So here is the final countdown. I have had a lot of fun with this and the result was so close that any of the top 12 could of claimed the top spot!
No 10 - David Copperfield - Charles Dickens - Audiobook
I had never got on with Mr Dickens on my few previous attempts so I decided to try him in the car and settled on David Copperfield as the place to start. I am not too humble to admit that I really enjoyed hearing a master story teller at work. The characters are all larger than life and are expertly woven into an epic tale.which will live long in the memory. Looking forward to Bleak House or Great Expectations sometime this year.
I had never got on with Mr Dickens on my few previous attempts so I decided to try him in the car and settled on David Copperfield as the place to start. I am not too humble to admit that I really enjoyed hearing a master story teller at work. The characters are all larger than life and are expertly woven into an epic tale.which will live long in the memory. Looking forward to Bleak House or Great Expectations sometime this year.
No 9 - The Establishment - Owen Jones
A first and maybe last. A book about that politics that I can (and do) recommend to anyone. I read this around the time of the General Election which made it even more pertinent. I thought I had a fairly good idea of the incestuous nature of media, politicians and big business but I was so, so wrong. Owen Jones explains what The Establishment means, how it has evolved and why it is out of control. It is books like this that make you so thankful for the freedom of the press in Britain and explain why ordinary people like me need to take an interest once in a while.
A first and maybe last. A book about that politics that I can (and do) recommend to anyone. I read this around the time of the General Election which made it even more pertinent. I thought I had a fairly good idea of the incestuous nature of media, politicians and big business but I was so, so wrong. Owen Jones explains what The Establishment means, how it has evolved and why it is out of control. It is books like this that make you so thankful for the freedom of the press in Britain and explain why ordinary people like me need to take an interest once in a while.
No 8 - The Paradox of Choice - Barry Schwartz
I don't know how many times I nearly bought this book over the last few years. I loved the title and for many years have spoken to friends about how too much choice can be very negative but could it carry a whole book?
Well as it is at number 8 the answer is obviously a big yes. I felt at home right away and a lot of the concepts that the book puts forward resonated on many levels. The section on Missed Opportunities was clever and very useful and it really did surpass my expectations.
I don't know how many times I nearly bought this book over the last few years. I loved the title and for many years have spoken to friends about how too much choice can be very negative but could it carry a whole book?
Well as it is at number 8 the answer is obviously a big yes. I felt at home right away and a lot of the concepts that the book puts forward resonated on many levels. The section on Missed Opportunities was clever and very useful and it really did surpass my expectations.
No 7 - Naughts and Crosses - Malorie Blackman - Audiobook
This had been on my to read list for a few years as it was spoken of in the same light as The Hunger Games, Harry Potter and His Dark Materials. The story is well crafted, gloriously unpredictable and tackles a broad range of issues head on. At it's heights it packs a mighty punch and Malorie Blackman doesn't shirk the ending either. It is so very impressive. I have since found out there are four books in the series so I can't wait to see where the story goes.
This had been on my to read list for a few years as it was spoken of in the same light as The Hunger Games, Harry Potter and His Dark Materials. The story is well crafted, gloriously unpredictable and tackles a broad range of issues head on. At it's heights it packs a mighty punch and Malorie Blackman doesn't shirk the ending either. It is so very impressive. I have since found out there are four books in the series so I can't wait to see where the story goes.
No 6 - Flashboys - Michael Lewis
My favorite author returns to his very best with this true story of how High Frequency Traders took Wall Street for billions and how Brad Katsuyama and his team tracked them down and told the world.
Not only does Michael Lewis have an eye for the real life under dog he can tell the story better than any author I've read. When Malcolm Gladwell is quoted on the back cover saying "....it's good to be reminded every now and again what genius looks like" I know I am not biased and I am right to recommend this book to anyone.
My favorite author returns to his very best with this true story of how High Frequency Traders took Wall Street for billions and how Brad Katsuyama and his team tracked them down and told the world.
Not only does Michael Lewis have an eye for the real life under dog he can tell the story better than any author I've read. When Malcolm Gladwell is quoted on the back cover saying "....it's good to be reminded every now and again what genius looks like" I know I am not biased and I am right to recommend this book to anyone.
