“Seth's work is the craft of a maximum minimalist that works exquisitely against the grain of our punishingly complicated, cluttered culture.”

“Evenings are cool, and it's misty at daybreak, but by midday the sun can still be punishingly hot.”

“While nominal interest rates are low, real long-term rates are punishingly high.”

“The judge knew we had all these debts and yet he punitively and vindictively imposed these defence costs on us as well.”

“Everything he sang was almost punitively sad, with each group of words separated by deep and complete pauses.”

“Miliband's Wonga economics is superficially attractive in the short term, punitively expensive in the long term.”