What I'm reading ...

I have started Tom Lake by Ann Patchett. Another author whose work I am pleased to return to. Here’s the blurb:

It's spring and Lara's three grown daughters have returned to the family orchard. While picking cherries, they beg their mother to tell them the one story they've always longed to hear – of the film star with whom she shared a stage, and a romance, years before.

Tom Lake is a meditation on youthful love, married love, and the lives parents lead before their children are born. Both hopeful and elegiac, it explores what it means to be happy even when the world is falling apart.

The Outrun - by Amy Liptrot

This is a beautifully written book that was a pleasure to read. Although her accounts of her chaotic London life were harrowing, this is offset by her descriptions of life in the Orkneys. As I always hope when I read an autobiography or memoire, I gained insights into another world.

There are a few details that were “tweaked” for the film. Nothing that detracted far from the story and I can see why the changes were made to drive the dynamic of the film.

The author has another book about her later travels to Berlin; this is a “must read” for me.

What I'm reading ...

I have started The Outrun by Amy Liptrot. We recently saw the excellent movie adaptation of this book, so when I stumbled across the “original”, I thought that it would be good to read while the film was still in my mind. Here’s the blurb:

After spending her twenties in London, Amy Liptrot returns to her home in Orkney where she comes to terms with the addiction that has consumed the past decade of her life. On the remote island, Amy spends her mornings swimming in the cold sea, her days observing wildlife, and her nights searching the sky for any signs of the Northern Lights. She soon discovers how the natural world can restore life, heal old wounds and renew hope.

Perfect Match - by Jodi Picoult

Another book that I approached with anticipation and was not disappointed. As with all this author’s work, the story is full of detail, which has clearly been thoroughly researched. As usual, I feel that I’ve acquired knowledge; in this book I have learned more about DNA profiling and the making of maple syrup, for example. There are numerous points where one feels that it is clear where the story is going, but she springs a surprise - right up to the end.

I am so glad that JP is such a prolific author, as I have many more books to look forward to.

What I'm reading ...

I have started Perfect Match by Jodi Picoult. This is a favourite author so I am looking forward to immersing myself in this story. Here’s the blurb:

As a career-driven Assistant District Attorney, Nina Frost's life is dedicated to balancing being a mother to five-year old son Nathaniel and seeking justice to keep those who commit the most unthinkable of all crimes behind bars.

But this delicate balance is upset when Nina and husband Caleb find out that Nathaniel has fallen victim to the same crime she strives to fight.

Broken and angry, Nina is determined to seek justice for her son. But as her desire for vengeance drives her to the brink, the lines between justice and crime threaten to blur forever. . .

Thunderclap - by Laura Cumming

I was not quite sure what to expect from this book. When I started reading it, I felt that it was rather slow, but, in due course, I got its pace. As I had hoped, I learned a lot about Carel Fabritius, but much more besides. I was unaware of the importance and sheer quantity of Dutch art, particularly from the 17th Century. It was very interesting to read descriptions of pictures from someone who really understands how to appreciate them. I learned a lot.

The author’s autobiographical notes were also interesting, adding another layer. I think that I now need to go to Delft sometime …

What I'm reading ...

I have started Thunderclap by Laura Cumming. Having recently read the fictional work The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, about the painting of the same name, when I stumbled across this book, it was a must read. Here’s the blurb:

On the morning of 12 October 1654, a gunpowder explosion devastated the Dutch city of Delft. Among the fatalities was the painter Carel Fabritius, dead at thirty-two, leaving behind his haunting masterpiece The Goldfinch.

Thunderclap explores what happened to Fabritius before and after the disaster whilst interweaving the lives of Laura Cumming, her painter father and the great artists of the Dutch Golden Age. It takes the reader from seventeenth-century Delft to twentieth-century Scottish islands, from Rembrandt’s studio to wartime America and contemporary London. This is a book about what a picture may come to mean, how it can enter your life and change your thinking in a thunderclap.

I Follow You - by Peter James

This author has a distinctive writing style: he draws you in by setting up a series of story lines, which gradually come together; the pace of the book gradually increases and by the last 100 pages or so, it is very hard to put down. This book was no exception. His other trademark is meticulous research. I am used to detailed Police precedures set in Brighton; in this book it is all medical stuff taking place on Jersey.

