What I'm reading ...

I have started The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead. I have heard good things about this author, so I have high hopes. I normally alternate between fiction and nonfiction, but I am on holiday, so a change seems reasonable. Here’s the blurb:

Elwood Curtis has taken the words of Dr Martin Luther King to heart: he is as good as anyone. Abandoned by his parents, brought up by his loving, strict and clear-sighted grandmother, Elwood is about to enroll in the local black college. But given the time and the place, one innocent mistake is enough to destroy his future, and so Elwood arrives at The Nickel Academy, which claims to provide 'physical, intellectual and moral training' which will equip its inmates to become 'honorable and honest men'.

In reality, the Nickel Academy is a chamber of horrors, where physical, emotional and sexual abuse is rife, where corrupt officials and tradesmen do a brisk trade in supplies intended for the school, and where any boy who resists is likely to disappear 'out back'. Stunned to find himself in this vicious environment, Elwood tries to hold on to Dr King's ringing assertion, 'Throw us in jail, and we will still love you.' But Elwood's fellow inmate and new friend Turner thinks Elwood is naive and worse; the world is crooked, and the only way to survive is to emulate the cruelty and cynicism of their oppressors.

The tension between Elwood's idealism and Turner's skepticism leads to a decision which will have decades-long repercussions.

Based on the history of a real reform school in Florida that operated for one hundred and eleven years and warped and destroyed the lives of thousands of children, The Nickel Boys is a devastating, driven narrative by a great American novelist whose work is essential to understanding the current reality of the United States.

Where the Crawdads Sing - by Delia Owens

It seems that the recommendations for this book were spot on. It is beautifully written, with vivid descriptions of people, places, wildlife etc. At the same time the story has a strong pace that kept me turning the pages. I believe that this is the author’s only work of fiction to date. I have hopes for the future.

What I'm reading ...

I have started Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. I have been recommended this book by a number of people and moved to read it by the prospect of seeing the new film adaptation. Here’s the blurb:

For years, rumors of the 'Marsh Girl' have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they say. Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life - until the unthinkable happens.

Let's Do It: The Authorised Biography of Victoria Wood - by Jasper Rees

I always like biographies (and autobiographies), but they vary so much in quality and honesty. Biographies are often less well researched and can paint a distorted view of their subject. This book seemed to be written with integrity on the basis of some very solid research. 

I am not a fast reader, so this long book took a while, but it kept me turning the pages. The strongest impression was that VW was a very different and more complex character than her public persona appeared. Even though I knew the book was not going to have a happy ending, I found it more emotional than I might have expected.

A tiny reservation was that I felt that the book could use a little more editing. I saw a couple of typos and there are a few facts/events that we are told about more than once for no clear reason.

What I'm reading ...

I have started Let's Do It: The Authorised Biography of Victoria Wood by Jasper Rees. I always enjoy biographies and the subject of this one was for many years a firm favourite on TV etc. It is a blog book, so it may take me a while … Here’s the blurb:

'I was born with a warped sense of humour and when I was carried home from being born it was Coronation Day and so I was called Victoria but you are not supposed to know who wrote this anyway it is about time I unleashed my pent-up emotions in a bitter comment on the state of our society but it's not quite me so I think I shall write a heart-warming story with laughter behind the tears and tears behind the laughter which means hysterics to you Philistines...'

From 'Pardon?' by Vicky Wood, Aged 14. Bury Grammar School (Girls) Magazine, 1967

In her passport Victoria Wood listed her occupation as 'entertainer' - and in stand-up and sketches, songs and sitcom, musicals and dramas, she became the greatest entertainer of the age. Those things that might have held her back - her lonely childhood, her crippling shyness and above all the disadvantage of being a woman in a male-run industry - she turned to her advantage to make extraordinary comedy about ordinary people living ordinary lives in ordinary bodies. She wasn't fond of the term, but Victoria Wood truly was a national treasure - and her loss is still keenly felt.

Victoria had plenty of stories still to tell when she died in 2016, and one of those was her own autobiography. 'I will do it one day,' she told the author and journalist Jasper Rees. 'It would be about my childhood, about my first few years in showbusiness, which were really interesting and would make a really nice story.'

That sadly never came to pass, so Victoria's estate has asked Jasper Rees, who interviewed her more than anyone else, to tell her extraordinary story in full. He has been granted complete and exclusive access to Victoria's rich archive of personal and professional material, and has conducted over 200 interviews with her family, friends and colleagues - among them Victoria's children, her sisters, her ex-husband Geoffrey Durham, Julie Walters, Celia Imrie, Dawn French, Anne Reid, Imelda Staunton and many more.

