june
HIGHLIGHTS
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the shortest history of germany - james hawes
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I really enjoyed studying Germany in GCSE and A Level History and it is always good to have a few quick reads in the bookshelf. With the World Cup starting and no football books to read (which I have now addressed) a book about the current holders seemed like the next best thing.
OVERALL OPINION
To use a baseball term this was right in my wheelhouse. A very strong narrative with some fascinating conclusions about European civilisation which I now want to check and compare with Prisoners of Geography and The Silk Roads.
THE BEST PART OF.....
There were two things I found most fascinating. Firstly that Germany was never truly unified and is defined by its three rivers, the Rhine, Danube and Elbe and that the voting patters of people living in these various area have not really changed over centuries. Secondly the swastika and the ideas that would define Nazism were already in place in Prussia in the late 19th century. If not Hitler then maybe someone else?
TALKING POINT
To use a baseball term this was right in my wheelhouse. A very strong narrative with some fascinating conclusions about European civilisation which I now want to check and compare with Prisoners of Geography and The Silk Roads.
THE BEST PART OF.....
There were two things I found most fascinating. Firstly that Germany was never truly unified and is defined by its three rivers, the Rhine, Danube and Elbe and that the voting patters of people living in these various area have not really changed over centuries. Secondly the swastika and the ideas that would define Nazism were already in place in Prussia in the late 19th century. If not Hitler then maybe someone else?
TALKING POINT
one man and his bike - mike carter
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A birthday present from my sister who knows I love books and like to get out on my bike from time to time. I chose this as my next sleep book because a journey round the coast of Britain reminded me of Bill Bryson and thoughts of the sea and the coast should be good things to think about when drifting off to sleep.
i contain multitudes - ed yong
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- I am a couple of chapters in and I left it at work over the weekend and then got started on The Shortest History of Germany so am taking a break until that is finished
- I found this a hard book to eat to. A lot of my reading is done during breakfast and especially lunch and reading about microbes while eating isn't good.
A Boy Made of blocks - keith stuart
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My sister loved it so she bought it for me. If it is anywhere close to being as good as Wonder or Dog in the Night time or Rosie Project then it should be great.
OVERALL OPINION
A really good debut novel, which is obviously genuine, heartfelt and very readable. Anyone who has enjoyed Wonder, The Rosie Effect, The Book Thief and a Fault in Our Stars to name but four should be very happy with A Boy Made of Blocks
THE BEST PART
The journey of Alex to understand his autistic son Sam is the obvious main attraction and it doesn't disappoint. Keith conveys the whole spectrum of parenthood which are very easy to identify with combined with their journey together inside the world of Minecraft
TALKING POINT
Divorce for parents with autistic children might be as high as 80% . While this is thought to be a popular myth what can't be denied is that staying together is a very real challenge. I was struck by this when helping my sister who taught autistic children on school trips many years ago. A significant proportion of the (mostly) adorable 4-7 year olds parents had separated. A Boy Made of Blocks begins with the trial separation of Alex and Jody and the book does a great job of showing how these couples drift apart. Parenthood becomes all consuming. As the story continues living apart means that both parents can have a break and focus on other things for a time. It makes me realise how important respite care centres not only for the children but to give the parents time for them which they so dearly need.
A really good debut novel, which is obviously genuine, heartfelt and very readable. Anyone who has enjoyed Wonder, The Rosie Effect, The Book Thief and a Fault in Our Stars to name but four should be very happy with A Boy Made of Blocks
THE BEST PART
The journey of Alex to understand his autistic son Sam is the obvious main attraction and it doesn't disappoint. Keith conveys the whole spectrum of parenthood which are very easy to identify with combined with their journey together inside the world of Minecraft
TALKING POINT
Divorce for parents with autistic children might be as high as 80% . While this is thought to be a popular myth what can't be denied is that staying together is a very real challenge. I was struck by this when helping my sister who taught autistic children on school trips many years ago. A significant proportion of the (mostly) adorable 4-7 year olds parents had separated. A Boy Made of Blocks begins with the trial separation of Alex and Jody and the book does a great job of showing how these couples drift apart. Parenthood becomes all consuming. As the story continues living apart means that both parents can have a break and focus on other things for a time. It makes me realise how important respite care centres not only for the children but to give the parents time for them which they so dearly need.
may
HIGHLIGHTS
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nothing is true and everything is possible - peter pomerantsev
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After "Winter is Coming" I was keen to learn more about what it is like to live in Putin's Russia and after a bit of research over the internet and mostly on Amazon I settled on this for a few reasons. Firstly it won an award and was shortlisted for two others, secondly the reviews on amazon were great and finally there seemed to be many books about Putin's Russia but few that promised to provide a voice from various types of ordinary people.
This book material comes from the years Peter spent in the Russian TV industry producing documentaries. He believes that TV is only way to keep a country the size of Russia together and his book documents the ever increasing government control over its content
- Peter is a documentary film maker and the books reads very similar to one which is a good thing
- No spaces between chapters. A new story is a new paragraph which an interesting way to structure the book. Less formal, more fluid
the greatest - Matthew syed
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My lad Dan bought me his previous book Black Box Thinking which i'd read last year so I swapped it for this one which was his latest before his kids book was released. I am reading it now for the simple reason that I needed a small, sporty book for the trip to Bratislava.
