Scott announces the finalist selection phase for the 2026 Book Review Contest, asking readers to help rate 162 entries using a new website built by Rob Ennals. Longer summary

Scott announces that the 2026 Book Review Contest has received 162 entries and needs to be narrowed down to about a dozen finalists. Since he can't read all entries alone, he's asking readers to help by rating as many reviews as they have time for on a scale of 1-10. Rob Ennals, a software engineer, has built a dedicated website to make the rating process easier, which displays reviews randomly by default to ensure diverse coverage. Readers have until June 15 to submit their ratings. Shorter summary

Scott announces the 2026 book review contest with a May 20th deadline, requiring anonymized submissions via Google Form, offering prizes of at least $2,500/$1,000/$500 for the top three winners. Longer summary

Scott announces the 2026 book review contest with rules and guidelines. Entries should be book reviews between 2,000-10,000 words, submitted via Google Form with an anonymized Google Doc by May 20th. The contest will have a finalist selection round voted on by readers in spring, with finalists posted weekly through summer, followed by final voting in late summer/fall. Prizes are at least $2,500 for first place, $1,000 for second, and $500 for third, plus publicity, free subscriptions, and potential writing opportunities. Scott emphasizes the contest should be blind (no identifying information in the document itself) and notes he may provide mild affirmative action for nontraditional categories like fiction, poetry, or pre-1900 books. Shorter summary

A book review exploring the history of Project Xanadu, Ted Nelson's pioneering but ultimately unsuccessful vision for a hypertext-based internet system that preceded and differed significantly from the World Wide Web. Longer summary

This book review traces the fascinating history of Project Xanadu, Ted Nelson's ambitious vision for a hypertext-based internet system that predated and rivaled the World Wide Web. Starting with Vannevar Bush's 1945 concept of the memex, through Doug Engelbart's groundbreaking demos, to Nelson's decades-long quest to build Xanadu, the post explores how this alternative vision for the internet - featuring bidirectional links, embedded content, and built-in attribution - ultimately failed to materialize despite its early start and innovative ideas. The review ends by questioning whether the simpler Web we got instead, built by Tim Berners-Lee, might have cost us something valuable in terms of how we connect and share information online. Shorter summary

A detailed review of Islamic geometric patterns in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Moroccan Court, analyzing both the flaws in modern recreations and the underlying mathematical principles of authentic pattern construction. Longer summary

This book review contest entry examines Islamic geometric patterns found in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Moroccan Court, particularly focusing on a set of wooden doors that contain noticeable imperfections in their geometric designs. The author explains the traditional rules and principles of Islamic geometric patterns, demonstrating how proper patterns are constructed using a polygonal technique, and contrasts this with modern attempts that often fall short. Through detailed analysis of several examples in the Met's collection, including both historical pieces and modern recreations, the author explores how the loss of traditional artistic knowledge manifests in subtle ways. The piece concludes with reflections on the nature of artistic creation and the gap between creator and observer understanding. Shorter summary

A detailed review of a 1995 paper introducing the PDAPP mouse model for Alzheimer's disease, examining how its limitations were overlooked and shaped decades of potentially misguided Alzheimer's research. Longer summary

The post reviews a landmark 1995 paper introducing the PDAPP mouse model for Alzheimer's disease, analyzing how its technical achievements and limitations shaped three decades of Alzheimer's research. The author examines the paper's methodology, results, and claims, showing how the model's flaws - including extreme protein overexpression and lack of key disease features - were overlooked in favor of a compelling but incomplete amyloid cascade hypothesis, leading to years of failed drug development and missed opportunities to explore alternative approaches. Shorter summary

Scott asks readers to help select finalists for the Non-Book Review Contest by rating entries through a provided form, with voting open until June 20. Longer summary

Scott Alexander announces the voting phase for the Non-Book Review Contest 2025, asking readers to help narrow down 141 entries to about a dozen finalists. He provides links to categorized lists of entries (Other A-I, J-S, T-Z, Games, Music, TV/Movies) and a rating form. He specifically asks readers not to read entries in order but either randomly or based on interest, to ensure more even distribution of votes. The post includes the full list of entries and mentions a June 20 deadline for voting. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander announces the winners and finalists of the 2024 Book Review Contest, with prizes for the top three reviews. Longer summary