What emerges is a portrait of a true pioneer who spoke to her audience like no one before or since.

The Heart's Invisible Furies - by John Boyne

This was [for me] quite a big book, so it took a little while. However it was well worth the effort. It is a long, complex story about one man’s life, with numerous other little back-stories about the other characters. As with any good novel, I learned a lot, particularly what it was like to be a homosexual in 1950s/60s Ireland. Although there are shocking occurrences, the are also moments of humour. The author doesn’t spoon-feed the reader - there are times when you need to think [or even research] to get what is happening. Overall, a great read that will attract me back to this author.

One tiny gripe: At one point, sometime around 1960, no later, there is a reference to someone receiving 50p. This coin was not introduced until 1969 in anticipation of decimalization in 1971. I am winding if someone [stupidly] translated “ten shillings” to “50p” for the benefit of modern readers.

What I'm reading ...

I have started The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne. I am not sure how I came to have this book, but it looks like a good solid read to keep me going for a while. Here’s the blurb:

Forced to flee the scandal brewing in her hometown, Catherine Goggin finds herself pregnant and alone, in search of a new life at just sixteen. She knows she has no choice but to believe that the nun she entrusts her child to will find him a better life.

Cyril Avery is not a real Avery, or so his parents are constantly reminding him. Adopted as a baby, he’s never quite felt at home with the family that treats him more as a curious pet than a son. But it is all he has ever known.

And so begins one man’s desperate search to find his place in the world. Unspooling and unseeing, Cyril is a misguided, heart-breaking, heartbroken fool. Buffeted by the harsh winds of circumstance towards the one thing that might save him from himself, but when opportunity knocks, will he have the courage, finally, take it?

Cops and Horrors - by Matt Calveley

This was an enjoyable read. As billed, it covers lots of stories from the author’s time in the Met. It is informative, interesting, sometimes quite shocking, but often amusing. It is written quite straightforwardly and kept be moving on from one chapter to the next. 

What I'm reading ...

I have started Cops and Horrors by Matt Calveley. I enjoy memoirs and biographies. I know Matt and, when he told me about his book, I knew I’d need to read it. Here's the blurb …

As a decorated officer on the police front line, Matt Calveley saw it all.

He fought violent criminals, arrested hundreds, dealt with numerous horrific incidents – and got bitten by a squirrel monkey called Clive.

In Cops And Horrors, Matt recalls the hair-raising highs and harrowing lows during

30 dedicated years of Metropolitan Police service in which two days were never the same.

During his time, Matt worked at the sharp end as a custody sergeant, provided jury protection during a huge corruption trial and was involved in countless white–knuckle car chases – including one involving a rogue Santa Claus driving a flashy limo.

From confronting a machete-wielding maniac, working undercover to catch the Mardi Gras bomber, dealing with grieving relatives and catastrophic road death scenes, it wasn’t a job for the faint-hearted.

But Matt survived it all – and now is ready to tell the tale.

Munich - by Robert Harris

As I expected, this book delivered. Robert Harris has never let me down.

The story is very tight - taking place over three days - and is set against the backdrop of some historic events that I was keen to learn about. It is complex, with quite a lot of characters, but I never found it confusing. A good read with twists right up to the end.

As I like to learn things when I’m reading fiction, I tend to favour authors with integrity and Harris is well known for getting the details right. I enjoyed Lear the random fact that Hitler required documents to be typed using a special typewriter which used a very large font. I think he was vain about weary spectacles. 

I was worried by a reference to British Airways in 1938, as I knew that the company was formed as a result of the mergers of BEA and BOAC (in the 70s). I needn’t have worried. I checked and there was indeed a company with this name back then.

What I’m reading …

I have started Munich by Robert Harris. As this is a favourite author's work, I have high hopes for this book. Here’s the blurb:

MUNICH, SEPTEMBER 1938

Hitler is determined to start a war. Chamberlain is desperate to preserve the peace.

They will meet in a city which forever afterwards will be notorious for what is about to take place.

As Chamberlain's plane judders over the channel and the Fuhrer's train steams south, two young men travel with their leaders. Former friends from a more peaceful time, they are now on opposing sides.

As Britain's darkest hour approaches, the fate of millions could depend on them - and the secrets they're hiding.

Spying. Betrayal. Murder. Is any price too high for peace?

The Power of Geography: Ten Maps that Reveal the Future of Our World - by Tim Marshall

This book did what it said on the tin, as I expected from this author. The main things I learned were the modern history of some key countries/regions, which is a great help in understanding the world as it is today. The book is very up to date, with Biden and Johnson being mentioned. The writing style is very accessible, with some of the language being quite humorous. For example, I enjoyed the numerous abbreviations of UN initiatives in sub-Saharan Africa being referred to as an “alphabet souk”. 