No 5 - The Ugly Game - Heidi Blake & Jonathan Calvert
The story of how Quatar bought the World Cup will have ramifications for many years to come and not just for FIFA. The book pieces the jigsaw together from the millions of pieces of evidence provided to them in a blacked out office building by a whistle blower, whilst also telling the story of the main protagonist Mohamed bin Hamman. The scale of the corruption, the people involved and the sums of money are truly shocking. Not the easiest of reads at times due to the amount of evidence they have to fit into 472 pages but for me it was riveting required reading
The story of how Quatar bought the World Cup will have ramifications for many years to come and not just for FIFA. The book pieces the jigsaw together from the millions of pieces of evidence provided to them in a blacked out office building by a whistle blower, whilst also telling the story of the main protagonist Mohamed bin Hamman. The scale of the corruption, the people involved and the sums of money are truly shocking. Not the easiest of reads at times due to the amount of evidence they have to fit into 472 pages but for me it was riveting required reading
No 4 - Wild Swans - Jung Chang
A book that has sold 13 million books to worldwide acclaim but at 772 pages it was never going to be a quick read. So it sat on the bookshelf unread for a long time until my curiosity about this story of three generations of women in China got the better of me. The biggest compliment I can give is that it didn't feel that long and I learnt and remembered far more about this history of communist China than I would of through any history book. At the heart of the book is Jung Chang's love and compassion for her family and country which conveys the beauty and the horrors within China with sparkling clarity.
A book that has sold 13 million books to worldwide acclaim but at 772 pages it was never going to be a quick read. So it sat on the bookshelf unread for a long time until my curiosity about this story of three generations of women in China got the better of me. The biggest compliment I can give is that it didn't feel that long and I learnt and remembered far more about this history of communist China than I would of through any history book. At the heart of the book is Jung Chang's love and compassion for her family and country which conveys the beauty and the horrors within China with sparkling clarity.
No 3 - This Changes Everything - Naomi Klein
Naomi Klein is an investigative journalist of the highest order. Her previous books "No Logo" and "The Shock Doctrine" are hard hitting difficult reads so I knew she would do a thorough job on climate change. In her introduction she explains that climate change is "hide behind the sofa" scary and that she thinks that is the reason why people choose to ignore it. This is my third book on climate change and the one I would recommend first as it is an easier read than her two other books and it is a comprehensive guide to the current situation and how we have got here.
Naomi Klein is an investigative journalist of the highest order. Her previous books "No Logo" and "The Shock Doctrine" are hard hitting difficult reads so I knew she would do a thorough job on climate change. In her introduction she explains that climate change is "hide behind the sofa" scary and that she thinks that is the reason why people choose to ignore it. This is my third book on climate change and the one I would recommend first as it is an easier read than her two other books and it is a comprehensive guide to the current situation and how we have got here.
No 2 - The Fault In Our Stars - John Green
"That's the thing about pain. It demands to be felt". Even now that statement resonates loudly and brings back a lot of memories.
Simply a fantastic work of fiction which I enjoyed far more than I thought possible. Finds its place alongside "Wonder", "The Book Thief" and "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time" as all time great books of the genre.
"That's the thing about pain. It demands to be felt". Even now that statement resonates loudly and brings back a lot of memories.
Simply a fantastic work of fiction which I enjoyed far more than I thought possible. Finds its place alongside "Wonder", "The Book Thief" and "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time" as all time great books of the genre.
No 1 - The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying - Marie Kondo
As Sarah Manguso wisely says "There are two type of pain. Mine and everybody else's" and I have had a lifelong problem with being tidy. When I saw this in Amazons top 100 I laughed at the thought of reading and owning a book about tidying but my curiosity just couldn't resist.
The main concept of the book is to only keep the clothes and possessions that spark joy and the author details the process in her own unique way. From talking to your house to finding spiritual enlightenment in folding clothes the book is a bit bonkers, but in the unsustainable age of mass consumption, here is way to not only live with less but for it to make life better not worse.
The main reason that it is number 1 is though is because it has been, in a small way life-changing. Not only has it has actually made me tidier it has done something far more profound and that is for me to actually enjoy it. In the words of Paul Daniels "Now that's magic!"
As Sarah Manguso wisely says "There are two type of pain. Mine and everybody else's" and I have had a lifelong problem with being tidy. When I saw this in Amazons top 100 I laughed at the thought of reading and owning a book about tidying but my curiosity just couldn't resist.
The main concept of the book is to only keep the clothes and possessions that spark joy and the author details the process in her own unique way. From talking to your house to finding spiritual enlightenment in folding clothes the book is a bit bonkers, but in the unsustainable age of mass consumption, here is way to not only live with less but for it to make life better not worse.
The main reason that it is number 1 is though is because it has been, in a small way life-changing. Not only has it has actually made me tidier it has done something far more profound and that is for me to actually enjoy it. In the words of Paul Daniels "Now that's magic!"