Here are the books completed in 2016

Click on the images for the summary of the books.  Please be aware these are primarily for me to remember the books and not a review.
THE WORLD ACCORDING TO BOB - JAMES BOWEN
  • Follow up to the wonderful "A Street Cat Named Bob"
  • A heartwarming, honest easygoing read
CONFESSIONS OF A CONJURER - DERREN BROWN
  • First wildcard audio book of the year
  • Lots of great insights into Britain's best magician  
LIFE ON THE EDGE - JIM AL KHALIHI & JOHNJOE MCFADDEN
  • First contender for Book of 2016.  Best Part of Ordinary medalist.
  • Makes a complicated subject exciting and accessible
DISSOLUTION - C.J. SANSOM
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THE NARROW ROAD TO THE DEEP NORTH - RICHARD FLANNIGAN
I THINK YOU'LL FIND IT'S A BIT MORE COMPLICATED..... - BEN GOLDACRE
  • First book in the Shardlake series which should be read in order.
  • Shardlake is a fantastic lead character for a historical murder mystery  
  • The Sunday Times quote sums it up.  It really is "Devastatingly Beautiful"
  • Asks complex questions on humanity both of itself and the reader and yet still a page turner
  • A compilation of newspaper articles written in The Guardian over the years
  • Some very interesting stuff but not the easiest listen in the car.  Glad it is finished. 
THE GAME OF OUR LIVES - DAVID GOLDBLATT 
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THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN - PAULA HAWKINS
AUTHENTIC HAPPINESS - MARTIN SELIGMAN, PH.D.
  • Takes its place among the best football books on my shelf
  • Reads like a football version of Paul Mason's Post Capitalism
  • Edgy, interesting page turning thriller worthy of the accolades
  • Never guessed the ending until the author wanted me too
  • Self Development at its finest and my most detailed summary to date
  • I think the world would be a better place if everyone read this book
IAN BOTHAM THE POWER AND THE GLORY - SIMON WILDE
TALKING ABOUT DETECTIVE FICTION - P.D. JAMES​​
THE SECRET - RHONDA BYRNE
  • Measured and unbiased account of the life of a true cricketing superstar
  • Botham is a larger than life character both on and off the cricket pitch
  • Short history of the detective novel from the celebrated author
  • Some fascinating insights but more suited to devotees of the genre
  • "You can have it all" self help book that took the world by storm in 2007
  • ​Ruined by almost cult like beliefs.  
THE ORGANIZED MIND - DANIEL J. LEVITIN
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HARD TIMES - CHARLES DICKENS
NIGHT GAMES - ANNA KRIEN
  • Crammed full of good stuff both technical and conversational
  • Part business, psychology, heuristics, self dev.  Lots of great facts and tips.  
  • The quality of Dickens story telling shines among the grime of Coketown
  • The spiral staircase metaphor to explain Louisa falling in love is WOW 
  • Award winning investigation into sport stars treatment of women
  • Gang rape and the sports clubs attitude and cover up truly shocking  
THE BRAIN THAT CHANGES ITSELF - NORMAN DOIDGE M.D
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THE HUMANS - MATT HAIG
ADVENTURES IN THE ANTHROPOCENE - GAIA VINCE
  • Interesting and informative book on how the brain works
  • Interesting advice on how to avoid Alzheimer's and recover from strokes 
  • Feel good page turning fiction which anyone can enjoy
  • I love curious books that asks the question "what would happen if...."
  • Round the world adventure looking at how humans have transformed the earth and how to repair the damage
  • Winner of the Royal Society Book Prize 2015
MOON OVER SOHO - BEN AARONOVITCH
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LIVING ON THE VOLCANO - 
A LIFE TOO SHORT - RONALD RENG
  • Second book in the Rivers of London series
  • Science Fiction at its most enjoyable. Cross between Harry Potter and Forth Bear 
  • Exploring what it's like to be football manager in the UK in the current era
  • Very few writers have the experience or trust within the game to do this justice
Deeply moving book about life and suicide of German goalkeeper Robert Enke aged 31

Gives a real insight into being a professional goalkeeper and the pressures of the job   

the silk roads - peter frankopan

so you've been publicly shamed - jon ronson

football manager stole my life - iain macintosh, kenny millar & neil white
  • This years Sapiens.  A masterclass journey through Civilisation
  • For such a detailed academic book it reads and flows beautifully.   
Witty but serious investigation into public shaming always looking at the human side

​Tries to see the subject from all perspectives which sacrifices some depth 
Some very funny stories about how addictive the game is to so many people

Read more like an extended magazine than a book which is not to my taste
LAMENTATION - C.J. SANSOM
THE UNIVERSE VERSUS ALEX WOODS - GAVIN EXTENCE  
ON THE MOVE - OLIVER SACHS
Sixth installment of the fantastic Shardlake series set at the end of Henry VIII's reign 

As always you get a real sense of life in Tudor England along with a page turning story
Enjoyable cross between Curious Incident, Wonder and  Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

Combines comedy and friendship with some deep human issues of our time.  Makes you think while you laugh 
Revealingly honest autobiography of neurobioligist and best selling author

A life born of expectation and wealth but lived with a tremendous compassion and humility.  Best Part of Ordinary medalist.
The 100 MOST POINTLESS ARGUMENTS... - ALEXANDER ARMSTRONG & RICHARD OSMAN 
THE VITAL ENERGY - NICK LANE
REASONS TO STAY ALIVE - MATT HAIG
  • Lighthearted book for summer holiday flights...Just the job
  • Loved comparing friends to cats and dogs.  Genuinly really funny at times
  • As close to a cutting edge science lab as I will probably ever get.  Brilliant.  
  • A challenging read into the very essence of life that is very rewarding
  • Best Part of Ordinary Gold, Silver and Bronze medallist!
  • Anyone touched by depression in any way should read this book
H IS FOR HAWK - HELEN MACDONALD
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  • Samuel Johnson Non Fiction Book of the Year 2014
  • Helen's tale of hawking under the backdrop of the death of her father is beautifully written with many little details woven in.  Humbly polished.
AND THE WEEK SUFFER WHAT THEY MUST? - ANIS VARAFOUKAS
  • The story of the financial crash and its devastating aftermath through the eyes of ex Greek Finance minister
  • A lesson in macro economics since 1945 from an enigmatic teache
THINGS FALL APART - CHINUA ACHEBE
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  • Penguin Modern Classic and first African novel I've read
  • Story is raw and real and all the better for it.  

DICTATOR - ROBERT HARRIS
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  • Final part of the Cicero trilogy from 63BC and his exile from Rome
  • Pompeii is still Robert Harris standout book regarding this era but considering the historical boundaries this is very good 

spqr - mary beard
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  • Nearly everything I could ever weant to know about ancient Rome
  • Complimented my previous book Dictator very well giving the historians guide to Cicero and Rome

the iowa baseball confederacy - w.p kinsella

  • My first read with the Goodreads Baseball book group and using the Kindle app which was OK
  • Reminded me of Field of Dreams.  Time traveling fiction with a baseball twist.  

A HISTORY OF THE WORLD IN 100 OBJECTS - NEIL MACGREGOR
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  • My bedtime companion for the last 6 months or so.  I will miss its calmness
  • A great book to keep on the shelf to browse through once in a while

knife edge - malorie blackman
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  • Hard hitting sequel to Noughts and Crosses.  
  • Cliff hanger ending means I am going to have to read book 3 next year