Calasso is perhaps an acquired taste - and I acquired it, especially in his earlier books which were less wholly meditative. These essays draw on immense erudition and even at times when I bridle at what appears to be certain fixed positions about Islamic decisions about secularism, heightened (in his first essay) to a contemplation of assassination/sacrifice and hatred of the secular - which he proposes is their real hatred and fear -I find I continue on. . For me, when he is in europe (in this case considering Austria and Germany at the end of the war, contemplating the mss suicides and excerpting notes from Goebbels and Himmler's diaries about how they might kill and what they thought about it ... the secrecy ...- even if during late 20th century) is more convincing and appealing to me. A very thoughtful and leisurely read are hallmarks of reading Calasso - recommend it!