I really enjoyed the story, seeing events from multiple viewpoints, feeling that one is observing the whole picture, but with a few red herrings thrown in. I continue to feel that any book with Peter James’ name on the cover deserves my attention.

What I'm reading ...

I have started I Follow You by Peter James. I have read and enjoyed many of the author’s books about his character Roy Grace, so I thought it would be interesting to have a look at something else that he’d written. Here’s the blurb:

To the outside world, suave, charming and confident doctor Marcus Valentine has it all. A loving wife, three kids, a great job. But there’s something missing, there always has been. . . . or rather, someone . . .

Driving to work one morning, his mind elsewhere and not on the road, he almost mows down a female jogger on a crossing. As she runs on, Marcus is transfixed. Infatuated. She is the spitting image of a girl he was crazy about in his teens. A girl he has never been able to get out of his mind.

Lynette had dumped him harshly. For years he has fantasized about seeing her again and rekindling their flame. Might that jogger possibly be her all these years later? Could this be the most incredible coincidence?

Despite all his attempts to resist, he is consumed by cravings for this woman. And when events take a tragically unexpected turn, his obsession threatens to destroy both their worlds. But still he won’t stop. Can’t stop.

Erebus: The Story of a Ship - by Michael Palin

Having enjoyed a previous book by Palin, I was looking forward to this one and I wasn’t disappointed. His writing brings history to life. He focusses on people and stories instead of dry facts. His research seems to be thorough and his enthusiasm boundless. This is much more than the story of a ship, it is an education in many aspects of life in the first part of the 16th century.

What I'm reading ...

I have started Erebus: The Story of a Ship by Michael Palin. I read the author’s book about his great uncle and enjoyed it - learning some good history. I am hopeful that this book will similarly deliver. Here’s the blurb:

In the early years of Queen Victoria's reign, HMS Erebus undertook two of the most ambitious naval expeditions of all time.

On the first, she ventured further south than any human had ever been. On the second, she vanished with her 129-strong crew in the wastes of the Canadian Arctic, along with the HMS Terror.

Her fate remained a mystery for over 160 years.

Then, in 2014, she was found.

This is her story.

The Goldfinch - by Donna Tartt

This was a very long book [881 pages!], so it took me a while. But it was quite well timed as I was on holiday for a lot of the time I was reading it. It’s a long book because it covers a long and complex story, in which I found myself pleasantly lost. A lot of the story is inside Theo’s head - his thoughts and impressions. Although this was interesting, I think there was maybe just a bit too much. I think there is a great 650 page book in here …

What I'm reading ...

I have started The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. It’s time for fiction and this is a long book that hopefully I can get my teeth into. I am told that it’s quite immersive, so we’ll see. Here’s the blurb:

Aged thirteen, Theo Decker, son of a devoted mother and a reckless, largely absent father, survives an accident that otherwise tears his life apart. Alone and rudderless in New York, he is taken in by the family of a wealthy friend. He is tormented by an unbearable longing for his mother, and down the years clings to the thing that most reminds him of her: a small, strangely captivating painting that ultimately draws him into the criminal underworld. As he grows up, Theo learns to glide between the drawing rooms of the rich and the dusty antiques store where he works. He is alienated and in love - and his talisman, the painting, places him at the centre of a narrowing, ever more dangerous circle.

Breaking Through: My Life In Science - by Katalin Karikó

I had a feeling that this book would suit me, as I like science and, because people’s lives interest me, I like an autobiography. I was right. This book intersperses the account of the author’s life with lots of detail about the science.

Overall, the book is a great lesson: An immigrant, who struggled to get through education and into the US and faced deportation at least once, goes on to become a Nobel Prize winner. As an aside, her daughter won gold in the Olympics twice. Quite a contribution!

This was an uplifting book that leaves me wondering how many people have great ideas and talent, but don’t have the tenacity of this author and, hence, don’t quite make it.

What I'm reading ...

I have started Breaking Through: My Life In Science by Katalin Karikó. I heard some of this book being read on the radio and was then recommended it. As I’m interested in science and enjoy an autobiography, it seemed logical to give it a go. Here’s the blurb:

Katalin Karikó began life as a butcher’s daughter in post-war Communist Hungary: a hand-to-mouth existence in a single-room house of clay and straw with no running water. Breaking Through is her extraordinary memoir of how she achieved her dream of becoming a scientist, first in Hungary and then in the USA, and pursued her belief – despite so many telling her not to – that an elusive molecule could transform our ability to prevent disease.