Scott Alexander announces the winners of the 2024 Book Review Contest. The top three winners are Amanda's review of 'Two Arms And A Head', David Matolcsi's review of 'Nine Lives', and Jack Thorlin's review of 'How The War Was Won'. The post lists the other finalists and honorable mentions, providing brief descriptions of the reviewers. Scott mentions potential changes to the contest format for future years, considering an 'Everything-Except-Book-Reviews' contest for next year. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander opens voting for the 2024 Book Review Contest, explaining the approval voting system and listing the finalists. Longer summary

Scott Alexander announces the voting process for the 2024 Book Review Contest. He explains that this year they are using approval voting, where voters can select multiple favorites, and the entry with the most votes wins. Scott provides a link to the voting form, lists the 14 finalist book reviews, and mentions a prediction market for the contest outcome. He advises voters not to check the prediction market until after voting. Shorter summary

The review examines W.E.H. Lecky's book on the rise of rationalism in Europe, praising its scholarship and insights into the gradual shift from medieval to rational thinking. Longer summary

This review discusses W.E.H. Lecky's 'The History of the Rise and Influence of the Spirit of Rationalism in Europe', a book that explores the decline of medieval beliefs and the emergence of rationalism in Europe. The reviewer provides context with an anecdote about a 19th-century 'demonic possession' case, then details Lecky's life and the book's creation. The review outlines the book's main thesis: that rationalism triumphed not through logic, but through gradual social, political, and industrial influences. The reviewer praises the book's scholarship, fascinating facts, and diverse historical figures, recommending it to readers interested in intellectual history. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander announces the 2024 Book Review Contest, detailing submission guidelines, prizes, and a new focus on including nontraditional book categories. Longer summary

Scott Alexander announces the 2024 Book Review Contest, inviting readers to submit reviews of books. The contest has no strict word count requirement, but previous successful entries were between 2,000 and 10,000 words. Entries should be submitted through a Google Form, with the actual review in a separate, unlocked Google Doc. The contest aims to be as blind as possible, so reviewers should not include identifying information in their review. Prizes range from $500 to $2,500, with additional benefits for winners and finalists. This year, about 25% of finalist slots will be reserved for reviews of books from nontraditional categories like fiction, poetry, or pre-1900 works. The submission deadline is May 5th. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander announces the winners and finalists of the 2023 Book Review Contest, providing details about the reviews, authors, and prizes. Longer summary

Scott Alexander announces the winners of the 2023 Book Review Contest, listing the top three winners, finalists, and honorable mentions. He provides details about the prizes, brief descriptions of the winning reviews and their authors, and mentions plans for another contest next year. The post also includes information on how participants can check their scores and thanks those who helped organize the contest. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander opens voting for the 2023 Book Review Contest, detailing the ranked choice voting process and listing the finalists. Longer summary

Scott Alexander announces the voting process for the 2023 Book Review Contest, explaining that it will use ranked choice voting where voters select their top three favorites. He provides a link to the voting form, lists the 16 finalists, and mentions a prediction market for the contest outcome. Shorter summary

This review analyzes Viktor Frankl's 'Man's Search for Meaning', using it as a framework to explore other narratives of suffering and the search for meaning in various contexts. Longer summary

This review explores Viktor Frankl's 'Man's Search for Meaning' and its implications, using the book as a lens to analyze other narratives. The review is divided into three parts: the first summarizes Frankl's experiences in concentration camps and his theory of logotherapy; the second introduces a fictional French poet as a parallel narrative of finding meaning in suffering; and the third applies Frankl's ideas to analyze the current situation in Russia and Ukraine, exploring the concept of meaning and its absence in different contexts. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander discusses recent events in prediction markets, including a costly prank on Manifold, debt ceiling forecasts, a study on long-term predictions, and a high-profile hyperinflation bet. Longer summary

This post covers several topics in the world of prediction markets and forecasting. It begins with the story of a Manifold user who lost $29,000 in a prank market, leading to changes in Manifold's policies. It then discusses recent predictions about the US debt ceiling, a study on long-term forecasting accuracy, and a high-profile bet about hyperinflation between Balaji Srinivasan and James Medlock. The post ends with updates on other prediction markets, including ones about open-source AI and the ACX book review contest. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander announces the 2023 Book Review Contest, detailing submission guidelines, prizes, and deadlines for book review entries. Longer summary

Scott Alexander announces the 2023 Book Review Contest, inviting readers to submit reviews of any book they choose. The contest details include submission guidelines, prize amounts, and judging criteria. Entries should be submitted through a Google Form by April 5th, with the actual review in an unlocked Google Doc. Scott emphasizes the importance of anonymity in the review document to ensure fair judging. Prizes range from $500 to $2,500, with additional benefits for winners and finalists. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander announces the winners of the 2022 Book Review Contest, lists finalists and honorable mentions, and provides commentary on the entries and contest process. Longer summary

