“Sir,” is his tell. Most everything he says is untrue, but this is the tell that the story he’s about tell is complete fabrication

Not many recommendations for readings in the responses here. I found Life After Doom, especially the last chapter, by Brian McLaren helpful for me with similar thoughts as you’ve shared here.

Rereading Bewilderment by Richard Powers

My dad told me when my wife was expecting our first, “Your first job as the dad is to love their mother.”

We are better off that he didn’t get the part

What gives you this little moment of optimism? And where can I get some?

Fuckery. The propensity of humans to take something innovative and creative and destroy it by wringing every bit of possible profit from it.

The Grapes of Wrath; Demon Copperhead by Kingsolver; Bewilderment by Richard Powers