Mar 1, 2009
Now Is Gone – Geoff Livingstone
There are a lot of books about social media appearing in the market at the moment. Some of them bring new ideas and revelations, while others simply rehash the same information. In both cases, however, the biggest problem with writing about the current internet phenomenon is it is moving and changing faster than the books can be written and published. As such, aside from a couple of seminal books on the... read more
Feb 26, 2009
The Code Book – Simon Singh
Did you know that there are still encrypted letters around from the 1800′s which no-one has been able to decipher yet? And did you know that the Enigma code was well on the way to being cracked even before the Second World War broke out? And were you aware that the encryption currently being used to send email is so strong that it appears to be unbreakable? If you know nothing at all about cyphers,... read more
Feb 26, 2009
A Fortunate Life – A.B. Facey
What does it take for us to think that we have a fortunate life? Is it measured by material things? An expensive car, a large house, plenty of overseas holidays? Perhaps it is more emotional for some people. Perhaps some people see themselves as fortunate if they have a happy marriage, or if their children do well at school, or if they have their family near to them. Maybe it is career driven – an... read more
Feb 25, 2009
The Loved One – Evelyn Waugh
The funeral business in Hollywood was cut throat in the early 1950s. Bigger, better, more glamorous – for a funeral home to really reach the pinnacle, it had to try and compete with Whispering Glades, which was truly the biggest, best and most glamorous funeral home in the whole of Hollywood. Dennis Barlow is an English rogue, trapped in the artificiality of expatriate Hollywood where he must keep... read more
Feb 23, 2009
The Uncommon Reader – Alan Bennett
This is a truly delightful, quintessentially British little book. It’s small size belies how fabulous it is. It is one of those little books which you should want to go back and read again and again. For anyone who loves books and knows, but can’t quite express, why they love reading so much, The Uncommon Reader should be a required text. The Queen, out chasing her Corgis one day, stumbles... read more
Feb 20, 2009
A Thousand Years of Good Prayers – YiYun Li
In 21st Century Britain, how much do we really know about what life is like in China? How much of our knowledge is framed by the media, rumour and ignorance. I hold my hand up – like most people, I know very little about modern China. I feel anger when I hear about censorship and human rights abuses. I feel confusion when I hear about poverty. But China feels like such an alien place that reading A... read more
Feb 17, 2009
London – Edward Rutherford
I have set myself a task this year (along with trying to complete 75 books) to finish all of the books that I have started at some stage in the past few years. In many cases, I don’t remember the story so I am going back and starting the book again. But my thought is, if I have started it, at least give it another try. London is one of those books. In fact, I believe I have started it a couple of... read more
Feb 10, 2009
I’m so Sloooowwww!
No, I am not slow at reading. On the contrary, I have already read 10 books in 2009, and I am heading comfortably towards my 75 book goal for the year. No, what I am slow on is writing my reviews up in my blog? What on earth has happened to me I wonder? I think there are several issues. Firstly, I have been super busy with work. Because I work with social media, it means I am at the computer all day, every... read more
Feb 3, 2009
The Portrait of Mrs Charbuque – Jeffrey Ford
Combine an unusual plot with a beautifully written book, and you are sure to have a winning combination. Jeffrey Ford managed to achieve that in The Portrait of Mrs Charbuque with only a few minor flaws. This was a book exploring madness and obsession, mystery and unhappiness, all put together in a nineteenth century setting that was completely believable and completely gorgeous. This is the story of an... read more
Jan 19, 2009
Kissing Games of the World – Sandi Kahn Shelton
In many cases, a good book isn’t compelling because of the plot. The quality of a book comes from far more than that. Of course, the plot is important, but Kissing Games of the World provides evidence that the plot can almost be incidental. When your characters are strong, and the journey from the beginning to the end of the book is undertaken with such care, you have the makings of a fantastic,... read more