For three decades she worked in obscurity, battling cockroaches in a windowless lab, enduring demotion, the derision of her colleagues, even threats of deportation. But in 2020, Karikó’s vision was spectacularly vindicated when her work made possible the vaccines that brought an end to the pandemic, paving the way for similar vaccines against HIV, malaria and other life-threatening diseases.

As frank, wise and fearless as Karikó herself, Breaking Through is a remarkable story of tenacity, friendship and loyalty, and one woman’s unshakeable commitment to her values.

Fifteen Dogs - by Alexis André

A really interesting story, even if I had to suspend belief to accept it. Curiously, I am not sure whether I learned more about dog behaviour, hearing the dogs’ thoughts on that, or human behaviour as I hear their observations. It reminded me somewhat of another book where an alien gets to be a human for a while and is very confused about the way be behave.

Overall, it was thought provoking and I’ll take that.

What I'm reading ...

I have started Fifteen Dogs by Alexis André. This book was recommended by a friend. I am always a little wary of fantasy books, but thought that this sounded intriguing. Here’s the blurb:

It begins in a bar, like so many strange stories. The gods Hermes and Apollo argue about what would happen if animals had human intelligence, so they make a bet that leads them to grant consciousness and language to a group of dogs staying overnight at a veterinary clinic.

Suddenly capable of complex thought, the dogs escape and become a pack. They are torn between those who resist the new ways of thinking, preferring the old 'dog' ways, and those who embrace the change. The gods watch from above as the dogs venture into unfamiliar territory, as they become divided among themselves, as each struggles with new thoughts and feelings. Wily Benjy moves from home to home, Prince becomes a poet, and Majnoun forges a relationship with a kind couple that stops even the Fates in their tracks.

Engaging and strange, full of unexpected insights into human and canine minds, this contemporary take on the apologue is the most extraordinary book you'll read this year.

Behave - by Robert Sapolsky

When I set out to read this book, I was daunted by its length. As it turned out, many pages at the end were devoted to notes, bibliography etc. However, it was still about 750 pages of very solid material and, being a slow reader, it took me a while. But it was worth the effort.

The scope of the book is immense, as the author is an expert in human behaviour and neuroscience and constant reviews the connections between these disciplines. His writing style is relaxed and pleasing to read, with the occasional witticism. There are numerous technical terms, but the author does not assume any particular expertise and defines terms before using them. It is probably a book where I should have been taking notes as I went along.

Overall, I learned a lot from the book and believe it will actually help me understand many aspects of the [human] world that are so often mysterious.

What I'm reading ...

I have started Behave by Robert Sapolsky.  I heard a long, captivating interview with the author on a favourite podcast. One of the podcast presenters recommended this book, which was reasonably priced on Kindle. So, despite its great length >1100 pages!, I thought I’d give it a go. Here’s the blurb:

We are capable of savage acts of violence but also spectacular feats of kindness: is one side of our nature destined to win out over the other?

Every act of human behaviour has multiple layers of causation, spiralling back seconds, minutes, hours, days, months, years, even centuries, right back to the dawn of time and the origins of our species.

In the epic sweep of history, how does our biology affect the arc of war and peace, justice and persecution? How have our brains evolved alongside our cultures?

This is the exhilarating story of human morality and the science underpinning the biggest question of all: what makes us human?

My Father's House - by Joseph O'Connor

This book was very far from a disappointment In terms of quality of writing, the author has not lost his touch. Well drawn characters and a well paced story, as you might expect. There are quite a few characters, but I never lost track of who somebody was.  Some of the events described are quite shocking, but that’s war for you.

I liked the way snippets of Italian language are included, with no translation being provided. Most of them I could understand - I guessed at the others well enough.

I will try to not have such a long delay before I read any more of Joe O’Connor’s work.

What I'm reading ...

I have started My Father's House by Joseph O'Connor. I read and enjoyed several books by this author some years ago. I cannot explain why I have taken so long to return to his work, but I look forward to it. Here’s the blurb:

When the Nazis take Rome, thousands go into hiding. One priest will risk everything to save them.

September 1943: German forces occupy Rome. SS officer Paul Hauptmann rules with terror.

An Irish priest, Hugh O'Flaherty, dedicates himself to helping those escaping from the Nazis. His home is Vatican City, a neutral, independent country within Rome where the occupiers hold no sway. He gathers a team to set up an Escape Line.