Scott Alexander announces the winners and finalists of the 2022 Book Review Contest. The post lists the top 5 winners, followed by the remaining finalists and honorable mentions. Scott provides brief commentary on many of the reviews, explaining his selection process and praising various aspects of the entries. He also shares some insights about the anonymity of the contest and its results, noting that some well-known writers performed well. The post concludes with information about prizes for winners and finalists, and a brief mention of plans for next year's contest. Shorter summary

A detailed review of William Carlos Williams' 'Kora in Hell: Improvisations', analyzing its structure, themes, and literary context within modernist poetry. Longer summary

This review analyzes William Carlos Williams' 'Kora in Hell: Improvisations', exploring its structure, themes, and literary context. The reviewer discusses the book's title, its improvisational nature, and Williams' approach to poetry. They compare Williams' style to contemporaries like T.S. Eliot and Ezra Pound, highlighting his focus on American experiences and the present. The review also examines the book's structure, Williams' use of commentary, and his relationship to improvisation and composition in art. The reviewer concludes by discussing the various ways to approach and interpret the text. Shorter summary

A review of Guy Debord's 'The Society of the Spectacle', examining its critique of capitalism and mass media, and relating its ideas to modern issues. Longer summary

This review examines Guy Debord's 'The Society of the Spectacle', a Marxist critique of capitalism and mass media. The reviewer summarizes Debord's key ideas about how spectacle dominates modern society, commodifies all aspects of life, and creates a false reality. The review also covers Debord's later comments on the book, relating his ideas to current issues like social media, fake news, and information warfare. While acknowledging the book's insights, the reviewer ultimately takes a more moderate stance on capitalism and technology's impacts. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander announces the 2022 Book Review Contest, detailing rules, submission guidelines, and prizes for participants. Longer summary

Scott Alexander announces the 2022 Book Review Contest, inviting readers to submit reviews of books. The post outlines the contest rules, including submission guidelines, word count suggestions, and prize details. Participants are asked to submit their entries through a Google Form, ensuring the reviews are anonymous for fair judging. The contest offers cash prizes for the top three winners, along with free publicity and ACX subscriptions for all finalists. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander announces the winners of the Book Review Contest, lists all finalists, and explains the prizes, including increased monetary awards. Longer summary

This post announces the winners of the Book Review Contest. The first place goes to Lars Doucet for his review of 'Progress and Poverty', second place to Whimsi for 'Down And Out In Paris And London', and third place to ELP for 'On The Natural Faculties'. A Readers' Choice Award is given to Misha Saul for 'Disunited Nations vs. Dawn Of Eurasia'. Scott lists all other finalists and their identities. He mentions that all finalists receive a free subscription to Astral Codex Ten, and the top winners get monetary prizes, which have been quintupled due to subscriber generosity. The post ends with instructions for prize collection and a link to a list of all contestants. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander opens voting for the book review contest, listing 17 finalists and providing a voting link. Longer summary

Scott Alexander announces the voting process for the book review contest. Readers are invited to vote for their favorite entries using approval voting, with voting open until the end of June. The post includes a list of the 17 finalist book reviews, each with a link to the full review. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander updates readers on his situation post-blog deletion, discussing job transitions, potential move to Substack, and future plans while maintaining anonymity. Longer summary

Scott Alexander provides an update on his situation two and a half months after deleting his blog due to privacy concerns. He discusses ongoing uncertainty with the New York Times, his decision to transition away from his current job, and plans to start a private practice. Scott also reveals negotiations with Substack to move his blog to their platform, citing increased safety and generous financial incentives. He addresses reader concerns about the platform and outlines Substack's commitments to accommodate his preferences. Scott expresses gratitude for supporter's respect of his anonymity and confirms plans for a future book review contest. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander announces a book review contest for Slate Star Codex, outlining submission guidelines and prizes for the winners. Longer summary

Scott Alexander announces a book review contest for his blog Slate Star Codex. Participants are invited to write a book review similar to Scott's style and submit it by August 5th, 2020. The post outlines submission guidelines, formatting requirements, and prizes for the winners. Scott will select finalists, publish them on the blog, and readers will vote for the best. The contest aims to discover new writing talent and generate interesting content for the blog. Shorter summary