What I'm reading ...

I have started The Power of Geography: Ten Maps that Reveal the Future of Our World by Tim Marshall. I often feel that a number of subjects that I was taught at school were not covered well and/or need updating. Geography was one. Maybe this book will help. After reading the author’s previous book, I am optimistic. Here’s the blurb:

Tim Marshall's global bestseller Prisoners of Geography showed how every nation’s choices are limited by mountains, rivers, seas and concrete. Since then, the geography hasn’t changed. But the world has.

In this revelatory new book, Marshall explores ten regions that are set to shape global politics in a new age of great-power rivalry: Australia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the UK, Greece, Turkey, the Sahel, Ethiopia, Spain and Space. Find out why Europe’s next refugee crisis is closer than it thinks as trouble brews in the Sahel; why the Middle East must look beyond oil and sand to secure its future; why the eastern Mediterranean is one of the most volatile flashpoints of the twenty-first century; and why the Earth’s atmosphere is set to become the world’s next battleground.

Delivered with Marshall’s trademark wit and insight, this is a lucid and gripping exploration of the power of geography to shape humanity’s past, present – and future.

The Island Home - by Libby Page

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The story had enough complexity to keep me interested and the characters were well drawn and, for the most part, likable. The telling of the story through the voices of two women was, IMHO, very effective.

I was very surprised by the strength of my emotional reaction to parts of the book; not a problem - just a surprise. I do not think that I really identify with any of the events and situations in the book; I guess I was mostly touched by people’s kindness.

It might be argued that the arc of the story was predictable. However, whilst that may be true, I felt that there were enough twists to keep me turning the pages. It might also be categorized [dismissed!] as “chick lit” as it has a strong emotional content and almost all the main characters are female. I saw these features as positives. When I read fiction, I want to be transported to another world and see other people’s perspectives. A story about and told by women seems to fit the bill.

The author has written three books so far. I have already read and enjoyed one [The Lido], but I am pleased to look forward to the other.

What I'm reading ...

I have started The Island Home by Libby Page. It is time for some straightforward fiction and I have enjoyed this author’s work before. Here’s the blurb:

Lorna's world is small but safe.She loves her daughter, and the two of them is all that matters. But after nearly twenty years, she and Ella are suddenly leaving London for the Isle of Kip, the tiny remote Scottish island where Lorna grew up.Alice's world is tiny but full.She loves the community on Kip, her yoga classes drawing women across the tiny island together. Now Lorna's arrival might help their family finally mend itself - even if forgiveness means returning to the past...

I’m in Seattle, Where Are You? - by Mortada Gzar

This book delivered what I had hoped for: a look at an unfamiliar world. I was surprised and sometimes shocked by what I read about the treatment of homosexuals and others who were just in the wrong place at the wrong time in Iraq.

As the book is translated, it is hard to comment on the writing style, but there was a somewhat foreign “voice”. This did not make the book hard to read or less enjoyable.

What I'm reading ...

I have started I’m in Seattle, Where Are You? by Mortada Gzar. As the last book I read was so short, I thought I’d continue working down my non-fiction list. I always like biographies and memoirs and this promises to show me another unfamiliar world. Here’s the blurb:

As the US occupation of Iraq rages, novelist Mortada Gzar, a student at the University of Baghdad, has a chance encounter with Morise, an African American soldier. It’s love at first sight, a threat to them both, and a moment of self-discovery. Challenged by society’s rejection and Morise’s return to the US, Mortada takes to the page to understand himself.

In his deeply affecting memoir, Mortada interweaves tales of his childhood work as a scrap-metal collector in a war zone and the indignities faced by openly gay artists in Iraq with his impossible love story and journey to the US. Marginalized by his own society, he is surprised to discover the racism he finds in a new one. At its heart, I’m in Seattle, Where Are You? is a moving tale of love and resilience.

The Missing: The True Story of My Family in World War II - by Michael Rosen

Given that this book was aimed at children, it is unsurprising that I read it very quickly. Although I think it would be great as an introduction to WW2, Holocaust etc. for a, say, 10 year old, I found it a very interesting and informative read. I think I’ll hang on to my copy and inflict it on the first grandchild who seems old enough.

What I'm reading ...