But Hauptmann's net begins closing in and the need for a terrifyingly audacious mission grows critical. By Christmas, it's too late to turn back.

Based on a true story, My Father's House is a powerful thriller from a master of historical fiction. It is an unforgettable novel of love, sacrifice and what it means to be human in the most extreme circumstances.

Great-Uncle Harry - by Michael Palin

As expected, this was a very enjoyable read. Palin’s writing is very unpretentious and well paced - I kept turning the pages. The story of Harry’s life is interesting and well researched. I plan to visit his birthplace sometime soon, as it’s not far away. I always like to learn stuff when I’m reading and this book delivered. I really knew very little about WW1 and now I know a whole lot more. Some of that was not easy reading, but I appreciate being informed.

I look forward to reading more of the author’s work and already have one book in stock.

What I'm reading ...

I have started Great-Uncle Harry by Michael Palin. This was serialised on the radio and I heard a bit and it intrigued me. I prefer to read, so I got the book. The author has been around on TV for most of my life, so he feels like an old friend. I am sure that I will hear his voice as I read. Here’s the blurb:

From the time, many years ago, when Michael Palin first heard that his grandfather had a brother, Harry, who died in tragic circumstances, he was determined to find out more about him.

The quest that followed involved hundreds of hours of painstaking detective work. Michael dug out every bit of family gossip and correspondence he could. He studied every relevant official document. He tracked down what remained of his great-uncle Harry's diaries and letters, and pored over photographs of First World War battle scenes to see whether Harry appeared in any of them. He walked the route Harry took on that fatal, final day of his life amid the mud of northern France. And as he did so, a life that had previously existed in the shadows was revealed to him.

Great-Uncle Harry is an utterly compelling account of an ordinary man who led an extraordinary life. A blend of biography, history, travelogue and personal memoir this is Michael Palin at his very finest.

The Humans - by Matt Haig

The blurb for this book gives very little clue to what it is all about and what to expect. My previous experience of the author’s work is what drove me to read it. Initially, it appears to be sci fi or fantasy and I suppose it is just that. However, it is so much more than that. The book is an insightful look at what it is to be human from a very different perspective. It is well written with well drawn characters and tells the story with not a little humour. At the end, there are some author’s notes that explain how he came to write the book and these are as interesting as the story itself.

Once again, I look forward to more of Haig’s work.

What I'm reading ...

I have started The Humans by Matt Haig. I enjoyed the last book that I read by this author and this one looks intriguing. Here’s the blurb:

After an 'incident' one wet Friday night where he was found walking naked through the streets of Cambridge, Professor Andrew Martin is not feeling quite himself. Food sickens him. Clothes confound him. Even his loving wife and teenage son are repulsive to him. He feels lost amongst an alien species and hates everyone on the planet. Everyone, that is, except Newton, (and he's a dog).

Fascism: A Warning - by Madeleine Albright

This book really delivered on its promises. It covers about a century of political history and I learned a lot about the two world wars and their causes and the roots of many present-day issues. The author is a very good writer, with a clear style and a pace that kept me turning the pages. I must investigate if she has left us other writings that would interest me.

What I'm reading ...

I have started Fascism: A Warning by Madeleine Albright. I am increasing interested in modern politics - trying to understand what is going on in the world, much of which is, for me, unfathomable. This book was recommended by Alastair Campbell in his recent book. Here’s the blurb:

A personal and urgent examination of Fascism in the twentieth century and how its legacy shapes today’s world, written by one of America’s most admired public servants, the first woman to serve as U.S. secretary of state.

A Fascist, observes Madeleine Albright, ‘is someone who claims to speak for a whole nation or group, is utterly unconcerned with the rights of others, and is willing to use violence and whatever other means are necessary to achieve the goals he or she might have.’

The twentieth century was defined by the clash between democracy and Fascism, a struggle that created uncertainty about the survival of human freedom and left millions of innocent people dead. Given the horrors of that experience, one might expect the world to reject the spiritual successors to Hitler and Mussolini should they arise in our era. In Fascism: A Warning, Madeleine Albright, draws on her own experiences as a child in war-torn Europe and her distinguished career as a diplomat to question that very assumption.

