Jakob Linder

The route to setting national records was not a straight line. Ms. D’Amato coped with injuries and setbacks. But she had pledged to herself that running would remain “joyful,” and setting small goals made a big difference. So did incentives: She ended each long run with a root beer float.

All these years later, Mr. Irving acknowledged that the slow creep of mortality had affected how he approached his work. It was within the last decade that he began to prioritize the projects he felt were the most difficult — those outside his personal experience that would require more research and time — and save his easier, more straightforward... See more

Throughout the story, almost every single character tries to scramble up the ladder of power. Minor gods try to win the favor of greater gods, mortal men try to become heroes, but Circe rejects fame that stems from ego, fear, and violence.

desultorily