- It's one
My heart sunk when I realised that this wasn't a proper book but a collection of Matthews columns in the Guardian. I always end up somehow reading at least one of these books a year and the feeling never changes. It is not the fact that they are badly written or interesting to read on their own it is just not how this type of writing is supposed to be read in my opinion. The weekly column has a limited number of words to work with as governed by the editor of the newspaper. As a reader of the newspaper this is great you have lots of other stories to read about which are written in different styles.
Reading lots of these columns one after another is not fun. It's similar to reading too many biographies one after another the predictability of the format will drive you crazy after a while. The other major source of frustration is you'll get a column about a really fascinating subject but before you know it you are off to somewhere else. Grrrr. What i'd really like to see is an author take a selection of their columns and combine and add to them, being able to reflect on what they wrote.
To be fair to "The Greatest" the columns themselves are mostly pretty good but it seems too easy to be fooled into thinking you are getting a book like Bounce rather than a collection of articles
Reading lots of these columns one after another is not fun. It's similar to reading too many biographies one after another the predictability of the format will drive you crazy after a while. The other major source of frustration is you'll get a column about a really fascinating subject but before you know it you are off to somewhere else. Grrrr. What i'd really like to see is an author take a selection of their columns and combine and add to them, being able to reflect on what they wrote.
To be fair to "The Greatest" the columns themselves are mostly pretty good but it seems too easy to be fooled into thinking you are getting a book like Bounce rather than a collection of articles
april
HIGHLIGHTS
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the BIG SHORT - MICHAEL LEWIS
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I love Michael Lewis. This is the eighth book of his that I have read and it is one of his most popular with a popular movie I have yet to see. I am not sure why it has escaped for so long to be honest but when I saw it in WH Smith I couldn't resist it. I almost had a need for one fix a year.
The Big Short is Michael Lewis at his very best. Taking a complex, multi layered subject and making a better than fiction story about people. In the Afterword he explains that his books are usually comic but that this book was tougher to write than he expected because "it was at heart a tragedy". To me it was a like a magician revealing one of his secrets. His books are so enjoyable to read and a big reason for that is that his sense of humour is never far away but is subtle and never contrived.
When it comes to money it really is a dog eat dog world. The big difference that this book highlights is that ordinary people are far more trusting of companies than the people in the money markets who always believe that others will happily "fuck them"in any deal. The system is also very happy that the rich can be made richer because of this and offers no protection. The greed that surrounds this story is mind boggling. Very few people ever decide they have enough money and the most disturbing part of this is that I could be the same in different circumstances. George Monbiot believes it takes two years as an Investment Banker to be lost to greed forever!
Skin in the game. Nasim Taleb's words of wisdom were never far away once I got halfway through. Everyone was making money and no one believed they would come to harm if things went wrong. The worst part is they were right, people like Wing Chau made millions while ordinary people who were convinced to take out these loans went bankrupt and the resulting credit crunch put businesses and people to their knees. This is the tragedy and the worst part is that the system doesn't seem to have been reformed and Michael may need to write a follow up in 10 or 20 years time.
When it comes to money it really is a dog eat dog world. The big difference that this book highlights is that ordinary people are far more trusting of companies than the people in the money markets who always believe that others will happily "fuck them"in any deal. The system is also very happy that the rich can be made richer because of this and offers no protection. The greed that surrounds this story is mind boggling. Very few people ever decide they have enough money and the most disturbing part of this is that I could be the same in different circumstances. George Monbiot believes it takes two years as an Investment Banker to be lost to greed forever!
Skin in the game. Nasim Taleb's words of wisdom were never far away once I got halfway through. Everyone was making money and no one believed they would come to harm if things went wrong. The worst part is they were right, people like Wing Chau made millions while ordinary people who were convinced to take out these loans went bankrupt and the resulting credit crunch put businesses and people to their knees. This is the tragedy and the worst part is that the system doesn't seem to have been reformed and Michael may need to write a follow up in 10 or 20 years time.
I did subprime first. I lived with the worst first. These guys lied to infinity. What I learned from that experience was that Wall Street didn't give a shit what it sold - Steve Eisman
That's when I decided the (financial) system was really "Fuck the poor" - Steve Eisman
The triple A ratings gave everyone an excuse to ignore the risks they were running
the sum of the parts - jon keen
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My eldest step son bought this for me for my birthday last year. I never knew that it existed but a book about Sir Steve and the best Reading FC team that has ever been assembled is brilliant. I am so glad Jon Keen decided to write this.
Jon Keen is a die hard Reading fan and founder member of the supporters trust who also has the ability and the get up and go to write THE moments in Reading FC's long history. The book details our fantastic first ever promotion to the Premier League (PL) but is also a quest to find out why this manager and group of players succeeded when so many before and after had failed. It also seeks to find out why walls came tumbling down in the second season in the PL. To do this he calls on former backroom staff, other Reading fans and imporetantly Mark Reynolds from consultancy firm Catalyst
So does he succeed? In the main. Yes. As a Reading fan who watched it unfold from the West Stand with my two lads it brought back some fantastic memories, especially the day at Leicester when we won promotion. Truly special. I can still remember how the Walkers Stadium shook with all the Reading fans jumping up and down in pure joy, Maybe only England winning a major tournament could beat that moment.
