steer clear of obvious tourist traps and viral popularity (1,400 words)

Puzzle: Play Nomido, the Browser’s daily word game.

Shun Them, Ban Them, Beat Them!

Adam Mastroianni | Experimental History | 12th May 2026

Thoughts on Juvenal's 2,000-year-old conundrum about legal and social regulation: Who watches the watchmen? "At some point, there has to be an Unwatched Watchman, someone who will do the right thing not because they are forced to, but because they want to. Instead of asking, 'How we can get people to do the right thing,' we should ask, 'How can we get people to want the right thing?'" (2,800 words)