Fascism, as Albright shows, is not only endured through the course of the twentieth century, but now presents a more virulent threat to international peace and justice than at any time since the end of World War II. The momentum toward democracy that swept the world when the Berlin Wall fell has gone into reverse. The United States, which has historically championed the free world, is led by a president who exacerbates popular divisions and heaps scorn on democratic institutions. In many countries, economic, technological and cultural factors are weakening the political centre and empowering the extremes of right and left. Contemporary leaders such as Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un are employing many of the same tactics used by Fascists in the 1920s and 30s.

Fascism: A Warning is a book for our times that is relevant to all times. Written with wisdom by someone who has not only studied history but helped to shape it, this call to arms teaches us the lessons we must understand and the questions we must answer if we are to save ourselves from repeating the tragic errors of the past.

The Book of Two Ways - by Jodi Picoult

When I read a novel, I am looking for two things: I want a gripping story, with plenty of details, skilfully written; I want to learn something about the world. When I started reading this book, I was fairly sure that the author would deliver. Having read it, I feel, if anything, she over-delivers!

Things I learned about: Egyptology, hieroglyphics, quantum physics, medical procedures and brain surgery, modern art, the chemistry of tears, end of life care. The story is also quite emotional and this is something that I find is a particular benefit of skilled female authors: I can learn just a bit about the feelings and emotions that women experience.

The book has multiple timelines. It is not a gimmick - it really is needed to tell the story. At one stage I was concerned that I was slightly confused, but I eventually realised that a little timeline confusion was also a necessary part of the story.

At first, I found the ending a little unsatisfying. But, after a little thought, I concluded that it was the only possible way to end the book and was ingenious. I later saw that the author’s editor had guided her in this direction.

I have read a number of Jodi Picoult’s books and seeing how many more are available to be read is exciting.

I have a feeling that it will be a while before I come across another book as richly enjoyable as this one.

What I'm reading ...

I have started The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult. One of my favourite authors. It’s always nice to get stuck into one of her books. Here’s the blurb:

Dawn is a death doula, and spends her life helping people make the final transition peacefully.

But when the plane she's on plummets, she finds herself thinking not of the perfect life she has, but the life she was forced to abandon fifteen years ago - when she left behind a career in Egyptology, and a man she loved.

Against the odds, she survives, and the airline offers her a ticket to wherever she needs to get to - but the answer to that question suddenly seems uncertain.

As the path of her life forks in two very different directions, Dawn must confront questions she's never truly asked: what does a well-lived life look like? What do we leave behind when we go? And do we make our choices, or do our choices make us?

Two possible futures. One impossible choice.

Lovers at the Museum - by Isabel Allende

As expected. This was a very quick read - even for me! A simple, amusing story with well drawn characters that is curiously thought provoking.

What I'm reading ...

I have started Lovers at the Museum by Isabel Allende. This is a short story, which will make a change - nice to have something that even I can read quickly. This author is well thought of and I am sure I have read her work before, so I am looking forward to it. The work is pre-publication, which is interesting. Here’s the blurb: 

Love, be it wild or tender, often defies logic. In fact, at times, the only rationale behind the instant connection of two souls is plain magic.

Bibiña Aranda, runaway bride, wakes up in the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao still wearing her wedding dress, draped in the loving arms of a naked man whose name she doesn’t know. She and the man with no clothes, Indar Zubieta, attempt to explain to the authorities how they got there. It’s a story of love at first sight and experience beyond compare, one that involves a dreamlike journey through the museum.

But the lovers’ transcendent night bears no resemblance to the crude one Detective Larramendi attempts to reconstruct. And no amount of fantastical descriptions can convince the irritated inspector of the truth.

Allende’s dreamy short story has the power to transport readers in any language, leaving them to ponder the wonders of love long after the story’s over.

Abominations - by Lionel Shriver

This book was good read. Many of the pieces were thought-provoking. A few were amusing. All were well-written, as I would expect from this author. Some of the political views expressed are at variance with my own, but it is good to read well-written and carefully thought through articles that explain different points of view coherently.

What I'm reading ...

I have started Abominations by Lionel Shriver. I wanted non-fiction, which was not pure politics, so this seemed to fit the bill, even though I am not a fan of short-form writing. It will be interesting to see how the writer, a favourite fiction author of mine, deals with essays. Here’s the blurb:

Novelist, cultural observer and social satirist Lionel Shriver is among the sharpest talents of our age. A writer who embraces ‘under-expressed, unpopular or downright dangerous’ points of view, she regularly deplores the conformity of thought and attitude that has overtaken society.

