What I'm reading ...

I have started Lessons by Ian McEwan. This is a new book by a well-renowned author, whose work I have enjoyed before. Here’s the blurb:

When the world is still counting the cost of the Second World War and the Iron Curtain has descended, young Roland Baines's life is turned upside down. Stranded at boarding school, his vulnerability attracts his piano teacher, Miriam Cornell, leaving scars as well as a memory of love that will never fade.

Twenty-five years later Roland's wife mysteriously vanishes, and he is left alone with their baby son. Her disappearance sparks of journey of discovery that will continue for decades, as Roland confronts the reality of his rootless existence and attempts to embrace the uncertainty - and freedom - of his future.

Talking to Strangers - by Malcolm Gladwell

As expected, this was a very thought-provoking book. Throughout the ideas are supported and illustrated by case studies, several of which reoccur to clarify points. Reading it has made me reconsider how I evaluate people in everyday life; “default to truth” is dangerous …

What I'm reading ...

I have started Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell. I have enjoyed this author’s work before and this book came recommended. Here’s the blurb:

The routine traffic stop that ends in tragedy. The spy who spends years undetected at the highest levels of the Pentagon. The false conviction of Amanda Knox. Why do we so often get other people wrong? Why is it so hard to detect a lie, read a face or judge a stranger's motives?

Using stories of deceit and fatal errors to cast doubt on our strategies for dealing with the unknown, Malcolm Gladwell takes us on an intellectual adventure into the darker side of human nature, where strangers are never simple and misreading them can have disastrous consequences.  

Not Dead Yet - by Peter James

I have never been disappointed by any of this author’s books and this one is no exception. The story is complex, with enough twists and turns to draw you into the next chapters. On this occasion, there appeared to be three story lines that were separate, but they all come together in an interesting way. Unusually (I think), this book has hooks that pull you towards the next one in the series. But I won’t take too much persuading …

What I'm reading ...

I have started Not Dead Yet by Peter James. I wanted a light read and this author never fails to keep me entertained. Also, I recently visited Brighton, so the context is in my mind. Here’s the blurb:

For LA producer Larry Brooker, this is the movie that could bring the fortune that has so long eluded him . . .

For rock superstar, Gaia, desperate to be taken seriously as an actor, this is the role that could get her an Oscar nomination. . .

For the City of Brighton and Hove, the publicity value of a major Hollywood movie being filmed on location, about the city's greatest love story - between King George IV and Maria Fitzherbert - is incalculable.

For Detective Superintendent Roy Grace of Sussex CID, it is a nightmare unfolding in front of his eyes. An obsessed stalker is after Gaia. One attempt on her life is made days before she leaves her Bel Air home to fly to Brighton. Now, he has been warned, the stalker may be at large in his city, waiting, watching, planning.

Ancestors: A prehistory of Britain in seven burials - by Alice Roberts

This book took a while as it is quite long and packed with solid content. I knew the author was an expert in her field and a very good speaker, so I was unsurprised to find that she is also an excellent writer. [I later found that I had read and enjoyed another book of hers some time ago.] The text does not assume any particular expertise, but it also does not explain every last word. The style is pleasantly conversational and personal, with the occasional entertaining and informative tangent. I will be returning to this author’s work.