So does he succeed? In the main. Yes. As a Reading fan who watched it unfold from the West Stand with my two lads it brought back some fantastic memories, especially the day at Leicester when we won promotion. Truly special. I can still remember how the Walkers Stadium shook with all the Reading fans jumping up and down in pure joy, Maybe only England winning a major tournament could beat that moment.
prisoners of geography - tim marshall
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This book is a great example of how valuable professional recommendation about books can be. Let me explain. I chose History over Geography at school and even now the idea about a bunch of maps leaves me underwhelmed at best.
But Waterstones, whose email newsletters are probably the only ones I enjoy reading, made a big fuss of Tim's book and since The Essex Serpent I have begun to trust their recommendations so I thought I'd take a punt. Even so it has takem me a few months to convince myself that I really want to read it.
But Waterstones, whose email newsletters are probably the only ones I enjoy reading, made a big fuss of Tim's book and since The Essex Serpent I have begun to trust their recommendations so I thought I'd take a punt. Even so it has takem me a few months to convince myself that I really want to read it.
I always thought I would learn from this book, what really impressed me though was how readable it was, each chapter concise without being brief which is no easy trick.
The forward was both impressive and concerning as it was from Sir John Scarlett ex Chief of MI6 no less. How much more establishment can you get?
In the introduction Tim explains his credentials of 25 year Worldwide reporter veteran and each chapter starts with a country or region and a map. This is followed by what feels like a 1-2-1 briefing into the politics and how its mountains for protection, rivers for population growth and access to seas for trade for example shape each countries behaviour, and foreign policies.
Tim's calculating appraisal of Russia was fascinating and in stark contrast to the passion of Kasparov in "Winter is Coming". Tim's sees Russia's invasion of Crimea inevitable as it secured them access to the Black Sea. He states that a new cold war is already here, a view other experts are only now publicly stating.
The big 3 of Russia, USA and China are the main players throughout. I had no idea for example that China is investing so much money in Africa with 150-200,000 workers in Angola alone! The book really does feel like a world tour with a guide who knows his onions. I never realised that the standard 2D world map makes Africa look a lot smaller than it actually is and that the Suez Canal saves shipping up to 6,000 miles.
It is deliberate in its style to and I found the reality of the world obsession to secure gas and oil supply and reserves depressing at times. There is mention of hydro electric projects but this book shows me just how far renewable energy still has to go to make a real difference.
In his conclusion Tim does speculate on what will happen if the Maldives and parts of Bangladesh and Holland go under the rising sea levels and he never tries to deny that global warming is and will continue to impact geopolitics. But Tim speaks from a world where the cause of this warming is still for debate and it is obvious by the amount of investment that world's thirst for oil and gas is not slowing down.
Considering the current scientific view is that we are years behind reducing the level of emissions and that there is enough oil and gas reserves to in Mark Lynas's view "boil us alive" it is more than a little worrying.
But to take a leaf out of Donald Trump and ignoring the environment, for such a deep subject the book flowed really well and I loved the Jared Diamond references. Tim also managed to convey the sense of awe in just how big and amazing this world really is and I learnt loads too. Most importantly I really enjoyed it and am very tempted to seek out his book on football "Dirty Northen B*st*rds!" and his website www.thewhatandthewhy.com/
The forward was both impressive and concerning as it was from Sir John Scarlett ex Chief of MI6 no less. How much more establishment can you get?
In the introduction Tim explains his credentials of 25 year Worldwide reporter veteran and each chapter starts with a country or region and a map. This is followed by what feels like a 1-2-1 briefing into the politics and how its mountains for protection, rivers for population growth and access to seas for trade for example shape each countries behaviour, and foreign policies.
Tim's calculating appraisal of Russia was fascinating and in stark contrast to the passion of Kasparov in "Winter is Coming". Tim's sees Russia's invasion of Crimea inevitable as it secured them access to the Black Sea. He states that a new cold war is already here, a view other experts are only now publicly stating.
The big 3 of Russia, USA and China are the main players throughout. I had no idea for example that China is investing so much money in Africa with 150-200,000 workers in Angola alone! The book really does feel like a world tour with a guide who knows his onions. I never realised that the standard 2D world map makes Africa look a lot smaller than it actually is and that the Suez Canal saves shipping up to 6,000 miles.
It is deliberate in its style to and I found the reality of the world obsession to secure gas and oil supply and reserves depressing at times. There is mention of hydro electric projects but this book shows me just how far renewable energy still has to go to make a real difference.
In his conclusion Tim does speculate on what will happen if the Maldives and parts of Bangladesh and Holland go under the rising sea levels and he never tries to deny that global warming is and will continue to impact geopolitics. But Tim speaks from a world where the cause of this warming is still for debate and it is obvious by the amount of investment that world's thirst for oil and gas is not slowing down.
Considering the current scientific view is that we are years behind reducing the level of emissions and that there is enough oil and gas reserves to in Mark Lynas's view "boil us alive" it is more than a little worrying.
