What I'm reading ...

I have started On the Road: Adventures from Nixon to Trump by James Naughtie. The author is very familiar for years of hearing him on the radio and I have met him a few times, finding him to be very amiable as well as a true professional. He has a good reputation as a journalist, so, when I saw this book was published, I was keen to get my hands on it. Here’s the blurb:

James Naughtie, the acclaimed author and BBC broadcaster, now brings his unique and inquisitive eye to the country that has fascinated him and drawn him across the Atlantic for half a century. In looking at America, from Presidents Nixon through to Trump, he’ll tell the story of a country that is grappling with a dream. What has it come to mean in the new century, and who do Americans now think they are?
Drawing on his travels and encounters over forty years in the ‘Land of the Free’, On The Road will be filled with anecdotes, memories, tears and laughter reflecting Naughtie’s characteristic warmth and enthusiasm in encountering the America of Washington, of Broadway, of the small town and the plains. Naughtie watched the fall of President Richard Nixon in 1974, and subsequently as a journalist followed the story of the country – its politicians, artists, wheeler-dealers and the people who make it what it is, in the New York melting pot or the western deserts. This will be a story filled with encounters, for example with the people he has watched on every presidential campaign from the 1970s to the victory of Donald Trump in 2016.

Not the End of the World - by Kate Atkinson

Despite my reservations about this being a collections of short stories, I really enjoyed this book. The quality of writing was excellent - just what I would expect from this author. The stories individually were well structured and very imaginative. What was not clear initially, but gradually became more apparent, were the links between the stories. Even though they do not have an obvious common theme [except, perhaps, death] and none of them [with one exception] have the same characters, people and situations are cross referenced increasingly as the book goes on. By the end, I was actively searching for the links. I look forward to the paperback publication [and resulting Kindle edition price decrease] of Kate Atkinson’s latest book.

What I'm reading ...

I have started Not the End of the World by Kate Atkinson. This is a collection of short stories, which is not my favourite literary form - I much prefer to get my teeth into a 400+ page novel. But I have read and enjoyed a lot of this author’s work, so I thought I’d give it a go. Here’s the blurb:

What is the real world? Does it exist, or is it merely a means of keeping another reality at bay? Not the End of the World is Kate Atkinson's first collection of short stories. Playful and profound, they explore the world we think we know whilst offering a vision of another world which lurks just beneath the surface of our consciousness, a world where the myths we have banished from our lives are startlingly present and where imagination has the power to transform reality. From Charlene and Trudi, obsessively making lists while bombs explode softly in the streets outside, to gormless Eddie, maniacal cataloguer of fish, and Meredith Zane who may just have discovered the secret to eternal life, each of these stories shows that when the worlds of material existence and imagination collide, anything is possible.

Becoming - by Michelle Obama

As I am interested in people’s lives, I always enjoy reading biographies and autobiographies in particular. I am wary of autobiographies that are ghost written - I think it is usually possible to tell. In this case, I really feel that I am hearing the author’s voice; somehow it just seems genuine.

The book is extremely well written, with a good pace. I realized that it reminded me of the Apollo 13 movie. With the movie, I knew what the outcome would be, as it was firmly based on actual events, but I was still on the edge of my seat. This book had the same vibe and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

I am very much a facts person, so feelings tend to need some explanation for me. Michelle Obama’s style is to write about how she felt about some event that was to take place. Then should would describe the event in factual terms. Then she would say how she felt about it. At a certain level, I now feel that I know the author just a bit. She comes over as very thoughtful, intelligent and eloquent and she takes pleasure in small - sometimes very ordinary - things, which is exactly what I endeavour to do myself. The book is inspiring and quite emotional.

The story ends when she and Barack hand over the White House to the Trumps. She does not hide her opinions and concerns about the new POTUS. Reading the book made me feel sad for America: what they had and they lost.

What I'm reading ...

I have started Becoming by Michelle Obama. We saw the documentary about her book tour recently, which was interesting and emotional. I have always been impressed by her [and her hubby!] and enjoy a good biography. Here’s the blurb:

In a life filled with meaning and accomplishment, Michelle Obama has emerged as one of the most iconic and compelling women of our era. As First Lady of the United States of America - the first African-American to serve in that role - she helped create the most welcoming and inclusive White House in history, while also establishing herself as a powerful advocate for women and girls in the U.S. and around the world, dramatically changing the ways that families pursue healthier and more active lives, and standing with her husband as he led America through some of its most harrowing moments. Along the way, she showed us a few dance moves, crushed Carpool Karaoke, and raised two down-to-earth daughters under an unforgiving media glare.
In her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing storytelling, Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her - from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world's most famous address. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private, telling her full story as she has lived it - in her own words and on her own terms. Warm, wise, and revelatory, Becoming is the deeply personal reckoning of a woman of soul and substance who has steadily defied expectations - and whose story inspires us to do the same.

