The Sandman: Season of Mists, Neil Gaiman - May 2008
The Sandman: Dream Country, Neil Gaiman - May 2008
America Unchained, Dave Gorman - May 2008
The Paradise Trail, Duncan Campbell - Apr 2008
The Sandman: Doll's House, Neil Gaiman - Apr 2008
The Sandman: Preludes and Nocturnes, Neil Gaiman - Apr 2008
The Princess Bride, William Goldman - Apr 2008
Matter, Ian M. Banks - Mar 2008
Friday Night Lights, HG Bissinger - Feb 2008
Mrs. Dalloway, Virginia Woolf - Jan 2008
Long Way Down, Ewan McGregor & Charley Boorman - Jan 2008
My Manchester United Years, Bobby Charlton - Jan 2008
Red Mars, Kim Stanley Robinson - Jan 2008
The Uncommon Reader, Alan Bennett - Jan 2008
Dude, Where's My Country?, Michael Moore - Nov 2007
Shakespeare: The World as a Stage (Eminent Lives), Bill Bryson - Nov 2007
Ultimate Spider-Man Volume 1: Power and Responsibility, Bill Jemas - Oct 2007
Making Money, Terry Pratchett - Oct 2007
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid, Bill Bryson - Sep 2007
The Longest Crawl, Ian Marchant - Aug 2007
Parallel Lines, Ian Marchant - Jul 2007
A Bryson for our times. Nicely written, fun to read railway history/travelogue.
I Predict A Riot, Bateman - Jul 2007
Easy to read when you're dealing with a newborn. Him in one hand and an easy-to-follow plot in the other.
Asterix and the Olympic Games, René Goscinny, Albert Uderzo - OJul 2007
The Devil in Amber, Mark Gatiss - Jul 2007
Good fun but not as good as the Vesuvias Club.
Interview with the Vampire, Anne Rice - Jun 2007
Hmmm? Bit crappy really
Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad - May 2007
In Cold Blood, Truman Capote - May 2007
A really fantastic book. Recommended.
Bartleby the Scrivener, Herman Melville - Apr 2007
Remind you of anyone?
The Sign of Four, Conan Doyle - Apr 2007
A Study in Scarlet, Conan Doyle - Apr 2007
Bleeding Hearts, Ian Rankin - Mar 2007
Witch Hunt, Ian Rankin - Mar 2007
The God Delusion, Richard Dawkins - Jan 2007
The Naming of the Dead, Ian Rankin - Jan 2007
Rebus is back but appears to be on his way out. As good as you'd expect - I enjoyed it!
Put Me Back On My Bike, William Fotheringham - Dec 2006
Really good book.
Race to Dakar, Charley Boorman - Dec 2006
As gripping as these books ever are (you really do have to be there most of the time), but not bad for all that.
The Gun Seller, Hugh Laurie - Dec 2006
Good and easy to read. Some of the sentences made me smile because they had Laurie written all over them.
Have I Got News for You, Ged Parsons - Dec 2006
Not terribly good.
The Return of Reginald Perrin, David Nobbs - Dec 2006
Escaped cheetah at Chessington North.
The Fall & Rise of Reginald Perrin, David Nobbs - Nov 2006
Defective bogey at Earlsfield.
Slow Man, J.M.Coetzee - Oct 2006
Very depressing.
The First Casualty, Ben Elton - Oct 2006
Sadly I alway quite like Ben Elton's books. Not really high-brow literature but easy to read and usually quite a good story. This one is worth a go.
The Truth (with Jokes), Al Franken - Oct 2006
If it's all true then (jokes or no) it's absolutely shocking. Read it.
The Hanging Garden, Ian Rankin - Oct 2006
Rebus, etc.
Lies (and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them), Al Franken - Sep 2006
Easy to read with a few eye-opening moments. Recommended.
Watchman, Ian Rankin - Sep 2006
Yes Man, Danny Wallace - Sep 2006
Raw Spirit, Iain Banks - Aug 2006
I didn't think I liked whisky, then a read this enjoyable book and bought a bottle of Macallan. I don't like whisky.
Open Secret, Stella Rimington - Aug 2006
I Am Charlotte Simmons, Tom Wolfe - Jul 2006
JPod, Douglas Coupland - Jul 2006
Good Coupland stuff.
The Complete Robot, Isaac Asimov - Jun 2006
Fantastic vintage Sci Fi. Read it.
Angels & Demons, Dan Brown - Jun 2006
Blimey, haven't finished a book for ages. Did this in 3 days. Very easy to read. Not very good.
Jupiter's Travels, Ted Simon - Apr 2006
Round the world on a motorbike. Inspirational.