I have started reading The Missing: The True Story of My Family in World War II by Michael Rosen. This small book caught my eye in an Oxfam bookshop a few days ago. I have enjoyed the author’s work, particularly on the radio, and thought that this book might teach me something. Here’s the blurb:

By turns charming, shocking and heart-breaking, this is the true story of Michael Rosen’s search for his relatives who “went missing” during the Second World War – told through prose, poetry, maps and pictures. When Michael was growing up, stories often hung in the air about his great-uncles: one was a clock-mender and the other a dentist. They were there before the war, his dad would say, and weren’t after. Over many years, Michael tried to find out exactly what happened: he interviewed family members, scoured the internet, pored over books and traveled to America and France. The story he uncovered was one of terrible persecution – and it has inspired his poetry for years since. Here, poems old and new are balanced against an immensely readable narrative; both an extraordinary account and a powerful tool for talking to children about the Holocaust.

Should We Stay or Should We Go - by Lionel Shriver

This is an outstanding book that really delivers on the promises of the blurb. Although it appears to be about a gloomy subject - i.e. death - there is so much more to it. It made me think about the meaning of life, of death, of relationships and priorities and choices. The structure of the book is so creative and gives the author a great vehicle to explore ideas.

It is very contemporary, including events related to Brexit and COVID. The quality of writing is everything that I expect from this author. There is even the odd bit of humour!

What I'm reading ...

I have started Should We Stay or Should We Go by Lionel Shriver, a recent book by one of my favourite authors. Although I find any discussion about end of life issues uncomfortable, the concept of this book is fascinating. Here’s the blurb:

When her father dies, Kay Wilkinson can’t cry. Over ten years, Alzheimer’s had steadily eroded this erudite man. Surely one’s own father passing should never come as such a relief?

Both healthy and vital medical professionals in their early fifties, Kay and her husband Cyril have seen too many of their elderly NHS patients in similar states of decay. Determined to die with dignity, Cyril makes a modest proposal: they should agree to commit suicide together once they’ve both turned eighty. When their deal is sealed in 1991, the spouses are blithely looking forward to another three decades together.

But then they turn eighty.

By turns hilarious and touching, playful and grave, Should We Stay or Should We Go portrays twelve parallel universes, each exploring a possible future for Kay and Cyril, from a purgatorial Cuckoo’s-Nest-style retirement home to the discovery of a cure for ageing, from cryogenic preservation to the unexpected pleasures of dementia. 

Weaving in a host of contemporary issues – Brexit, mass migration, the coronavirus –  Lionel Shriver has pulled off a rollicking page-turner in which we never have to mourn deceased characters, because they’ll be alive and kicking in the very next chapter.

In Black and White: A Young Barrister's Story of Race and Class in a Broken Justice System - by Alexandra Wilson

As I hoped, this was a book that taught me a lot about worlds to which I am never normally exposed. Some of it is quite frightening, when you see how easily someone can end up in court even when they have done something very minor or even be completely innocent. The book is written in a simple way, clearly describing the events and the author’s feelings as she progressed through pupilage. By the end, I was quite clear that, if I ended up in an appropriately unfortunate situation, I’d want her on my side.

What I'm reading ...

I have started In Black and White: A Young Barrister's Story of Race and Class in a Broken Justice System by Alexandra Wilson. Time for some non-fiction and this looks like a book that I might learn from. Here’s the blurb:

Alexandra Wilson was a teenager when her dear family friend Ayo was stabbed on his way home from football. Ayo's death changed Alexandra. She felt compelled to enter the legal profession in search of answers.

As a junior criminal and family law barrister, Alexandra finds herself navigating a world and a set of rules designed by a privileged few. A world in which fellow barristers sigh with relief when a racist judge retires: 'I've got a black kid today and he would have had no hope'.

In her debut book, In Black and White, Alexandra re-creates the tense courtroom scenes, the heart-breaking meetings with teenage clients, and the moments of frustration and triumph that make up a young barrister's life.

Alexandra shows us how it feels to defend someone who hates the colour of your skin, or someone you suspect is guilty. We see what it is like for children coerced into county line drug deals and the damage that can be caused when we criminalise teenagers.

Alexandra's account of what she has witnessed as a young mixed-race barrister is in equal parts shocking, compelling, confounding and powerful.

How to Kill Your Family - by Bella Mackie

This was a thoroughly enjoyable read. There’s a good story, with a fair amount of complexity and ingenuity and quite a few surprises right up to the end. The author has a great way with words and manages to slip in the odd bit of humour. The characters are well drawn; few of them are at all likable, but that is the intention.

I hope that this author writes some more fiction - I will be on the lookout.

What I'm reading ...

I have started How to Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie. It was time for fiction again and apparently this is not actually a “How to” manual. 🙂 It seems to be quite popular at this time and it’s good to be current. Here’s the blurb:

Meet Grace Bernard.

