What I'm reading ...

 I have started Rebel Ideas: The Power of Diverse Thinking by Matthew Syed. Time for another non-fiction and this came recommended. here’s the blurb:

Where do the best ideas come from?

And how do we apply these ideas to the problems we face - at work, in the education of our children, and in the biggest shared challenges of our age: rising obesity, terrorism and climate change?

In this bold and inspiring new book, Matthew Syed - the bestselling author of Bounce and Black Box Thinking - argues that individual intelligence is no longer enough; that the only way to tackle these complex problems is to harness the power of our 'cognitive diversity'.

Rebel Ideas is a fascinating journey through the science of team performance. It draws on psychology, economics, anthropology and genetics, and takes lessons from a dazzling range of case-studies, including the catastrophic intelligence failings of the CIA before 9/11, a communication breakdown at the top of Mount Everest, and a moving tale of deradicalization in America's deep South.

It is book that will strengthen any company, institution or team, but it also offers many individual applications too: the remarkable benefits of personalised nutrition, advice on how to break free of the echo chambers that surround us, and tips on how we can all develop an 'outsider mindset'.

Rebel Ideas offers a radical blueprint for creative problem-solving. It challenges hierarchies, encourages constructive dissent and forces us to think again about where the best ideas come from.

The Lido - by Libby Page

 This is a real “feel good” book. Well, for me anyway. Perusing some of the Amazon reviews, a small minority sound like they have read a different book!

On the surface, the book is about the potential closure of a lido in Brixton, the impact of this possibility on various people and a campaign to stop it. What the book is really about is friendship, community, body image, mental health, love, life and death. 

I really enjoyed the read. When I was approaching the end, I experienced a common ambivalence: I did not want to put the book down, but I also didn’t want it to end. I was pleased to see that there’s another book by the author and further one to be published soon.

What I'm reading ...

I have started The Lido by Libby Page. I am not sure how I came to own this, but it’s time for some solid fiction and this looks like it’ll fit the bill. Here’s the blurb:

Rosemary has lived in Brixton all her life, but everything she knows is changing. Only the local lido, where she swims every day, remains a constant reminder of the past and her beloved husband George.

Kate has just moved and feels adrift in a city that is too big for her. She's on the bottom rung of her career as a local journalist, and is determined to make something of it.

So when the lido is threatened with closure, Kate knows this story could be her chance to shine. But for Rosemary, it could be the end of everything. Together they are determined to make a stand, and to prove that the pool is more than just a place to swim - it is the heart of the community.

A History of Modern Britain - by Andrew Marr

This book took a while. Partly this is due to it being a big book, me being a slow reader and my life being less conducive to reading from time to time lately. It is also because there is a lot of stuff in it and that takes time to process.

The book covers essentially 1945-2017, so all of my life  is encapsulated. I learned a great deal. Mostly about the political situation in my younger life, where I really had no idea what was going on. But also the background to Brexit, which was not really that clear to me - why would anyone vote to sabotage they country’s economy?

The book is well written and well paced. It feels very well researched and reliable. The last chapter confused me a little, as it “felt” different and is almost written backwards. I understand that it was added for the second edition, which explains the slight disconnect.