Bringing together thirty-five works curated from her many columns, features, essays and op-eds for the likes of the Spectator and Guardian, speeches and reviews, and some unpublished pieces, Abominations reveals Shriver at her most iconoclastic and personal. Relentlessly sceptical, cutting and contrarian but also frequently moving and vulnerable, this collection showcases her piquant opinions on a wide range of topics, including religion, politics, illness, mortality, family and friends, tennis, gender, immigration, consumerism, health care and taxes.

Though some of the more divisive essays in Abominations have ‘brought hell and damnation down on my head,’ as she cheerfully explains, she also offers insights on her novels and explores the perks and pitfalls of becoming a successful artist. Readers will find plenty to challenge them here, but they may also find many nuanced and considered insights with which they agree.

Anachronist - by Andrew Hastie

Quite a long book, but I got through it fairly quickly. Although it is “fantasy”, of which I am normally wary, I still found it was quite compelling. It is a complex story, compounded with temporal paradoxes and multiple timelines. The characters are well drawn and, whilst I may not have empathised with Josh, I did understand him.

I discovered that the book is the first in a series of five [?]. The result of this is the worst possible ending for a book. The story was winding down nicely, with loose ends being tidied. Then come the 3 terrible words: “To Be Continued …”

I may give in and read more books in the series. We’ll see.

What I'm reading ...

I have started Anachronist by Andrew Hastie. Time for fiction again. I’m not sure where this book came from, but it looks intriguing. Here’s the blurb:

Travelling into the past using the timelines of ancient artefacts, the Oblivion Order explore the forgotten centuries, ones that never made it into the history books.

Weaving back through time, the secret society of eccentric anachronists ensures the best possible future for humanity, making subtle adjustments to the past – saving us from oblivion.

Every alteration is carefully calculated, and nothing is left to chance. Until the day Joshua Jones, a teenage thief, breaks into one of their station houses and finds himself transported back to 1944 – where he accidentally changes the outcome of WW2.

Josh is inadvertently pulled into their secret world of alternate realities, temporal guilds and chaos demons. With the help of Caitlin, a beautiful librarian, he learns to harness his abilities as she shows him a future he never dreamed he could have.

But beyond the temporal borders, an ancient evil is gathering, threatening to devour every moment that ever was.

Will Josh fulfil his destiny? Will he come to terms with his past?

A fast-paced, time travel adventure, Anachronist will take you on a journey into a world not bound by the rules of time, exploring history and the consequences of changing it.

But What Can I Do? - by Alastair Campbell

This book is largely aimed at enthusing people - particularly young people - to become involved in politics. Interested first, involved later. This is not directly relevant to me, but it provides me with inspiration and ammunition to converse with young people on this topic.

One of the most outstanding insights, for me, was a very clear explanation of how populism works; how despicable people [e.g. Hitler, Trump, Johnson … the list goes on] gain popularity and come to power. I found it rather scary.

It is easy to read, I felt, and has an honestly about it that appealed to me. There were also some recommendations for other books to read …

What I'm reading ...

I have started But What Can I Do? by Alastair Campbell. As a frequent listener to the Rest is Politics podcast, I recently read and enjoyed Rory Stewart’s book. So this was obviously necessary reading too. I have heard good feedback from other readers. Here’s the blurb:

Our politics is a mess. Leaders who can't or shouldn't be allowed to lead. Governments that lie, and seek to undermine our democratic values. Policies that serve the interests of the privileged few. It's no surprise that so many of us feel frustrated, let down and drawn to ask, 'But what can I do?'

That question is the inspiration behind this book. It's a question regularly posed to Alastair Campbell, not least in reaction to The Rest is Politics, the chart-topping podcast he presents with Rory Stewart. His answer, typically, is forthright and impassioned. We cannot afford to stand on the sidelines. If we think things need to change, then we need to change them, and that means getting involved.

But What Can I Do? provides each of us with the motivation and the tools to make a difference. Opening with an acute analysis of our polarised world and the populists and extremists who have created it, it goes on to show how we can effect change for the better. It explains how we can develop our skills of advocacy and persuasion. It draws on Alastair's long experience to offer practical tips on putting together and leading a campaign team. It provides priceless advice on developing confidence and coping with criticism and setbacks. And it sets out the practical steps by which we can become political players ourselves.