Normal People - by Sally Rooney

Someone told me that this book was a “romance”. I have concluded that this description is not wrong, but is incomplete. I think that the real message of the book is that there is no such thing as “normal” people. But I think I knew that. The story, at a certain level, describes various people, who can appear normal and then you find out about their quirks. Overall, I found it an enjoyable read.
I was confused about some of the language usage. There is a reference to a “windshield”, which is not British English - is it the Irish English word stolen from American perhaps? Later in the book Marianne gets some money in Euros, but Connell says that he needs “10 quid”. Even if people used to call the Irish Pound a quid, these characters would be too young to have that slang, unless that is universal in Ireland [for Euro].
Another aspect of the book troubled me: none of the dialogue has quotation marks around it. This feels wrong, though I never actually found it confusing. So, maybe quotes aren’t really needed. As I subscribe to the view that the apostrophe should be abolished, I should be comfortable with this.
Lastly, the ending of the book felt a little weak to me. Short of killing off a key character, it is hard to know how to finish such a story.

What I'm reading ...

I have started Normal People by Sally Rooney. I read a glowing review of the TV adaptation of this book and thought that it might be interesting to read. Then I discovered that we had a copy and two family members had read it. They were unimpressed, but I will try to have an open mind. Here’s the blurb:

Connell and Marianne grow up in the same small town in the west of Ireland, but the similarities end there. In school, Connell is popular and well-liked, while Marianne is a loner. But when the two strike up a conversation - awkward but electrifying - something life-changing begins.
Normal People is a story of mutual fascination, friendship and love. It takes us from that first conversation to the years beyond, in the company of two people who try to stay apart but find they can't.

Shakespeare: The World as a Stage - by Bill Bryson

I had high expectations of this book, as I always enjoy Bryson’s writing and know that his research is thorough. I was not disappointed. This was a very enjoyable and informative read. It was disconcerting, near the beginning, when he mentions that there is a problem: we actually know very little about Shakespeare’s life, despite his significance in history and literature. The book describes what is known and discusses numerous claims about the Bard’s life, that have been refuted or clearly do not fit with the facts. He also describes a lot of detail about life in England in the late 1500s and early 1600s, which I enjoyed. I wish this book had been available when I was learning about Shakespeare and that historical period at school ...

What I'm reading ...

I have started Shakespeare: The World as a Stage by Bill Bryson. Time for non-fiction again. Bryson is one of my favourite authors - certainly in top three - so I look forward to gaining some interesting insights while being entertained. Here’s the blurb:

International bestseller Bill Bryson brings us this brilliantly readable biography of the world’s greatest playwright, William Shakespeare.
Join Bill as he takes you on a journey through Elizabethan England, tackling the myths, half-truths and downright lies to make sense of the man behind the masterpieces.

The Atlantis Gene - by A.G. Riddle

This book turned out to be an odd coincidence in a couple fo ways. Firstly, there was part of the story that hinged on brain plasticity - the subject of a recent that book I read. The other is that the story includes some narrative from the time of the Spanish ‘flu pandemic and the contemporaneous timeline introduces a new pandemic. None of this topicality was obvious from the blurb.
Overall, it was a good read, with lots of short chapters, which is a great way to coax me further - just one more chapter … I did find some of the geography and the multiple characters with aliases slightly confusing towards the end. There are a fair number of twists in the plot, which is good. I found the ending [at least there is one!] a little weak.

What I'm reading ...

I have started The Atlantis Gene by A.G. Riddle. I thought that it was time for fiction again, contemporaneous sci fi would fit the bill and this has been sitting around for a while. Here’s the blurb:

70,000 years ago, the human race almost went extinct.
We survived, but no one knows how.
Until now.
The countdown to the next stage of human evolution is about to begin, and humanity might not survive this time.
The Immari are good at keeping secrets. For 2,000 years, they've hidden the truth about human evolution. They've also searched for an ancient enemy--a threat that could wipe out the human race. Now the search is over.
Off the coast of Antarctica, a research vessel discovers a mysterious structure buried deep in an iceberg. It has been there for thousands of years, and something is guarding it. As the Immari rush to execute their plan, a brilliant geneticist makes a discovery that could change everything.
Dr. Kate Warner moved to Jakarta, Indonesia to escape her past. She hasn't recovered from what happened to her, but she has made an incredible breakthrough: a cure for autism. Or so she thinks. What she has found is far more dangerous--for her and the entire human race. Her work could be the key to the next stage of human evolution. In the hands of the Immari, it would mean the end of humanity as we know it.
Agent David Vale has spent ten years trying to stop the Immari. Now he's out of time. His informant is dead. His organization has been infiltrated. His enemy is hunting him. But when David receives a coded message related to the Immari attack, he risks everything to save the one person that can help him solve it: Dr. Kate Warner.
Together, Kate and David must race to unravel a global conspiracy and learn the truth about the Atlantis Gene... and human origins. Their journey takes them to the far corners of the globe and into the secrets of their pasts. The Immari are close on their heels and will stop at nothing to obtain Kate's research and force the next stage of human evolution--even if it means killing 99.9% of the world's population. David and Kate can stop them... if they can trust each other. And stay alive.