By The Sword, Richard Cohen - Mar 2006
Neverwhere, Neil Gaiman - Mar 2006
Set in Darkness, Ian Rankin - Mar 2006
Freakonomics, Steven Levitt & Stephen Dubner - Mar 2006
An interesting look at life from an Economists point of view. Easy to read but perhaps not quite "fascinating".
Pattern Recognition, William Gibson - Mar 2006
Beggars Banquet, Ian Rankin - Feb 2006
Lots of short stories, including a few featuring Inspector Rebus. Not really a fan of short stories but some of these are quite good and Rankin makes some interesting pro-short story points in the introduction. Perhaps its time for a break from Rebus?
Tooth & Nail, Ian Rankin - Feb 2006
Hide & Seek, Ian Rankin - Feb 2006
The Search (Google), John Batelle - Jan 2006
Knots & Crosses, Ian Rankin - Jan 2006
Past Mortem, Ben Elton - Jan 2006
The Oxford Murders, Guillermo Martinez - Jan 2006
Beyond Black, Hilary Mantel - Jan 2006
Mind Over Water, Craig Lambert - Jan 2006
Talk to the Hand, Lynne Truss - Dec 2005
The March, E.L.Doctorow - Dec 2005
One of the Economist's books of the year. The story of Sherman's March through the South from various points of view. Very good.
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Volume II, Alan Moore & Kevin O'Neill - Nov 2005
Good art and story but still a comic!
Fleshmarket Close, Ian Rankin - Oct 2005
I thought I'd read a Rankin book before but a quick search of this page says no. Easy to read, hits all the right spots. Recommended.
Wolves Eat Dogs, Martin Cruz Smith - Oct 2005
Arkady's back and playing with, erm, Cesium. All good, thrilling stuff.
Asterix and the Great Crossing, René Goscinny, Albert Uderzo - Oct 2005
Asterix in Belgium, René Goscinny, Albert Uderzo - Oct 2005
Asterix and the Goths, René Goscinny, Albert Uderzo - Oct 2005
Slightly oddly ended up talking about Asterix over the Rhine Marathon weekend so I thought I'd revisit these three. Enough to make you smile still, but perhaps best remembered rather than re-read when you're thirty six.
The Call of the Wierd, Louis Theroux - Oct 2005
Louis re-visits the people he met in his Wierd Weekends series. Probably only of interest of you saw the TV programmes. If you did it's worth a read but perhaps wait for the paperback.
Thud!, Terry Pratchett - Oct 2005
As with all new Pratchetts reads this in under 48 hours. Am I taking it all in? Anyway much the same, but anything featuring Sam Vimes will always make you smile.
American Gods, Neil Gaiman - Sep 2005
Author of the Sandman comics and in the news at the moment because of the film MirrorMask. This book won the 2002 Hugo award. Sadly I started it prior to a 3-week holiday and didn't complete it until after (read as an e-book and wasn't taking my Palm to Vietnam) so felt a bit disjointed. Good read.
Good Omens, Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman - Sep 2005
Typical Pratchett and I happen to be reading Gaiman's American Gods at the same time. Published in 1990 and the one stand-out thing is the use of the "haircut/shorter hair" gag in both this AND American Gods some 14 years later!
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, Susanna Clarke - Sep 2005
This year's Hugo winner and a bestseller so I thought I'd give it a go. At just over 1,000 pages quite a handful. Really enjoyed it, recommended.
Leviathan, Paul Auster - Aug 2005
Read this a month ago so a bit hazy now. Auster writes good stuff, so give it a go.
The Sword of Shannara, Terry Brooks - Aug 2005
Goblins, trolls, elves, etc. You get the idea. Slumped a bit in the middle but picked up at the end. Worth a look if you like this sort of thing.
December 6 A Novel, Martin Cruz Smith - Aug 2005
Really good novel about an American growing up in Tokyo just prior to the attack an Pearl Harbour. Recommended.
The Rider, Tim Krabbe - Aug 2005
Very short, very easy to read, almost a novella. Describes a race from start to finish in km-by-kn detail. Good.
Darwin's Radio, Greg Bear - Jul 2005
For some reason I thought this was going to be more (erm) intellectual than it turned out to be. Not bad for all that but perhaps not a first choice.
21 Dog Years (Doing Time @ Amazon.com), Mike Daisey - Jul 2005
Another e-book. Quick and easy to read with a few laugh-out-loud moments. Recommended for geeks out there.
Lance Armstrong's War, Daniel Coyle - Jul 2005
Following the man round in the season he won his 6th Tour. My first book purchased from ereader.com and read on my Palm. Slightly bizarre experience but the fact that it was an easy book to read made for a good first go. Slightly daunted by the 1,603 pages, but when each is the size of a Palm screen you can rattle through a couple of hundred in no time.