Part call to arms, part practical handbook, But What Can I Do? will prove required reading for anyone who wants to make a difference.

The Thursday Murder Club - by Richard Osman

As expected, this was quite a straightforward and entertaining read. Nice quality of writing and a pace that kept me turning the pages. The complexity of the story was OK, as I didn’t take a break from reading for more than a day or so, otherwise I would have lost track. I may be inclined to read later books in this series.

What I'm reading ...

I have started The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman. Time for fiction and a light read. This book seems to have been popular so should fit the bill. Here’s the blurb:

In a peaceful retirement village, four unlikely friends meet up once a week to investigate unsolved murders.

But when a brutal killing takes place on their very doorstep, the Thursday Murder Club find themselves in the middle of their first live case.

Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron might be pushing eighty but they still have a few tricks up their sleeves.

Papyrus - by Irene Vallejo

A long book that took me - a slow reader - quite a while. But it was well worth the effort.

Ultimately it is a history book, so there was much for me to learn. Although it is the story of written language and the book, there is so much more. There are lots of transitions: spoken language to written; hieroglyphs to an alphabet; Greek culture to Roman; Greek language to Latin; scrolls to books; copying to printing.

I was enlightened by the understanding of how reading has morphed and how Greek and Roman empires were related. For a long time I have believed that the most significant human invention was the Internet, but I am now beginning to join the school of thought that says it was printing that changed the world most of all.

Almost every page of those book seemed to have a new fact to teach me or a profound insight into a matter to which had scarcely given a thought.

What I'm reading ...

I have started Papyrus by Irene Vallejo. I am unsure how I became aware of this book, but it looks fascinating and fits the bill of being something different and non-fiction. Here’s the blurb:

Long before books were mass-produced, scrolls hand copied on reeds pulled from the Nile were the treasures of the ancient world. Emperors and Pharaohs were so determined to possess them that they dispatched emissaries to the edges of the earth to bring them back.

In Papyrus, celebrated classicist Irene Vallejo traces the dramatic history of the book and the fight for its survival. This is the story of the book's journey from oral tradition to scrolls to codices, and how that transition laid the very foundation of Western culture. And it is a story full of heroic adventures, bloodshed and megalomania - from the battlefields of Alexander the Great and the palaces of Cleopatra to the libraries of war-torn Sarajevo and Oxford.

An international bestseller, Papyrus brings the ancient world to life and celebrates the enduring power of the written word.

Demon Copperhead - by Barbara Kingsolver

This was a big book and, being a slow reader, it took me a while. But it was time well spent! The book is so beautifully written. The story is interesting, with a good pace, well drawn characters and great descriptions of places and the main protagonist’s thoughts and feelings. The story is told from a single POV and the author gently changes the tone as he gets older [and wiser?]. As I always like to think that I am learning about the world when I read fiction, I was very happy with the feeling of authenticity in the book, as the author lives in the area where it is set.

I have shied away from this author in the past, as I am rather wary of “award winning” books [fear of the Emperor’s New Clothes phenomenon]. I will definitely investigate her other books now.

What I'm reading ...

I have started Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. This book is popular just now and has been recommended to me. It’s a long book - it could take a while … Here’s the blurb:

Demon's story begins with his traumatic birth to a single mother in a single-wide trailer, looking 'like a little blue prizefighter.' For the life ahead of him he would need all of that fighting spirit, along with buckets of charm, a quick wit, and some unexpected talents, legal and otherwise.

In the southern Appalachian Mountains of Virginia, poverty isn't an idea, it's as natural as the grass grows. For a generation growing up in this world, at the heart of the modern opioid crisis, addiction isn't an abstraction, it's neighbours, parents, and friends. 'Family' could mean love, or reluctant foster care. For Demon, born on the wrong side of luck, the affection and safety he craves is as remote as the ocean he dreams of seeing one day. The wonder is in how far he's willing to travel to try and get there.

Taste - by Stanley Tucci

Reading a memoir, by someone with whom you are familiar, should leave you with the feeling that you know them a little better than you did before - a bit like spending time with an acquaintance can progress them towards being a friend. On this basis, this book delivered. I knew that Stanley was keen on food and cooking. His discussion of this topic in the framework of talking about his life shows clearly that food is a passion for him. And it’s quite infectious. The inclusion of a few favourite recipes from time to time is definitely “added value”. 

What I'm reading ...