A Beautiful Broken Dream: A Trail Journal in Search of the Myth of America - by Steve Bonham

This was an enjoyable enough read, but I ultimately found it unsatisfying. It was reasonably well written and kept me turning the pages, but I was looking forward to getting a glimpse of bit of America [or even Americana] that were new to me. I did get some such glimpses, but they were mixed in with a lot of the writer’s thoughts and philosophy. Although this was not uninteresting, it was not what I was expecting in the book.

What I'm reading ...

I have started A Beautiful Broken Dream: A Trail Journal in Search of the Myth of America by Steve Bonham. I am not quite sure how I can to purchase this book. Maybe I read a review or perhaps someone recommended it. Anyway, I have since been told that it is a good read. All my life I have been fascinated by America - even if there are many aspects of the country that appall me - so I am interested to read another angle. Here’s the blurb:

Take a picaresque journey in search of the spirit and soul of America, an America beyond the headlines. An antidote to the Age of Trump, A Beautiful Broken Dream is a "trail journal" of stories, poems and lyrics—all tied together by a journey through the most beautiful and haunting landscapes America has to offer.
With Steve Bonham as your guide, visit the great forests of the U.S. and take a trip along the music road from Asheville to Nashville and New Orleans, where you'll be joined by Bonham's sometime-travelling companion and great friend, the artist Dinny Pocock. Endeavour to avoid irritable bears, rattlesnakes, agitated natives and a variety of other challenges while throwing yourself into the heart of Appalachia, the southern states, and the music that flows from it.
What you'll end up with is a wry, compassionate, idiosyncratic and personal view of this land and the truth it holds for all of us.

The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science - by Norman Doidge

This was an absolutely fascinating book. It is well written and easy to read, but assumes a certain amount of reader intelligence. It explained lots fo things I have wondered about and even suggested some possibilities for mitigating the effects of aging on the mind. It may have just changed my life ...

What I'm reading ...

I have started The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science by Norman Doidge. It was time for some “serious” non-fiction. This is a subject that interests me and the book was recommended. Here’s the blurb:

Meet the ninety-year-old doctor who is still practicing medicine, the stroke victim who learned to move and talk again and the woman with half a brain that rewired itself to work as a whole. All these people had their lives transformed by the remarkable discovery that our brains can repair themselves through the power of positive thinking.
Here bestselling author, psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Norman Doidge reveals the secrets of the cutting-edge science of 'neuroplasticity'. He introduces incredible case histories - blind people helped to see, IQs raised and memories sharpened - and tells the stories of the maverick scientists who are overturning centuries of assumptions about the brain.
This inspiring book will leave you with a sense of wonder at the capabilities of the mind, and the self-healing power that lies within all of us.

Dead Man’s Grip - by Peter James

Some people criticize Peter James for taking a “formulaic” approach to his books. I see where they’re coming from. His books always have a number of threads, that gradually come together. The first few chapters set up each thread and appear quite unconnected. The stories are always quite complex and there’s inevitably at least one surprising twist. Some time is spent on updating the reader on matters with his [currently] fiancée Cleo and there is always something about his missing wife, Sandy. For me, this is all part of the pleasure of reading this series. It is familiar, but each story has enough “meat” to keep me on the edge of my seat. This book was very unputdownable once I got to the last 100 pages or so. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

What I'm reading ...

I have started Dead Man’s Grip by Peter James. Time for some “normal” fiction and PJ is an author I turn to when I want a good story to get lost in. Here’s the blurb:

Carly Chase is still traumatised after being in a fatal traffic accident which kills a teenage student from Brighton University. Then she receives news that turns her entire world into a living nightmare.
The drivers of the other two vehicles involved have been found tortured and murdered. Now Detective Superintendant Roy Grace of the Sussex Police force issues a stark and urgent warning to Carly: She could be next.
The police advise Carly her only option is to go into hiding and change her identity. The terrified woman disagrees - she knows these people have ways of hunting you down anywhere. If the police are unable to stop them, she has to find a way to do it herself. But already the killer is one step ahead of her, watching, waiting, and ready. . .

Over the Top - by Jonathan Van Ness

This was an enjoyable read. I always wonder with autobiographies whether they are ghost written or not. I this case the “voice” sounded quite genuine. I learnt quite a lot about the life of a queer person in small town America. Also, I am fully up to date with what being HIV positive means nowadays. I will look at JVN in a new light next time I watch Queer Eye. He had a long road to get there ...

What I'm reading ...