But to take a leaf out of Donald Trump and ignoring the environment, for such a deep subject the book flowed really well and I loved the Jared Diamond references. Tim also managed to convey the sense of awe in just how big and amazing this world really is and I learnt loads too. Most importantly I really enjoyed it and am very tempted to seek out his book on football "Dirty Northen B*st*rds!" and his website www.thewhatandthewhy.com/
No matter what the treaty says....a NATO country does not hold a strategic naval policy without first asking Washingston
Otto von Bismark in a double edged remark, said....God takes special care of drunks, children and the United States of America. It appears still to be true
march
HIGHLIGHTS
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artemis - andy weir
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I am on a bit of space walk of reading at the moment and so decided to keep that going with a highly anticipated follow up to Andy Weir's debut novel. I believe in 2nd book syndrome as much as I believe in 2nd Album syndrome for musicians. These artists have worked so hard and used their best ideas on their debut and now the expectation is for them to come up with something as brilliant in less time under a far greater weight of expectation.
The idea for The Martian was so good that I am not expecting a repeat but just hope for a good adventure on the moon
The idea for The Martian was so good that I am not expecting a repeat but just hope for a good adventure on the moon
- The lead character being a woman was a fun surprise and had rebellious traits I could readily identify with. Not a girlie girl that's for sure
A glance at the reception of this book on Amazon and Goodreads confirmed that this was not going to be better than The Martian. No surprise there but if this is the worst book I read all year I will be very happy! The idea of a lunar colony had been thought through and researched and I was reminded how much I liked Andy Weir's writing style which felt consistent from his first book. In fact the story bounded very nicely without reaching the heights of tension until the very final stages and the plot got a bit bogged down three quarters through. The technical details of welding in space were a bit too much for me.
I liked the main character Jazz, an underdog and a women bound to appeal to all geeky guys and her rough edges suited the story very well. Her disguise as a tourist around the Apollo 11 visitor center was a clever way of making the colony real whilst adding to the plot which stopped it from feeling scripted. All in all a very enjoyable bit of science fiction
I liked the main character Jazz, an underdog and a women bound to appeal to all geeky guys and her rough edges suited the story very well. Her disguise as a tourist around the Apollo 11 visitor center was a clever way of making the colony real whilst adding to the plot which stopped it from feeling scripted. All in all a very enjoyable bit of science fiction
Ultimately I don't decide whether I arrive at the desired professional destination. Too many variables are outside of my control.
There's really just one thing I can control: my attitude during the journey which is what keeps me feeling steady and stable....So I consciously monitor and correct if necessary because losing attitude would be far worse than not achieving my goal
an astronaut's guide to life on earth - chris hadfield
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I really enjoyed the BBC2 series Astronauts: Do you have what it takes? where Chris Hadfield played the Alan Sugar/Donald Trump role in a contest to find the best candidate from 12 who want to be an astronaut. It was a real insight into what it takes just to be in contention for the job. With British astronaut Tim Peake making lots of good news as well I wanted a book on this subject and this seemed the best match
- Chris is one driven high performing individual. I mean DEDICATED in capitals and in bold but still down to earth
- He is afraid of heights in exactly the same way as I am. Mad!!
- In space flight "attitude" refers to orientation: which direction your vehicle is pointing relative to the sun. If you lose attitude the vehicle tumbles and spins
- One of his sons is a pro poker player living in China
- It feels like an extension of the brilliant BBC2 series Astronauts: Do you have what it takes? and because I watched it I can hear his voice inside my head when I read the book which is really cool
- He is only at home 14 weeks of the year. You have to be seriously dedicated to be an astronaut
Chris Hadfield is one of life's very high achievers and I did wonder how inferior I would feel as I began reading his book. Luckily Chris's humility is equal to his talent. In describing the selection process for astronauts is became very clear that not only do you have to be driven and super intelligent. You also have to consistently work incredibly hard and make considerable sacrifices in persuit of a goal there is no guarantee in getting.
Strange as it is to write, the book is actually similar to Sarah Millican's!! Both tell the story of their life with a goal to entertain but also make a big effort to pass on the wisdom they have learned along the way. Both also preach
Strange as it is to write, the book is actually similar to Sarah Millican's!! Both tell the story of their life with a goal to entertain but also make a big effort to pass on the wisdom they have learned along the way. Both also preach
Ultimately I don't decide whether I arrive at the desired professional destination. Too many variables are outside of my control.
There's really just one thing I can control: my attitude during the journey which is what keeps me feeling steady and stable....So I consciously monitor and correct if necessary because losing attitude would be far worse than not achieving my goal
Life is full of so many small, unexpected pleasures, not just in space but right here on earth...I see them more clearly now because microgravity insists you pay attention
You can choose to focus on the surprises and pleasures, or the frustrations. And you can choose to appreciate the smallest scraps of experience, the everyday moments or to value the grandest, most stirring ones
red rising - pierce brown
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I have been scouting the online book stores looking for really well reviewed fiction and Red Rising is part of this research. The reviews are great and the comparisons to Hunger Games are very encouraging. My mum loves Science Fiction so it feels like i'm keeping it in the family at the moment as this is the second book of the genre this month
- Start reminded me of Total Recall (the original with Arnie that is) being in the mines of Mars. Good stuff
- Didn't like the death of Eo just felt like a blunt plot instrument. But reading on I get why it was written that way
- The colour class distinction reminded me of Jasper Fforde's Shades of Grey. It works well and is easy to visualise
- From part 2 I've have a big grin on my face the plot to overthrow the Golds kicks into top gear
- The Institute is where the likeness to Hunger Games really comes to the fore but in its own gorydamn identity
- Had the flu real bad this week and so an easy, exciting read like this is just perfect. My brain can't handle science when i'm ill
What a treat. Along with Ready Player One I can see this being the book I most recommend this year as this is popular fiction at its rip roaring best. The quote on the front cover mentions Katniss from The Hunger Games and there are lots of similarities including the most important one - page turning. You can't turn them fast enough once the story gets going after the first few chapters.
