Currently Browsing: Books read
Jul 21, 2008
Jack and Jill – James Patterson
I started writing this review more than three weeks ago and then stopped. I am not sure why, although I do put it, and my reading hiatus, down to a change in routine for me. The problem with coming back to finish a review is the book isn’t nearly as fresh in my mind. Therein lies a lesson, and one which I have constantly considered and never undertaken – take notes when you read so that the... read more
Jun 19, 2008
The Righteous Men – Sam Bourne
Not long after Dan Brown skyrocketed to success with The Da Vinci Code, there arose a plethora of “Da Vinci Code clones”. You can always tell them because the reviewers comments on the front or back cover usually say something like “a rival to Dan Brown” which suggests that the book is going to involved some kind of ancient religious tradition and a page turning thriller. The... read more
Jun 12, 2008
The Gone-Away World – Nick Harkaway
I was sent a proof copy of this book to review several weeks back, prior to its general release. When I was contacted I received a couple of paragraphs to whet my appetite. Without knowing what to expect, or what kind of book it was going to be, I allowed myself to be sold by the paragraphs – there was something within the intelligent turns of phrase that made me want to read more. The book arrived and... read more
May 27, 2008
In Cold Blood – Truman Capote
It is said that In Cold Blood is the first and finest of the genre of true crime novels, and if it was first, I don’t know, but it was certainly fine. It told the story of the horrific murder of the Clutter family in 1959 by two ex-cons, Perry Smith and Dick Hickock. One night, the two entered the Clutter house and shot Herb, his wife Bonnie and his two children, Nancy and Kenyon, with a view to... read more
May 15, 2008
Quirkology: The Curious Science of Everyday Lives – Richard Wiseman
Have you ever wondered whether a black cat crossing your path really brings you bad luck? How about what the funniest joke in the world is? Are you really connected to Sir Richard Branson by just six degrees? And how can you tell whether someone is actually lying? Richard Wiseman seems to spend his life cogitating over these kinds of questions, but unlike all the rest of us, he then decides he is going to... read more
Apr 23, 2008
Child 44 – Tom Rob Smith
Child 44 is Tom Rob Smith’s first novel, and it is an incredible way to launch one’s career as a suspense writer. Set in the Soviet Union in the 1950s and connected with real events, the book is intensely disturbing and totally gripping at the same time. What struck me most was how terrible the life was for every citizen of the Soviet Union under Stalin. It was like a different world and it... read more
Apr 19, 2008
Three Men in a Boat – Jerome K. Jerome
Victorian humour? Is it possible? I certainly wasn’t expecting it, but Jerome K. Jerome proved in Three Men in a Boat that it was indeed possible. Despite my normal aversion to ‘funny books’ (in particular modern funny books) there were moments I actually laughed out loud whilst reading this book. It was ‘Murphy’s Law’ in prose, with delightful observations on the world... read more
Apr 19, 2008
A Short History of Nearly Everything – Bill Bryson
Quite often, the books I read will make me wish I could live more than one lifetime in order to pursue all of the different careers which spark my interest. A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson was one of those book. The difference with this book is that rather than an alternative career path, this one found me wishing I could pursue 10 or 15 other career paths because they all sounded so... read more