I have started Over the Top by Jonathan Van Ness. It was time for some non-fiction and this seemed a light option. Although I strongly dislike reality TV, Queer Eye is a favourite programme of mine. I am not sure why it appeals so much, but it always has an emotional impact. I am interested to read the back story to one of the team. Here’s the blurb:

Who gave Jonathan Van Ness permission to be the radiant human he is today? No one, honey.
The truth is, it hasn’t always been gorgeous for this beacon of positivity and joy.
Before he stole our hearts as the grooming and self-care expert on Netflix’s hit show Queer Eye, Jonathan was growing up in a small Midwestern town that didn’t understand why he was so…over the top. From choreographed carpet figure skating routines to the unavoidable fact that he was Just. So. Gay., Jonathan was an easy target and endured years of judgement, ridicule and trauma - yet none of it crushed his uniquely effervescent spirit.
Over the Top uncovers the pain and passion it took to end up becoming the model of self-love and acceptance that Jonathan is today. In this revelatory, raw, and rambunctious memoir, Jonathan shares never-before-told secrets and reveals sides of himself that the public has never seen. JVN fans may think they know the man behind the stiletto heels, the crop tops, and the iconic sayings, but there’s much more to him than meets the Queer Eye.

His Dark Materials: The Complete Collection - by Philip Pullman

This book took a while, which is unsurprising as it was probably the longest book I have ever read! However, the pace and quality of the writing kept me on track and I was always keen to get on to the next chapter.
I am not normally a fan of the fantasy genre, as I have trouble suspending belief. But, in this case, the author does not demand that I take on too much weird stuff. There are aspects of the physics that trouble me, but I decided not to think about them and just enjoy the story.
Really it’s a great read and I’m glad I devoted the time to it.
I now need to re-read The Secret Commonwealth, having been reminded of the starting point. However, I think I will wait until the final volume of The Book of Dust is, at least, in sight. 

What I'm reading ...

I have started His Dark Materials: The Complete Collection by Philip Pullman. Having enjoyed reading the author’s two recent books [Volumes 1 and 2 of the Book of Dust] and watched the recent TV adaptation, I thought that I would go back to the original and read all three books in succession. At nearly 1000 pages, it will take a while! I guess this is a re-read because I read Northern Lights years ago, but I do not think I ever got on to the others. Here’s the blurb:

Northern Lights
Lyra Belacqua lives half-wild and carefree among the scholars of Jordan College, with her daemon familiar always by her side. But the arrival of her fearsome uncle, Lord Asriel, draws her to the heart of a terrible struggle – a struggle born of Gobblers and stolen children, witch clans and armoured bears.
The Subtle Knife
Lyra finds herself in a shimmering, haunted otherworld – Cittàgazze, where soul-eating Spectres stalk the streets and wingbeats of distant angels sound against the sky. But she is not without allies: twelve-year-old Will Parry, fleeing for his life after taking another's, has also stumbled into this strange new realm.
On a perilous journey from world to world, Lyra and Will uncover a deadly secret: an object of extraordinary and devastating power. And with every step, they move closer to an even greater threat – and the shattering truth of their own destiny.
The Amber Spyglass
Will and Lyra, whose fates are bound together by powers beyond their own worlds, have been violently separated. But they must find each other, for ahead of them lies the greatest war that has ever been – and a journey to a dark place from which no one has ever returned . . .

Gates: How Microsoft's Mogul Reinvented an Industry and Made Himself the Richest Man in America - by Stephen Manes and Paul Andrews

This took a while, because it is quite a long book and life got in the way over the holiday. I was never in doubt about pressing on with it, as it has good pace - almost like a novel, with each chapter ending with a “pull” into the next. Although the book is about Gates the man, it is as much about Microsoft and the history of the personal computer. I felt very connected with the story, as it spans my entire adult life and I have always been involved in high-tech. I enjoyed all the detail and was amazed at the somewhat haphazard [one might say reactive] way that Microsoft planned products. From the outside, it always looked like they had a plan!

What I'm reading ...

I have started Gates: How Microsoft's Mogul Reinvented an Industry and Made Himself the Richest Man in America by Stephen Manes and Paul Andrews. I have been sitting on this for a while and it was time for some down to earth non-fiction. Here’s the blurb:

Bill Gates is an American icon, the ultimate revenge of the nerd. The youngest self-made billionaire in history was for many years the most powerful person in the computer industry. His tantrums, his odd rocking tic, and his lavish philanthropy have become the stuff of legend. Gates is the one book that truly illuminates the early years of the man and his company.
In high school he organized computer enterprises for profit. At Harvard he co-wrote Microsoft BASIC, the first commercial personal computer software, then dropped out and made it a global standard. At 25, he offered IBM a program he did not yet own--a program called DOS that would become the essential operating system for more than 100 million personal computers and the foundation of the Gates empire. As Microsoft's dominance extended around the globe, Bill Gates became idolized, hated, and feared.
In this riveting independent biography, veteran computer journalists Stephen Manes and Paul Andrews draw on a dozen sessions with Gates himself and nearly a thousand hours of interviews with his friends, family, employees, and competitors to debunk the myths and paint the definitive picture of the real Bill Gates, "bugs" and all. Here is the shy but fearless competitor with the guts and brass to try anything once--on a computer, at a negotiation, or on water skis. Here is the cocky 23-year-old who calmly spurned an enormous buyout offer from Ross Perot. Here is the supersalesman who motivated his Smart Guys, fought bitter battles with giant IBM, and locked horns with Apple's Steve Jobs--and usually won. Here, too, is the workaholic pessimist who presided over Microsoft's meteoric rise while most other personal computer pioneers fell by the wayside. Gates extended his vision of software to art, entertainment, education, and even biotechnology, and made good on much of his promise to put his software "on every desk and in every home."
Gates is a bracing, comprehensive portrait of the microcomputer industry, one of its leading companies, and the man who helped create a world where software is everything.