What really impressed me was just when I thought I knew where the plot was going it went somewhere completely different and it made the story better. Being surprised in a good way is always great but especially in fiction.
I was already checking out and ordering the follow up books before i'd finished and if the fifth book is due out this year then there is plenty of plot left in this one. I try to ration books like this for when I really need a shot of fast reading but I enjoyed this so much it's going to be gorydamn hard to keep away. I can give Red Rising no bigger compliment.
What really impressed me was just when I thought I knew where the plot was going it went somewhere completely different and it made the story better. Being surprised in a good way is always great but especially in fiction.
I was already checking out and ordering the follow up books before i'd finished and if the fifth book is due out this year then there is plenty of plot left in this one. I try to ration books like this for when I really need a shot of fast reading but I enjoyed this so much it's going to be gorydamn hard to keep away. I can give Red Rising no bigger compliment.
Characters
Darrow - Underdog lead - the books Katniss, Harry - I get the point
Dancer - The agent of Sons of Ares
Eo - Martyr wife
Mustang - Saved Darrow from Cassisus. Leaders daughter
Cassius - Blood rivalry after he found out about the passage
Darrow - Underdog lead - the books Katniss, Harry - I get the point
Dancer - The agent of Sons of Ares
Eo - Martyr wife
Mustang - Saved Darrow from Cassisus. Leaders daughter
Cassius - Blood rivalry after he found out about the passage
seabiscuit - laura hillenbrand
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This is another from Laurence and not his usual fantasy non fiction fare either so it should be great especially as it won the Sports Book of the Year in 2001. Will be interesting to see how it compares to the horse
This
ready player one - ernest cline
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A colleague from work Mike and I were talking books one morning which is unusual as poker is the main hobby we have in common. He mentioned Ready Player One without reservation and you could tell just how much he'd enjoyed it. I took a quick look at the summary on Amazon and bought it almost immediately.
There is hardly any point with the notes and thoughts as it took no time at all to finish. If real life hadn't got in the way I wouldn't of stopped reading it was that good. Ernest builds a believable future, a classic underdog for the central character Wade and a great quest for him to undertake. I grew up in the 1980's and have loved video games ever since I had a Donkey Kong Jr handheld game and have brilliant memories of my Commodore 64 and of spending afternoons on holiday in the arcade seeing how long I could make my money last.
This book brought back all these memories and a lot more whilst keeping the plot ticking along at fairly frantic pace and the villains were reminiscent of the matrix.
Reading this was like reading The Rook last year and I wish there was a list of all books that would enthrall me in this way that I could access. It's like your favourite takeaway you wouldn't want them every day but life is so much nicer having one every month or two.
This book brought back all these memories and a lot more whilst keeping the plot ticking along at fairly frantic pace and the villains were reminiscent of the matrix.
Reading this was like reading The Rook last year and I wish there was a list of all books that would enthrall me in this way that I could access. It's like your favourite takeaway you wouldn't want them every day but life is so much nicer having one every month or two.
the hidden life of trees - peter wohlleben
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I love trees but I know very little about them and struggle to tell them apart to be honest. I wasn't even sure that my great tree in my back garden was a Beech. I really enjoyed Bird Sense by Tim Birkhead which was an in depth scientific look at what it would be like to be a bird and this promises to do something similar.
OVERAL OPINION
As this was my sleep book it took a long time to read especially as it was written in a calm and kind way that I'd find myself just drifting off. Overall I'm really enjoyed it, I learned a lot and it as it has given me an even bigger respect for trees of all kinds.
WHAT STANDS OUT - THE BEST REASON TO READ
Peter has managed a forest in Germany for over 20 years and he has obviously found his calling. Peter talks of trees in a very human way and I have used this to talk to people about the book. But who knew that trees actually talk to each other too, protect other trees of the same species and even give up their water and nutrients to help keep alive other trees.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Timescale. Peter believes one of the reasons we struggle to understand trees is that they live in a very different timescale to us. Trees live for hundreds of years, when we are entering old age they are just out of childhood. I think this also extends to the environment in general. We see them as being constant and unmoving but Peter reflects on how this is clearly not the case when thinking about time the way trees do. How being protected by too much sun and water in the early years by their relatives allows them to grow straight tall trunks.
If we are to protect our amazing world I think we need to try and change our sense of time to the earths more often and make less short term human friendly decision. This is for me the big lesson of The Hidden Life of Trees
As this was my sleep book it took a long time to read especially as it was written in a calm and kind way that I'd find myself just drifting off. Overall I'm really enjoyed it, I learned a lot and it as it has given me an even bigger respect for trees of all kinds.