I have started Taste by Stanley Tucci. I am a big fan of the author in his roles of actor and TV presenter. He has great style and a very listenable voice. And, I am told, he can write well. I am about to find out. Here’s the blurb:

From award-winning actor and food obsessive Stanley Tucci comes an intimate and charming memoir of life in and out of the kitchen - the perfect accompaniment to your summer

Before Stanley Tucci became a household name with The Devil Wears Prada, The Hunger Games, and his legendary Negronis, he grew up in an Italian American family that spent every night around he table. In Searching For Italy, he revealed his passion for the secrets and delights of the country's many cuisines. Now, he shares the magic of a lifetime of meals, and the stories behind them.

Filled with anecdotes about growing up, shooting foodie films like Julie & Julia, falling in love across the table, and making dinner for his family, Taste is a reflection on the joys of food and life itself. Through five-star meals and burnt dishes, and from the good times to the bad, each morsel of this gastronomic journey is as heartfelt and delicious as the last.

The Starless Sea - by Erin Morgenstern

I am always rather wary of books that are pure fantasy and I guess that’s what this one is. However, I kept on turning the pages.

The book has an interesting structure. The main protagonist finds a book, with which he is intrigued. The book then starts alternating between the fantastical stories in the found book and the seemingly normal life of Zachary. As the book progresses things change and, by the end, the nature of the alternate pieces swaps. The excerpts from a book are quite normal, but Zachary’s story becomes downright weird.

It’s hard to say how much I liked the book, as I found it rather unfulfilling, but I did stick with it to the bitter end.

I suppose I won’t be in a hurry to read more of the author’s work.

What I'm reading ...

I have started The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern. I have no idea where this book came from, but it is time for fiction again. Here’s the blurb:

When Zachary Rawlins stumbles across a mysterious book containing details from his own life among its pages, it leads him on a quest unlike any other.

Following the clues inside, he is guided to a masquerade ball, a dangerous secret club, and finally to an ancient library hidden far beneath the surface of the earth. What Zachary finds in this curious place is more than just a buried home for books and their guardians - it is a place of lost cities and seas, lovers who pass notes across time, and of stories whispered by the dead.

But when the library is threatened, Zachary must race through its twisting tunnels and sweetly soaked shores, searching for the end of his story.

Politics On the Edge - by Rory Stewart

This book totally delivered. It is very well written, with vivid descriptions of people, places and events. Rory covers the details of events and also gives a clear idea how he felt about them at the time, with what I felt was a lot of honesty. I learnt a great deal about politics and the mechanics of UK government; I am not at all sure that I like a lot that I learnt! I had always thought that Rory was a very clear thinker with views that strongly align with my own; this book reinforced that view.

I think that I might get a taste for political memoirs …

What I'm reading ...

I have started reading Politics On the Edge by Rory Stewart. Despite his political affiliation, I always find Rory Stewart interesting to listen to, as he tends to just talk sense and be well informed. So, unusually, I ordered this book ahead of publication. I look forward to being educated about recent politics. Here’s the blurb:

Over the course of a decade from 2010, Rory Stewart went from being a political outsider to standing for prime minister - before being sacked from a Conservative Party that he had come to barely recognise.

Tackling ministerial briefs on flood response and prison violence, engaging with conflict and poverty abroad as a foreign minister, and Brexit as a Cabinet minister, Stewart learned first-hand how profoundly hollow our democracy and government had become.

Cronyism, ignorance and sheer incompetence ran rampant. Around him, individual politicians laid the foundations for the political and economic chaos of today. Stewart emerged battered but with a profound affection for his constituency of Penrith and the Border, and a deep direct insight into the era of populism and global conflict.

Uncompromising, candid and darkly humorous, Politics On the Edge is his story of the challenges, absurdities and realities of political life and a remarkable portrait of our age.

Lessons - by Ian McEwan

A longish book, so it took a while - but it was worth the effort. It tells the story of Roland’s whole life, with the timeline moving around, but not confusingly. The author’s descriptive prose conjures up vivid pictures, rather than just adding unnecessary floweriness. I’m not sure that I liked Roland - actually I found him a bit annoying - but that didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the read.

One irritant: I like to trust an author’s integrity so that I feel I learn from reading a book. So, silly errors niggle me. In this book we had an ambulance with a siren in 1959; emergency vehicles started using sirens about 5 years after this.