The Secret Commonwealth - by Philip Pullman

This is a long, complex book, but I am happy to say that I never got lost and I was motivated to keep turning the pages right up to the end. Overall the quality of writing is what I’d expect from this author. My challenge was remembering much of what happened in His Dark Materials and in La Belle Sauvage, but this did not cause me any great difficulty.

I had one disappointment and this will almost be a spoiler. Towards the end of the book, the tension is building and it seems hard to imagine how the particular situation will resolve itself in the last few pages. This is because it doesn’t. The book ends with those awful 3 words: To be continued … And I have no idea when the next book is due to come out.

What I'm reading ...

I have started The Secret Commonwealth by Philip Pullman. I read the first book of the Dust trilogy a while ago and was looking forward to this, the second volume. It is so long since I read the His Dark Materials books that I wonder if I will follow this book, as it takes place in a later time frame [whereas La Belle Sauvage took place before]. I think it likely that the author will have accommodated the “new reader”. Here’s the blurb:

The second volume of Philip Pullman's The Book of Dust sees Lyra, now twenty years old, and her daemon Pantalaimon, forced to navigate their relationship in a way they could never have imagined, and drawn into the complex and dangerous factions of a world that they had no idea existed.
Pulled along on his own journey too is Malcolm; once a boy with a boat and a mission to save a baby from the flood, now a man with a strong sense of duty and a desire to do what is right.
Theirs is a world at once familiar and extraordinary, and they must travel far beyond the edges of Oxford, across Europe and into Asia, in search for what is lost - a city haunted by daemons, a secret at the heart of a desert, and the mystery of the elusive Dust.

Utopia for Realists: And How We Can Get There - by Rutger Bregman

I found this book to be a remarkably easy read, as, for a non-fiction book of its type, it has great pace. The language used is very accessible, which I think is a lot to do with the translation [from the original Dutch]. I quickly realized that the author and I were of a like mind on many things. He supports a number of somewhat radical ideas that I, too, espouse. The difference between us is that he has hard evidence to back up his views.

Overall, I think it is an amazing book, which is broadly optimistic, as it shows a way forward for our society that looks very attractive [to me] and it is, at least theoretically, attainable. The book is very up to date - there are references to Trump and Boris - but I think the ideas will last well. It was easily the most understandable and influential political book that I have ever read. I cannot say that it is life changing [for me], as I am unsure that I can do anything individually to move matters forward. However, I will look at who I vote for and what I march for with a new eye.

What I'm reading ...

I have started Utopia for Realists: And How We Can Get There by Rutger Bregman. It was time for some non-fiction and this was recommended strongly by a trusted friend. Here’s the blurb:

In Utopia for Realists, Rutger Bregman shows that we can construct a society with visionary ideas that are, in fact, wholly implementable. Every milestone of civilisation – from the end of slavery to the beginning of democracy – was once considered a utopian fantasy. New utopian ideas such as universal basic income and a fifteen-hour work week can become reality in our lifetime.
From a Canadian city that once completely eradicated poverty, to Richard Nixon's near implementation of a basic income for millions of Americans, Bregman takes us on a journey through history, beyond the traditional left-right divides, as he introduces ideas whose time has come.

Transcription - by Kate Atkinson

Although this was different from earlier books by this author, I still really enjoyed reading it. It is complex, with a couple of timelines, but I never found myself lost or confused. There were just enough twists and turns in the story, a good pace and it had a fairly clear ending.

If I have one disappointment, it is that I like to feel that I have learned something from reading a book, even a novel. In this case, I may have learned something about MI5 during and after WW2. However, there were a few very minor factual errors that shake my confidence. For example, it was suggested that people with any German connections in the UK were given a hard time, including those who owned German Shepherd dogs. This sounds reasonable, except that the widespread use of this name for the breed did not come until the 1970s. The author does, to give her credit, say that this is a work of fiction, so the odd fact may be astray. But I do feel this is a little lazy.

What I'm reading ...

I have started Transcription by Kate Atkinson. I have been a fan of this author for many years. I was very tempted to get this book when it was first published last year, but I waited until the paperback publication drove the Kindle price down. Here’s the blurb:

In 1940, eighteen-year old Juliet Armstrong is reluctantly recruited into the world of espionage. Sent to an obscure department of MI5 tasked with monitoring the comings and goings of British Fascist sympathizers, she discovers the work to be by turns both tedious and terrifying. But after the war has ended, she presumes the events of those years have been relegated to the past for ever.
Ten years later, now a producer at the BBC, Juliet is unexpectedly confronted by figures from her past. A different war is being fought now, on a different battleground, but Juliet finds herself once more under threat. A bill of reckoning is due, and she finally begins to realize that there is no action without consequence.