Daughter, sister, colleague, friend, serial killer…

Grace has lost everything. And now she wants revenge.

How to Kill Your Family is a fierce and addictive novel about class, family, love… and murder.

Underland: A Deep Time Journey - by Robert Macfarlane

This book took a while. Apart from me being a slow reader, there was a lot to read and take in. The author has a wonderful way with language. His descriptive passages really make you feel like you’re there and also get a clear impression of his thoughts. An interesting example is the discussion of the coastline of Greenland, which was once joined to Europe. He refers to it making a “torn-page match” with the gneiss of the Outer Hebrides, which is a beautiful analogy IMHO.

He went to places that I will never go to [and many that I wouldn’t want to go to] - it is a privilege to travel there vicariously via this author.

I enjoyed the many bits of random information, for example:

• Potawatomi, a Native American language of the Great Plains region, includes the word puhpowee, which might be translated as ‘the force which causes mushrooms to push up from the earth overnight’.  Potawatomi is a language abundant with verbs: 70 per cent of its words are verbs, compared to 30 per cent in English.
• In Norway there is a tiny village called Å.
• A moulin is hole in a glacier into which meltwater pours. They make interesting sounds

I will be reading more works by this author.

What I'm reading ...

I have started Underland: A Deep Time Journey by Robert Macfarlane. Time for non-fiction and this book is well thought of, so I will give it a go. Here’s the blurb:

In Underland, Robert Macfarlane takes us on a journey into the worlds beneath our feet. From the ice-blue depths of Greenland's glaciers, to the underground networks by which trees communicate, from Bronze Age burial chambers to the rock art of remote Arctic sea-caves, this is a deep-time voyage into the planet's past and future. Global in its geography, gripping in its voice and haunting in its implications, Underland is a work of huge range and power, and a remarkable new chapter in Macfarlane's long-term exploration of landscape and the human heart.

Conversations with Friends - by Sally Rooney

Overall, an enjoyable read. I always hope that, while reading a novel, that I will learn something. Seeing the world through the eyes of a twenty-something old Irish woman [the age of the author and the main protagonist] should fit the bill and I think that it did. I thought that all the main characters were well drawn, but I really did not warm to any of them. A lot of their behaviour seemed illogical and self-destructive [to me].

An odd thing about the book is that there are no speech marks - i.e. quotation marks around dialogue. This felt a bit uncomfortable. However, as I do not think that I ever got lost, there was clearly no ambiguity, so maybe the punctuation is redundant and I am just being old fashioned.

What I'm reading ...

I have started Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney. It is time for fiction again and, having enjoyed Ordinary People, I look forward to this book. Here’s the blurb:

Frances is twenty-one years old, cool-headed and observant. A student in Dublin and an aspiring writer, at night she performs spoken word with her best friend Bobbi, who used to be her girlfriend. When they are interviewed and then befriended by Melissa, a well-known journalist who is married to Nick, an actor, they enter a world of beautiful houses, raucous dinner parties and holidays in Provence, beginning a complex ménage-à-quatre. But when Frances and Nick get unexpectedly closer, the sharply witty and emotion-averse Frances is forced to honestly confront her own vulnerabilities for the first time.

Humans - by Brandon Stanton

This book was such a pleasure to read. Every story was interesting; some were very moving in positive and negative ways. The beautiful pictures complemented the text perfectly.

I am not about to go back to “real” books - my Kindle is so much more convenient - but this book was worth putting myself out for. The author has two other similar books; I look forward to getting both in due course.

What I'm reading ...

I have started Humans by Brandon Stanton. I was somewhat familiar with Humans of New York, so I was very pleased when some good friends gave me this book as a retirement present earlier in the year. Having read almost exclusively on Kindle for the last decade, it is a little odd to handle a “real” book, but, as it is lavishly illustrated, this is the right medium. Here’s the blurb:

Brandon Stanton’s Humans is a book that connects readers as global citizens at a time when erecting more borders is the order of the day. It shows us the entire world, one story at a time . . .

Brandon Stanton’s Humans – his most moving and compelling book to date – shows us the world. After five years of traveling the globe, the creator of Humans of New York brings people from all parts of the world into a conversation with readers. He ignores borders, chronicles lives and shows us the faces of the world as he saw them. His travels took him from London, Paris and Rome to Iraq, Dubai, Ukraine, Pakistan, Jordan, Uganda, Vietnam, Israel and every other place in between. His interviews go deeper than before. His chronicling of peoples’ lives shows the experience of a writer who has traveled widely and thought deeply about the state of our world.