WHAT STANDS OUT - THE BEST REASON TO READ
Peter has managed a forest in Germany for over 20 years and he has obviously found his calling. Peter talks of trees in a very human way and I have used this to talk to people about the book. But who knew that trees actually talk to each other too, protect other trees of the same species and even give up their water and nutrients to help keep alive other trees.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Timescale. Peter believes one of the reasons we struggle to understand trees is that they live in a very different timescale to us. Trees live for hundreds of years, when we are entering old age they are just out of childhood. I think this also extends to the environment in general. We see them as being constant and unmoving but Peter reflects on how this is clearly not the case when thinking about time the way trees do. How being protected by too much sun and water in the early years by their relatives allows them to grow straight tall trunks.
If we are to protect our amazing world I think we need to try and change our sense of time to the earths more often and make less short term human friendly decision. This is for me the big lesson of The Hidden Life of Trees
february
HIGHLIGHTS
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winter is coming - garry kasparov
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I have wanted to buy this book ever since seeing it in a bookshop in Prague last May where I remarked that it was great that a former Eastern Bloc country is free to have anti Putin literature in their shops. Peter Frankopan opened my eyes to the importance of Russia in his brilliant 'Silk Roads' and Simon Reeve's 3 part documentary on BBC about Russia was fascinating.
I've seen a review either on Amazon or GoodReads that says that the book goes on and on about the same thing all the way through and it has stuck in my head. This is the reason why I don't like reading other peoples reviews until I have finished if possible we are wired to remember negative information easier than positive.
I've seen a review either on Amazon or GoodReads that says that the book goes on and on about the same thing all the way through and it has stuck in my head. This is the reason why I don't like reading other peoples reviews until I have finished if possible we are wired to remember negative information easier than positive.
- Kasparov is keen to explain that he has been warning the West about Russia since the 90's and that appeasement never works
- In the cold war the US under Reagan had a morality based foreign policy. This has changed since the collapse of the Berlin Wall
- Orson Welles fable of the scorpion and the frog. The frog carries the scorpion across a river on its back convinced it won't sting him because both will die.
- This is not a rant but an impassioned plea from someone who loves his country for the democracies of the world to make a stand
- His experience visiting the school held hostage by Chechan rebels best example of life in Russia of whole book
I started reading this passionate warning that Russia is in the hands of mafia boss and the policy of appeasing Putin makes the world more dangerous at a time when
Somehow people always forget that it's easier to install a dictator than to remove one
Telling Ukranians they provoked Putin by rejecting him...is like telling a harassed woman she should wear longer skirts
A country that does not respect the rights of its own people will not respect the rights of its neighbours - Andrei Sakaharov
why we sleep - matthew walker
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I have wanted to buy this book ever since seeing it in a bookshop in Prague last May where I remarked that it was great that a former Eastern Bloc country is free to have anti Putin literature in their shops. Peter Frankopan opened my eyes to the importance of Russia in his brilliant 'Silk Roads' and Simon Reeve's 3 part documentary on BBC about Russia was fascinating.
I've seen a review either on Amazon or GoodReads that says that the book goes on and on about the same thing all the way through and it has stuck in my head. This is the reason why I don't like reading other peoples reviews until I have finished if possible.
I've seen a review either on Amazon or GoodReads that says that the book goes on and on about the same thing all the way through and it has stuck in my head. This is the reason why I don't like reading other peoples reviews until I have finished if possible.
- Lack of sleep affects all areas of well being and can literally kill you. First page of this book wants to grab your attention and does a great job of getting it
- Driving tired as dangerous as driving drunk due to micro sleeps and accidents caused by tiredness vastly outnumber those b
Matthew Walker is on a mission to persuade everyone to take sleep more seriously and by the end of the book I doubt there are many people who won't sign up to the cause especially if you have children!
I agree with his view that society sees sleep as almost an annoyance. Alpha leaders are exalted for boasting of only needing a few hours a night and modern life both tempts and forces us to sleep as little as we can get away with.
This is a very important book and from the very first page Matthew with straight talking clarity explains that science can now prove how harmful to every facet of private and public health a consistent lack of sleep can be. Alzheimer's, stroke, heart disease, blood sugar levels, depression, fitness and overeating are all affected by sleep or lack of. Lack of sleep can in very rare cases even kill.
We need eight hours. Think you can get away with catching up missed hours on the weekend like I did? Think again Matthew explains why we can never recover lost sleep and that some of our most beneficial REM sleep comes at the final stage of a nights sleep.
But it is not just doom and gloom the book explains very clearly how we get to sleep, what happens while we sleep and how this influences our minds and bodies the following day. He explains the common sleep disorders and how they can best be treated. The answer not with sleeping pills which are far more harmful than I expected.
Finally he offers common sense advice to how we can all improve the way and the amount we sleep which I am already trying to take on board and my sleep is improving.
I really loved this book, it wasn't an easy read at times as the science is disturbing and it forced me to evaluate my habits and make changes. It was also a book that cropped up again and again in conversation while I was reading it and people were generally very interested in hearing about it especially after Chris Evans mentioned it on his radio show.