The Body: A Guide for Occupants - by Bill Bryson

My high hopes were not misplaced. I found this book a joy to read. It is well organized and written in Bryson’s very relaxed style, with a bit of humour here and there. There are lots of surprising facts and busting of myths and the list of references, supporting the text, is extensive. As I love learning random, useless facts, this book is a goldmine. I would recommend the book to anyone with an enquiring mind.

What I'm reading ...

I have started The Body: A Guide for Occupants by Bill Bryson. Bryson has been a favourite author of mine for about 30 years and I have had the pleasure of meeting him a couple of times. I long since got into the habit of buying his books as soon as they were published. So, as soon as I heard about this one, a “pre-order” was in place. His last book of this ilk was very enjoyable [and incredibly successful], so I have high hopes. Here’s the blurb:

Bill Bryson sets off to explore the human body, how it functions and its remarkable ability to heal itself. Full of extraordinary facts and astonishing stories The Body: A Guide for Occupants is a brilliant, often very funny attempt to understand the miracle of our physical and neurological make up.
A wonderful successor to A Short History of Nearly Everything, this new book is an instant classic. It will have you marvelling at the form you occupy, and celebrating the genius of your existence, time and time again.

Machines Like Me - by Ian McEwan

Last time I read a book by this author, the first few pages grabbed me and I was off to a flying start. Sadly, the rest of the book was a bit of a disappointment. This book, too, started off well and I feared a repeat of my previous experience. However, my fears were unfounded. The book kept me turning the pages, having pulled me in. I read it in a very short time [for me] - a long airplane ride helped.
I am unsure whether this is a human story with the robot angle as a backdrop, or vice versa. It doesn’t matter as the two threads interleave very well. I find the “alternate history” approach interesting. In this case, the time period is one that I clearly understand, as I lived through it as a young adult. The author weaved in some contemporary politics and issues in interesting ways, some of which I feel are rather tongue in cheek.
Overall, it was a good read that might give some insights into challenges we may be facing in the not too distant future.

What I'm reading ...

I have started Machines Like Me by Ian McEwan. This book sounds fascinating in concept. I have not been 100% sure about this author’s work in the past, but this book came recommended by a good friend, so thought I’d give it a go. Here’s the blurb:

Britain has lost the Falklands war, Margaret Thatcher battles Tony Benn for power and Alan Turing achieves a breakthrough in artificial intelligence. In a world not quite like this one, two lovers will be tested beyond their understanding.
Machines Like Me occurs in an alternative 1980s London. Charlie, drifting through life and dodging full-time employment, is in love with Miranda, a bright student who lives with a terrible secret. When Charlie comes into money, he buys Adam, one of the first batch of synthetic humans. With Miranda’s assistance, he co-designs Adam’s personality. This near-perfect human is beautiful, strong and clever – a love triangle soon forms. These three beings will confront a profound moral dilemma. Ian McEwan’s subversive and entertaining new novel poses fundamental questions: what makes us human? Our outward deeds or our inner lives? Could a machine understand the human heart? This provocative and thrilling tale warns of the power to invent things beyond our control.

Down Among the Dead Men: A Year in the Life of a Mortuary Technician - by Michelle Williams

I always like to learn about other people’s lives, particularly when they do a job about which I have no knowledge. This book fully delivered in this respect. I did not really know anything about what goes on in a mortuary and now I do. The writing is not amazing, but it is certainly good enough; the book would have benefitted from a light edit. It is written from a very personal perspective, which I think suited the subject very well.

What I'm reading ...

I have started Down Among the Dead Men: A Year in the Life of a Mortuary Technician by Michelle Williams. I wanted some non-fiction and this has been sitting on my “shelf” for a long time, so I thought I’d give it a go. Here’s the blurb:

Michelle Williams is young and attractive, she has close family ties as well as a busy social life - but she is far from usual. She is a mortuary technician and her job involves dealing with those things in life that many people do not wish to experience directly.
Yet life in the mortuary is neither gruesome nor sad. Told with good humour and common sense, we are introduced to a host of characters - the pathologists, many of them eccentric, some downright mad; the undertakers, the hospital porters and the man from the coroner's office who sings to Michelle every morning. The incidents too ensure that no two days are ever the same. From the tragic to the hilarious they include:
The fitness fanatic who was run over as he did pressups in the road on a dark night; The decapitated motorcyclist; The guide dog who led his owner on to the railway tracks - and left him there; The forty stone man for whom an entire refrigerated lorry had to be hired because he wouldn't fit in the mortuary cooler.
Over the course of her first year Michelle has to deal with situations and emotions that few of us will ever experience, and does so while retaining a sense of humour and a sense of perspective.