Including hundreds of photos and stories of the people he met and talked with in over forty countries, Humans is classic Brandon Stanton – a full colour illustrated book that includes many photos and stories never seen before. For the first time for a HONY title, Humans will contain several of the essays Brandon’s posted online which have been read, loved and enthusiastically shared by his followers.

Commonwealth - by Ann Patchett

This was a very pleasing read. Although it is about just two families, their various relationships are quite complex, which, along with the multiple timelines, kept me on my toes. The author has a great ability to paint pictures in words and uses metaphor with a very light touch - you don’t notice that there’s been one until you stop to think about it. The ending of the book is slightly abrupt, but short of waiting until everyone is dead, I cannot think how it could have been done better. I would think that all the interesting stuff has happened. I was caught out by seeing how many pages were left, but didn’t notice that this included “end matter”. I look forward to reading more of this author’s work.

What I'm reading ...

I have started Commonwealth by Ann Patchett. The author is well renowned and I have enjoyed her work before. Here’s the blurb:

A powerful story of two families brought together by beauty and torn apart by tragedy, the new novel by the Orange Prize-winning author of Bel Canto and State of Wonder is her most astonishing yet

It is 1964: Bert Cousins, the deputy district attorney, shows up at Franny Keating's christening party uninvited, bottle of gin in hand. As the cops of Los Angeles drink, talk and dance into the June afternoon, he notices a heart-stoppingly beautiful woman. When Bert kisses Beverly Keating, his host's wife, the new baby pressed between them, he sets in motion the joining of two families whose shared fate will be defined on a day seven years later.

In 1988, Franny Keating, now twenty-four, has dropped out of law school and is working as a cocktail waitress in Chicago. When she meets one of her idols, the famous author Leon Posen, and tells him about her family, she unwittingly relinquishes control over their story. Franny never dreams that the consequences of this encounter will extend beyond her own life into those of her scattered siblings and parents.

Told with equal measures of humour and heartbreak, Commonwealth is a powerful and tender tale of family, betrayal and the far-reaching bonds of love and responsibility. A meditation on inspiration, interpretation and the ownership of stories, it is Ann Patchett's most astonishing work.

Born On a Blue Day - by Daniel Tammet

This was an excellent book and a very enjoyable read. I always like to get insights into other people’s lives and, when it is someone as remarkable as this author, it is a particular pleasure. The book is well written in a very simple style, that I like. One of my strongest reactions to the book is my familiarity with some of his idiosyncrasies; nothing like the level that he experiences, but confirming that I’m somewhere on the edge of “the spectrum”. Before I finished reading this book, I had ordered a copy of his next one.

What I'm reading ...

I have started reading Born On a Blue Day by Daniel Tammet. I had heard of this book before, but it was the recommendation of it by a good friend, who himself experiences synesthesia, that motivated me to buy a copy. Here’s the blurb:

'I was born on 31 January 1979 - a Wednesday. I know it was a Wednesday, because the date is blue in my mind and Wednesdays are always blue, like the number nine or the sound of loud voices arguing.' Like the character Hoffman portrayed, he can perform extraordinary maths in his head, sees numbers as shapes, colours, textures and motions, and can learn to speak a language fluently from scratch in three days. He also has a compulsive need for order and routine. He eats exactly 45 grams of porridge for breakfast and cannot leave the house without counting the number of items of clothing he's wearing. If he gets stressed or unhappy he closes his eyes and counts. But in some ways Daniel is not all like the Rain Man. He is virtually unique amongst people who have severe autistic disorders in being capable of living a fully-functioning, independent life. It is this incredible self-awareness and ability to communicate what it feels like to live in a totally extraordinary way that makes BORN ON A BLUE DAY so powerful.

Pythagoras - by Kitty Ferguson

I have abandoned reading this book. It is unusual for me to do this, but I see no point in continuing with a book if reading it is a chore; that is not the place for reading in my life. I thought that this book might be interesting, as I like biographies - learning about other people’s lives. However, I just found this book hard going. It started out by explaining that very little is actually known about Pythagoras. This made me wonder what the next 350 pages would hold. The answer is snippets of information, anecdotes and speculation. So, after 50 or so pages, I gave up.

What I'm reading ...