A very well deserved 5 stars and very strong book of the year candidate
Matthew Walker is on a mission to persuade everyone to take sleep more seriously and by the end of the book I doubt there are many people who won't sign up to the cause especially if you have children!
I agree with his view that society sees sleep as almost an annoyance. Alpha leaders are exalted for boasting of only needing a few hours a night and modern life both tempts and forces us to sleep as little as we can get away with.
This is a very important book and from the very first page Matthew with straight talking clarity explains that science can now prove how harmful to every facet of private and public health a consistent lack of sleep can be. Alzheimer's, stroke, heart disease, blood sugar levels, depression, fitness and overeating are all affected by sleep or lack of. Lack of sleep can in very rare cases even kill.
We need eight hours. Think you can get away with catching up missed hours on the weekend like I did? Think again Matthew explains why we can never recover lost sleep and that some of our most beneficial REM sleep comes at the final stage of a nights sleep.
But it is not just doom and gloom the book explains very clearly how we get to sleep, what happens while we sleep and how this influences our minds and bodies the following day. He explains the common sleep disorders and how they can best be treated. The answer not with sleeping pills which are far more harmful than I expected.
Finally he offers common sense advice to how we can all improve the way and the amount we sleep which I am already trying to take on board and my sleep is improving.
I really loved this book, it wasn't an easy read at times as the science is disturbing and it forced me to evaluate my habits and make changes. It was also a book that cropped up again and again in conversation while I was reading it and people were generally very interested in hearing about it especially after Chris Evans mentioned it on his radio show.
A very well deserved 5 stars and very strong book of the year candidate
the shorter your sleep the shorter your life span. The old maxim "i'll sleep when i'm dead" is therefore unfortunate.
January
HIGHLIGHTS
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happy - fearne cotton
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Happy was in Amazons Top 100 last April and having recently finished Derren Brown's book of the same name I thought a comparison would make an interesting page for the site. Well it didn't happen last year but as I am going on Mental Health First Aider training at the end of January I thought it an ideal time to pick it up.
- Chatty, easy to read and comprehend. This book comes out of the blocks as wanting to be a book for everyone
- Fearne's description of depression spot on. I like the color spectrum of mental health and how it is difficult to know the difference between being a bit down and being depressed.
- Numb is the scariest word in depression. Took me straight back to Robert Enke's suicide in A Life Too Short
- It is reading much more like Matt Haig than Derren Brown. Very different approach to the same subject
- Balance comes up a lot. I remember thinking as a young man that balance was THE key to life. Hey who knew. I was right!
- Lots of space dedicated to being to personalise with drawings and comments - I'm not comfortable with these things
Being positive isn't always easy. It is sometimes the harder route, the one that requires more energy thought and commitment.
Helping, of course, feels so good too....
how to be champion - sarah millican
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I needed something light and funny after the science marathon that was Chasing The Sun. Sarah Millican seemed the perfect choice.
- Intro sets the scene. She's the daughter of a miner caught up in the eighties strikes.
- Sarah is funny and this book is funny, but she also wants to pass on the stuff that has helped here too
- Shyness as a child, some bullying and preferred life working - know exactly how she feels
- WHS Smith, Working in a cinema and doing film reviews. Job Centre
- Getting married and divorced - last time best friend also husband
- Deciding to do a performance class - few months later decided she wanted to try stand up
- Sleeping on sofas - meeting her husband "You rock"
- Body Image, confidence, dogs, cats and no kids. Cake recipe
I don't read many celeb biographies as they can be a bit predictable in their style. Early years, life at school including first signs of talent/ability they are now famous for, first big break, The MOMENT etc etc. But I do like to read about interesting people especially if they're funny and this book ticks both boxes very nicely indeed.
Sarah comes across like she does on TV as a genuine and funny person for someone who loves self help books too I had the bonus of some wise words at the end of each chapter which works really well. Holding your head up high is such a good piece of advice for anyone but particulary kids that I even tweeted it.
It is a book for anyone who but especially for those of us (well) over 30. I love the fact that Sarah took the worst moment in her life (Divorce) and used it to help her in firstly performing and then breaking into stand up, a journey that was fascinating. Her ethos of hard work is one that comes across a lot in showbiz biographies and her thoughts of not bitching about other peoples success also mirrors that of Derren Brown. It is advice we could can all use in our own work.
Finally her thoughts on body image and gender are very important and I couldn't agree more with her. Unless a women is a model then how they look should have nothing to do with how they are judged.
Sarah comes across like she does on TV as a genuine and funny person for someone who loves self help books too I had the bonus of some wise words at the end of each chapter which works really well. Holding your head up high is such a good piece of advice for anyone but particulary kids that I even tweeted it.
It is a book for anyone who but especially for those of us (well) over 30. I love the fact that Sarah took the worst moment in her life (Divorce) and used it to help her in firstly performing and then breaking into stand up, a journey that was fascinating. Her ethos of hard work is one that comes across a lot in showbiz biographies and her thoughts of not bitching about other peoples success also mirrors that of Derren Brown. It is advice we could can all use in our own work.
Finally her thoughts on body image and gender are very important and I couldn't agree more with her. Unless a women is a model then how they look should have nothing to do with how they are judged.