The Second Sleep - by Robert Harris

I glanced at a few reviews of this book before starting. This is something that I do not usually do, as I do not want to read “spoilers”. However, the only thing that they did tell me was that this book is not what it seems. It is not a historical novel. I will say no more.
As always with this author, I enjoyed the quality of writing and attention to detail. The characters were quite strong, I felt, and the story had a continuous stream of happenings and revelations to keep me interested. There are aspects of the story that make you wonder about the world that we live in, but this is presented with a little spark of humour that works well.
Initially I was a little disappointed with the ending, though I was pleased to find it had one, as many books seem to just stop. I did something unusual: I re-read the last two chapters just to make sure I fully understood the nuances. I can confirm that a sequel is very unlikely. There is an aspect of the story where I would have liked a more definitive explanation, but I suspect that the author felt that the way it is makes it more thought provoking.

What I’m reading ...

I have started The Second Sleep by Robert Harris. When I heard that he had a new book and read some details, it was irresistible. Here's the blurb:

1468. A young priest, Christopher Fairfax, arrives in a remote Exmoor village to conduct the funeral of his predecessor. The land around is strewn with ancient artefacts – coins, fragments of glass, human bones – which the old parson used to collect. Did his obsession with the past lead to his death?

As Fairfax is drawn more deeply into the isolated community, everything he believes – about himself, his faith and the history of his world – is tested to destruction.

The Turning - by Tim Winton

The first thing that struck me, after reading just a few pages of this book, was the quality of the writing - beautifully descriptive without being flowery. I enjoy reading in a different English - in this case Australian - there are unfamiliar words and different nuances in the language usage.

I found the linking of the stories very interesting and it was this that kept my attention. I rather regret not taking notes so I could keep track of some of the recurring characters and events. I thought that the book might be described as a kind of literary cubism - showing things from multiple points of view.

I will certainly be keen to read more by this author. 

What I'm reading ...

I have started The Turning by Tim Winton. I was recommended this book by a friend, who was impressed by the quality of the writing. Although I’m not a fan of short stories most of the time - I like something to get my teeth into - the fact that these are linked piqued my interest. Here’s the blurb:

In these extraordinary tales about ordinary people from ordinary places, Tim Winton describes turnings of all kinds: second thoughts, changes of heart, nasty surprises, slow awakenings, abrupt transitions. The seventeen stories overlap to paint a convincing and cohesive picture of a world where people struggle against the terrible weight of their past and challenge the lives they have made for themselves.
Tim Winton is indisputably one of the finest storytellers working in the English language. Now he gives us seventeen exquisite overlapping tales of second thoughts and mid-life regret – extraordinary stories of ordinary people from ordinary places. Here are turnings of all kinds – changes of heart, nasty surprises, slow awakenings, sudden detours – where people struggle against the terrible weight of the past and challenge the lives they’ve made for themselves.

In Search of Nice Americans - by Geoff Steward

This book was an enjoyable, easy read. It made me smile a lot and laugh out loud from time to time. Whilst I would not want to follow in the author’s footsteps for the most part, there were two or three places which I thought I might like to visit. The book was an ideal holiday read. The promotion for the book suggests that it is in the same class as Bill Bryson. To me, I can see why they might be compared, but, as a long term fan, I have to say BB still has the edge.

What I'm reading ...

I have started In Search of Nice Americans by Geoff Steward. I wanted light, non-fiction for a change and something autobiographic would fit the bill. This book was “sold” to me on Facebook and the reviews were mostly good. Here’s the blurb:

Like most of us, Geoff Steward was rocked by 2016's litany of horrors. Unlike most of us, Geoff did something about it.
Turning his back on his day job as a lawyer - and the requirement to account for every six minutes of his time - Geoff set off across America in hot pursuit of bears, honky-tonk bars and, above all, nice Americans to restore his faith in the world.
Armed only with his blend of waspish wit and mischievous charm, Geoff roamed from New York to Alaska, meeting ordinary Americans such as Joe le Taxi, the former NYPD police officer who was one of the first on the scene at the Twin Towers; Pam and Bob, a paranoid psychiatrist and a failed actor who once saw the back of Meryl Streep's head; and Sheriff Duke of Calhoun County, who reintroduced Geoff to the long (and armed) arm of the law.
For anyone at a crossroads, contemplating a temporary or permanent career break, this hilarious travel romp offers a new hope.

The Current War - by Adam Cline

This book essentially delivered in terms of providing some further background to the film, which I found interesting. Some of the details conflict with what occurred in the film, but I am not going to be picky. I have two gripes. Firstly, the book is not particularly well written and the editing seems to be non-existent. Also, it did not answer what, for me, was a key technical question: Why was it more efficient to send AC over long distances compared with  DC? Was it simply the fact that voltage changes with AC are easy and harder with DC?

What I'm reading ...

I have started The Current War by Adam Cline. I have just seen this film and I was interested in some background information and this short book looked as if it might do the job. Here’s the blurb:

In the late 1880s and early 1890s, the introduction of electricity brought with it two competing systems of electric power transmission. A powerful individual backed each system.
On one side was Thomas Edison, the savvy inventor and businessman. On the other side was inventor and industrialist George Westinghouse.
The two of them got embroiled in a nasty confrontation as each of them fought to ensure his system would become the industry standard.
In this book, Author Adam Cline gives a fascinating account of a commercial and technological feud that involved a public debate over the safety electricity, an aggressive and deceitful propaganda campaign and the introduction of the electric chair. 