I have started Pythagoras by Kitty Ferguson. It was time for non-fiction and this looked potentially interesting. I have no idea where I got the book from. Here’s the blurb:

This is the enthralling story of Pythagoras and the Pythagoreans, whose insights transformed the ancient world and still inspire the realms of science, mathematics, philosophy and the arts.Einstein said that the most incredible thing about our universe was that it was comprehensible at all. As Kitty Ferguson explains in this eye-opening new book, Pythagoras had much the same idea – but 2,500 years earlier.Though many know him only for the so-called Pythagorean theorem, in fact the pillars of our scientific tradition – the belief that the universe is rational, that there is unity to all things, and that numbers and mathematics are a powerful guide to truth about nature and the cosmos – hark back to the convictions of this legendary scholar and his ancient followers.Born around 570 BC on the cultured Aegean island of Samos, Pythagoras founded his own school at Croton in southern Italy, where he and his followers began to unravel the surprising deep truths concealed behind such ordinary tasks as tuning a lyre. While considering why some string lengths produced beautiful sounds and others discordant ones, they uncovered the ratios of musical harmony, and recognised that hidden behind the confusion and complexity of nature are patterns and orderly relationships – they had glimpsed the mind of God. Some of them later found something in nature and numbers that was darker: irrationality, an unsettling and subversive revelation.Alongside the poignant human saga, Kitty Ferguson brilliantly evokes Pythagoras’ ancient world, showing how his ideas spread in antiquity and in the Middle Ages, and chronicles the incredible influence he and his followers have had on extraordinary people – from Plato to Bertrand Russell – throughout the history of Western thought and science.

The Immortalists - by Kyle Mills

Overall I’d say that this was a good book. It’s quite a complex story, with quite a few surprises and it kept me turning the pages. I thought that the science behind it sounded to credible, so I didn’t need to suspend belief.

The book raise some interesting questions:

Are there rich people/organizations who are really above world governments?

What would the world be like if everyone could be immune from old age? Statistically, everyone would die eventually from illness or injury. However, the birth rate would need to be much lower or the population would grow to a totally unsustainable level. Would just rich people [secretively] buy into the anti-aging therapy?

What I'm reading ...

I have started The Immortalists by Kyle Mills. Time for fiction again. I am not sure how I came by this book, but it sounds interesting enough to give it a go. Here’s the blurb:

Dr. Richard Draman is trying desperately to discover a cure for a disease that causes children to age at a wildly accelerated rate—a rare genetic condition that is killing his own daughter. When the husband of a colleague quietly gives him a copy of the classified work she was doing before her mysterious suicide, Draman finally sees a glimmer of hope. The conclusions are stunning, with the potential to not only turn the field of biology on its head, but reshape the world. Soon, though, he finds himself on the run, relentlessly pursued by a seemingly omnipotent group of men who will do whatever it takes to silence him.

The Book of Fame - by Lloyd Jones

This book was a bit of a surprise. I was expecting a non-fiction account of the tour, hoping that, even though I have minimal interest in rugby, it might give me some interesting insights, through the eyes of visitors, to this country 100 years ago. It turns out that, even though the book is based around the facts, the author has used his imagination and knowledge of the period to elaborate. The result is an enjoyable read and I did feel that I got some insights.

There are quite longs sections of the book that are written in stream-of-consciousness, blank verse [I think that’s what it is]. This proves to be a very effective way to convey impressions and feelings.

What I'm reading ...

I have started The Book of Fame by Lloyd Jones. I am not sure where/how I got this book; I am sure that someone recommended it, but can’t remember whom. I thought that the book was mainly factual, but I observe that it has won awards for fiction. Here’s the blurb:

In August 1905 a party of young men set sail for England. Amongst them were ordinary farmers and bootmakers, a miner and a bank clerk. Together they made up the All Blacks, an unknown rugby team from Auckland, New Zealand. And they had come to show the world what they could do. What they didn't know was that they were bound for fame.

The first game was in Devon, 'played in golden farm light, a surprising victory'. By December they had become the 'wonderful All Blacks' who had beaten Yorkshire 40-0, England 15-0 and Ireland 15-0. People stopped them in the streets. In this melding of true history and imagination, Lloyd Jones has recreated an unforgettable journey from innocence to celebrity.

Seven Brief Lessons on Physics - by Carlo Rovelli

This book “did what it says on the tin”. I did not receive any great insights, but some good clarification of stuff hat I knew about. It is a good, short read on the topic. The last few pages are rather philosophical, but I forgive the author. 😀

What I'm reading ...

I have started Seven Brief Lessons on Physics by Carlo Rovelli. A short book and a complete change of pace. Here’s the blurb:

Everything you need to know about modern physics, the universe and your place in the world in seven enlightening lessons

These seven short lessons guide us, with simplicity and clarity, through the scientific revolution that shook physics in the twentieth century and still continues to shake us today. In this beautiful and mind-bending introduction to modern physics, Carlo Rovelli explains Einstein's theory of general relativity, quantum mechanics, black holes, the complex architecture of the universe, elementary particles, gravity, and the nature of the mind. In under eighty pages, readers will understand the most transformative scientific discoveries of the twentieth century and what they mean for us.

