A descendant of missionary Hiram Bingham reviews his ancestor's memoir about bringing Christianity and Western civilization to Hawaii in the 1820s-1840s, drawing parallels to modern Effective Altruism and examining what lessons today's do-gooders can learn from this earlier generation of world-savers. Longer summary

This book review examines Hiram Bingham's 1847 memoir about his 21-year mission to Hawaii, drawing explicit parallels between 19th-century missionaries and modern Effective Altruists. The reviewer, Bingham's descendant, describes how seven missionary couples successfully converted most of Hawaii to Christianity, created a writing system, achieved widespread literacy, and introduced Western technology and social reforms. However, Bingham's anti-Catholic political meddling eventually backfired when a French warship forced Hawaii to accept religious freedom and other demands. The review concludes with lessons for modern do-gooders: act with courage, be a moral exemplar, make powerful allies, critically examine your beliefs, and avoid escalating conflicts beyond your control. Shorter summary

The review analyzes 'Plagues and Peoples' by William H. McNeill, which presents human history as shaped by the interaction between humans, microparasites, and societal structures. Longer summary

This book review discusses 'Plagues and Peoples' by William H. McNeill, which frames human history through the lens of microparasites and viruses. The book argues that these invisible forces have shaped civilization, from early human migration out of Africa to the development of complex societies. It explores concepts like disease gradients, the balance between microparasites and macroparasites (like governments), and how these forces influenced historical events and social structures. The review also compares McNeill's work with other big-picture histories and briefly touches on its relevance to the COVID-19 pandemic. Shorter summary

Scott shares a diverse collection of interesting links and brief commentary on topics ranging from unusual video games to genetic research and political oddities. Longer summary

This post is a collection of interesting links and brief commentary on various topics. It covers a range of subjects including unusual video games, disease threat research, medical concerns about Tylenol use during pregnancy, questionable online dating sites, car-free cities, the relationship between intelligence and longevity, augmented reality games, historical enigmas, genetic editing techniques, political oddities, social mobility research, and unusual election tactics. The tone is informative and sometimes humorous, with Scott providing his thoughts and observations on each item. Shorter summary