Consider Phlebas - by Iain M. Banks

It was interesting to read a sizable sci fi book again - and this one kept me going for a while. A key criterion of mine was met: there was no clear violation of the laws of physics. For me, sci fi has to be a vision of the future or another part of the Universe that I find credible. Although long, this book was well-paced and it kept me turning the pages - it certainly lived up to some people’s description of it being a “space opera”.

I guess that I have 2 criticisms of the book. First, I found the death toll rather wearing. Second, at the end of the book I had this “where do we go from here?” feeling. All the loose ends were tied up, which I would normally regard as a good thing. However, this is the first book of a series [there are 10 currently], so I expected it to be a “scene setter” for the subsequent books. Other than explaining more or less who/what the Culture is, it gave me little in the way of expectations for the other books.

I am wondering whether each book in the Culture series is essentially stand-alone and the Culture merely provides a consistent framework for the stories. Maybe I will find out sometime, as I think I will probably read more of the series in due course.

What I'm reading ...

I have started reading Consider Phlebas by Iain M. Banks. It was time for some fiction and I haven’t read any sci fi in a while and this book was recommended by a friend whose input I respect. Here’s the blurb:

The war raged across the galaxy. Billions had died, billions more were doomed. Moons, planets, the very stars themselves, faced destruction, cold-blooded, brutal, and worse, random. The Idirans fought for their Faith; the Culture for its moral right to exist. Principles were at stake. There could be no surrender.
Within the cosmic conflict, an individual crusade. Deep within a fabled labyrinth on a barren world, a Planet of the Dead proscribed to mortals, lay a fugitive Mind. Both the Culture and the Idirans sought it. It was the fate of Horza, the Changer, and his motley crew of unpredictable mercenaries, human and machine, to actually find it - and with it their own destruction.

The Salt Path - by Raynor Winn

This book entirely delivered on my expectations. It is very well written, with good descriptions of places and people, without too much flowery prose. It is in places funny, moving and informative. As it is a memoir, I have to assume that some interpretation and/or embellishment occurred, but that is to be expected.

I was left wondering what happened next. I know that, as of a few weeks back [at the Hay festival], Moth was still alive, but would like to know more. I will be looking out for further work by the author.

What I'm reading ...

I have started The Salt Path by Raynor Winn. This book was recommended to me, then I saw a talk by the author at the Hay Festival and that made my mind up to read it. Here’s the blurb:

Just days after Raynor learns that Moth, her husband of 32 years, is terminally ill, their home is taken away and they lose their livelihood. With nothing left and little time, they make the brave and impulsive decision to walk the 630 miles of the sea-swept South West Coast Path, from Somerset to Dorset, via Devon and Cornwall.
Carrying only the essentials for survival on their backs, they live wild in the ancient, weathered landscape of cliffs, sea and sky. Yet through every step, every encounter and every test along the way, their walk becomes a remarkable journey.
The Salt Path is an honest and life-affirming true story of coming to terms with grief and the healing power of the natural world. Ultimately, it is a portrayal of home, and how it can be lost, rebuilt and rediscovered in the most unexpected ways.

Quantum: A Guide For The Perplexed - by Jim Al-Khalili

As expected, this book was a readable explanation of the subject at just about the right level. Unlike some scientists, the author seems quite comfortable with say that some stuff is currently unknown and may never be understood, even though he is mostly optimistic. This was a good follow on from the last book that I read on the topic. The only downside of the book, for me, is its age. I want to know what’s happened in the last 15 years. Guess I need another book ...

What I'm reading ...

I have started Quantum: A Guide For The Perplexed by Jim Al-Khalili. Although I normally try to bring variation into my reading, I thought that I was on a roll after the last book and would stick with the subject. This book was recommended by a friend, so it seemed the logical choice. Here’s the blurb:

Quantum mechanics underpins modern science and provides us with a blueprint for reality itself. And yet it has been said that if you're not shocked by it, you don't understand it. But is quantum physics really so unknowable? Is reality really so strange? And just how can cats be half-alive and half-dead at the same time?
Our journey into the quantum begins with nature's own conjuring trick, in which we discover that atoms -- contrary to the rules of everyday experience -- can exist in two locations at once. To understand this we travel back to the dawn of the twentieth century and witness the birth of quantum theory, which over the next one hundred years was to overthrow so many of our deeply held notions about the nature of our universe. Scientists and philosophers have been left grappling with its implications every since.

Quantum: Einstein, Bohr and the Great Debate About the Nature of Reality - by Manjit Kumar

I started reading this book hoping to learn a bit more about quantum theory. It met that objective. The text is very clearly written and well paced and there is very little mathematics to frighten the reader. I found it easy and compelling to read and there were two bonuses. First, there is a lot about the people - the scientists involved in the development of quantum theory - which I found fascinating. Second, the context to the story is well defined, which educated me on 20th Century European history. I would never have thought that a book on such a topic could be such a relaxing read.