Hamnet - by Maggie O’Farrell

This was a very enjoyable read. The author’s descriptive skills are amazing. I have rarely seen metaphors used so effectively. Beyond the story, I felt that the book gave a strong feel for what life was like in the 16th Century. A surprisingly familiar concept was the occasional shut down of all the theatres etc. in London to contain the spread of plague.

The story is fairly simple, but has multiple layers of significance, which leans to the abrupt, but logical ending to the book.

What I'm reading ...

I have started Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell. Time for some fiction and this came highly recommended. Here’s the blurb:

On a summer's day in 1596, a young girl in Stratford-upon-Avon takes to her bed with a fever. Her twin brother, Hamnet, searches everywhere for help. Why is nobody at home?

Their mother, Agnes, is over a mile away, in the garden where she grows medicinal herbs. Their father is working in London. Neither parent knows that one of the children will not survive the week.

Hamnet is a novel inspired by the son of a famous playwright. It is a story of the bond between twins, and of a marriage pushed to the brink by grief. It is also the story of a kestrel and its mistress; flea that boards a ship in Alexandria; and a glovemaker's son who flouts convention in pursuit of the woman he loves. Above all, it is a tender and unforgettable reimagining of a boy whose life has been all but forgotten, but whose name was given to one of the most celebrated plays ever written.

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind - by Yuval Noah Harari

Overall, a really interesting, well-written and well-organized book. It took me a long time to read simply because there is so much in there. Every chapter introduced some new ideas. The blurb says that the book is “provocative” and I agree; quite a few people would be offended or annoyed by some of the assertions, particularly about some religious and political matters. I think that I can truly say that I will never look at the world and our place in it quite the same again.

What I'm reading ...

I have started Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari. Once again, time for non-fiction. This book came recommended by a respected friend and addresses a subject that I find very interesting. Here’s the blurb:

Planet Earth is 4.5 billion years old. In just a fraction of that time, one species among countless others has conquered it. Us.

We are the most advanced and most destructive animals ever to have lived. What makes us brilliant? What makes us deadly? What makes us Sapiens?

In this bold and provocative book, Yuval Noah Harari explores who we are, how we got here and where we’re going.

Sapiens is a thrilling account of humankind’s extraordinary history – from the Stone Age to the Silicon Age – and our journey from insignificant apes to rulers of the world.

Sunfall - by Jim Al-Khalili

First off, I thought that this was a great book. It is well written and interesting and its pace is just right - I was glued to it for the last 100 pages or so.

I had wondered how a scientist would do with science fiction. As expected, there is lots of science in the book: the Earth’s magnetic field flip, global warming, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, self-driving vehicles, dark matter, ubiquitous Internet. I am sure that there is more. In almost every case, I felt that the story was true to the science, with only a tiny hiccup, which I will come to. I found the depiction of the world 20 years hence entirely credible.

The tiny glitch was minor and maybe I missed something. One of the protagonists is going to ride her motorbike. She grabs the Lithium ion batteries and sets off. It starts first time. She has a crash and, while lying on the ground, she observes that the engine is still running. This raises questions/issues:

• Will we still be using Lithium ion batteries in 20 years?
• The bike starting first time is rather meaningless; why wouldn’t it?
• The bike engine running when stationary makes no sense.

What I'm reading ...

I have started Sunfall by Jim Al-Khalili. I have very much enjoyed this author’s radio programs and science writing, so I thought that it might be interesting to see how he does with Sci Fi and a topic that I find particularly interesting. Here’s the blurb:

2041 and the world as we know it grinds to a halt. Our planet seems to be turning against itself - it would appear that the magnetic field, that protects life on Earth from deadly radiation from space, is failing . . .

Desperate to quell the mass hysteria that would surely follow, world governments have concealed this rapidly emerging Armageddon. But a young Iranian hacktivist stumbles across the truth, and it becomes a race against time to reactivate the earth's core using beams of dark matter.

As a small team of brave and brilliant scientists battle to find a way of transforming theory into practice, they face a fanatical group intent on pursuing their own endgame agenda: for they believe mankind to be a plague upon this earth and will do anything, commit any crime, to ensure that the project fails . . .

And so bring about humanity's end.

Brief Answers to the Big Questions - by Stephen Hawking

As expected, this was a very interesting and insightful read. Although it covers some quite complex topics, it was quite easy to read, as it is well written. I found Hawking’s enthusiasm for his subject particularly pleasing. As each chapter is a separate essay, one could dip into the book and read the contents in any order, but it does result in slight overlap here and there.