Millican's Law - You are allowed to bitch and moan about the events of the day until 11am the next morning. Then you have to move on.
I hate B&B's
Hard work beats talent if talent doesn't work hard
fire and fury - michael wolff
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Other fun quotes include
"He's a guy who really hated school and he's not going to start liking it now" - Steve Bannon
"You can't make this shit up" - Sean Spicer
"Men who demand the most loyalty tend to be the least loyal pricks"
Memo from White House anon staff that was leaked include the quotes :
"An idiot surrounded by clowns"
"Trump is less a person than a collection of horrible traits"
"No one will survive the first year but his family"
"He's a guy who really hated school and he's not going to start liking it now" - Steve Bannon
"You can't make this shit up" - Sean Spicer
"Men who demand the most loyalty tend to be the least loyal pricks"
Memo from White House anon staff that was leaked include the quotes :
"An idiot surrounded by clowns"
"Trump is less a person than a collection of horrible traits"
"No one will survive the first year but his family"
It's been impossible to ignore Trump and through the wit of the brilliant John Oliver's weekly Last Week Tonight I've learned a lot more of the details than I otherwise would of.
Fire and Fury was much more readable than I expected. I really did feel like a fly on the wall for most of the book, witnessing history as it is being made. I'd heard reports that it made lots of assumptions but I found it in the most part to be as balanced as the crazy events would allow.
Incredibly Trump comes across even worse than I thought him to be. Incapable of reading, willing to sign or fire anything and anyone if the whim takes him and totally narcissistic. Many times Stalin and Mao came to mind, thank god he is not able to imprison anyone.
More concerned about his press coverage than how to run his country it, willing to trust his relatives with important roles of government rather than people with the necessary experience the book portrays a warring shambolic White House
There are three major points I took out of the book
Fire and Fury was much more readable than I expected. I really did feel like a fly on the wall for most of the book, witnessing history as it is being made. I'd heard reports that it made lots of assumptions but I found it in the most part to be as balanced as the crazy events would allow.
Incredibly Trump comes across even worse than I thought him to be. Incapable of reading, willing to sign or fire anything and anyone if the whim takes him and totally narcissistic. Many times Stalin and Mao came to mind, thank god he is not able to imprison anyone.
More concerned about his press coverage than how to run his country it, willing to trust his relatives with important roles of government rather than people with the necessary experience the book portrays a warring shambolic White House
There are three major points I took out of the book
- Bannon real reason behind hard far right policy
- Trump sees life as a zero sum game. If someone is benefiting from him he must be in a fight
- Trump can not be shamed because he does not feel any...ever
This is some weird shit - George W Bush
Trump won't read anything - not one page memos, not the brief policy papers - nothing
The paradox of the Trump presidency is that it is both the most ideologically driven and the least
no hunger in paradise - michael calvin
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Michael's 2014 award winning The Nowhere Men about the life of the football scout was brilliant. I did want to be a sports writer or commentator so books like these always appeal and I like to have a few of them to read each year.
I was about to watch a documentary on BT Sport about the same subject until I realised it was Michael's film about the book. As always watching the film before the book is not a good idea so I am reading this earlier in the year than anticipated so I can then watch the film.
I was about to watch a documentary on BT Sport about the same subject until I realised it was Michael's film about the book. As always watching the film before the book is not a good idea so I am reading this earlier in the year than anticipated so I can then watch the film.
- There are too many youngsters being picked up by academies and then dumped
- More money in the youth game, means more agents and more competition between the bigger clubs at the expense of the smaller
- Man City's academy sounds amazing. How could you not think you'd made it if you went there?
- No freedom to be kids - being a pro footballer starts as young as 9
- Parents and kids expected to do whatever it takes - no chance of normal child hood
Michael Calvin has profiled the scouts then the managers and now it is the turn of the football academies. The shiny makers and breakers of young boys dreams and hearts. The title promises a book about how the money flooding youth football is causing a lack of motivation that is needed to keep developing to get to the highest level. While in some ways this is true the book reveals a more complex situation with a lot of the criticism aimed at the Premier League clubs for fighting for taking in far too many kids and dropping them whenever the whim suits them with no thought as to the devastation that causes the boy and his family,
Calvin does a great job of explaining just how difficult it is for a boy to make it, how much of a sacrifice to a normal childhood they are expected to make and what happens when the dreaded news comes. From lower league football to scholarships in the US to a life behind bars.
Calvin also looks at the agents who have become more and more attracted to the youth because of the money. The lack of regulation, the illegal approaches to parents and clubs. It is enough to be thankful that neither of my lads had to endure life in an academy chasing the dream which for almost everyone ends up remaining just that and required reading for any parent in that journey.
Calvin does a great job of explaining just how difficult it is for a boy to make it, how much of a sacrifice to a normal childhood they are expected to make and what happens when the dreaded news comes. From lower league football to scholarships in the US to a life behind bars.
Calvin also looks at the agents who have become more and more attracted to the youth because of the money. The lack of regulation, the illegal approaches to parents and clubs. It is enough to be thankful that neither of my lads had to endure life in an academy chasing the dream which for almost everyone ends up remaining just that and required reading for any parent in that journey.