The Twenty-Seventh City, Jonathan Franzen - Mar 2005
An Indian police chief in St. Louis. Recommended.
The Perfect Distance (Ovett & Coe), Pat Butcher - Jan 2005
Growing up watching these races all you really knew was what you saw on Grandstand. There was a lot more going on. A good read.
Hey Nostradamus, Douglas Coupland - Jan 2005
Another good Coupland book - the story of a high school shooting from several points of view. One of his best.
French Revolutions, Tim Moore - Jan 2005
Very funny if you have either cycled a long way or like the Tour. Just the sort of thing I should have done!
A Lifetime in a Race, Matthew Pinsent - Jan 2005
Had to be read and was enjoyable as you'd expect if you're into rowing.
The Algebraist, Iain M Banks - Dec 2004
Iain Banks lastest SciFi offering started very slowly (and didn't benefit from me only reading about 10 pages a week) but once I'd commited to getting it done so I could start the Xmas books it became a bit of a page-turner. It's not his best but worth a look as it isn't Culture based.
The Vesuvias Club, Mark Gatiss - Nov 2004
Part Flashman, part Drummond, part Biggles. A historical boys own story written in a modern style. Good to read with a few small shocks.
Hackers, Stephen Levy - Nov 2004
The history of hackers - not computer wreckers but the guys who built computers and the industry as we know it today. Very good.
Wilt in Nowhere, Tom Sharpe - Oct 2004
Not fantastic.
The Watchmen, Alan Moore/Dave Gibbons - Oct 2004
Apparently THE classic graphic novel. Took a while to get into and perhaps a bit too clever for its own good in places, but not bad.
Weaving The Web, Tim Berners-Lee - Oct 2004
Thoughts on the t'internet by the creator of the world wide web. Interesting.
It's Not About The Bike, Lance Armstrong - Sep 2004
Amazing story of a complete lunatic.
How To Do The Times Crossword, Brian Greer - Sep 2004
Still can't do The Times crossword!
Going Postal, Terry Pratchett - Sep 2004
The best Pratchett book for a while.
The Cathedral & The Bazaar, Eric S Raymond - Sep 2004
ESR's musings on Linux and the open source movement. Some of the essays are very interesting and some are hard work but you probably have to like this sort of thing.
The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown - Aug 2004
I'm not sure what all the fuss is about.
Four Men in a Boat, Tim Foster - Aug 2004
Off to watch the rowing in Athens so a right rivetting read. Ghost written.
The Black Tulip, Alexandre Dumas - Aug 2004
Fantastic. I love all the Dumas books.
Octopussy/The Living Daylights, Ian Fleming - July 2004
The last of the Ian Fleming penned Bond books. Some were better than most but all were easy to read and fun. Recommended.
The Man With The Golden Gun, Ian Fleming - July 2004
You Only Live Twice, Ian Fleming - July 2004
On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Ian Fleming - June 2004
The Spy Who Loved Me, Ian Fleming - June 2004
Thunderball, Ian Fleming - June 2004
For Your Eyes Only, Ian Fleming - June 2004
Goldfinger, Ian Fleming - June 2004
The Music of Chance, Paul Auster - May 2004
Writing this review in January 2005 so all I can remember is that I "did like it".
Kitchen Confidential, Anthony Bourdain - May 2004
Sitting in Starbucks an enthusiastic reader bustled up to me to tell me that "Cook's Tour" is even better. This was pretty good too.
Turbulent Priests, Colin Bateman - April 2004
Good old Colin. Haven't read one for a while. On a course near Heathrow and this helped me through a torturous three-train commute for a week (well couple of days).
The Consolations of Philosophy, Alain de Botton - April 2004
This'll make you feel much better if "all" you have is a hut and a few friends. If you buy HP550s and sell them two weeks later then it may not be for you.
Essays on Love, Alain de Botton - April 2004
Being told that the ending was sad half way through made me believe the worst. It wasn't. Interesting book mapping a fictional relationship from start to finish with a philosophical bent.
The Amateurs, David Halberstam - April 2004
Only really to be recommended to slightly odd sculling types. If you are one of those then this is a really great read, with tears at the end if you're a Tiff fan.
Doctor No, Ian Fleming - March 2004
Read it in 2 days.
From Russia With Love, Ian Fleming - March 2004
Read it in 2 days.
Notes on a Scandal, Zoe Heller - April 2004
Enjoyed Heller's column in the Times (or was it the Observer) both from London and NYC. A reasonably enjoyable book, but a bit more for the ladies.
The Cuckoo's Egg, Cliff Stoll - April 2004
Fantastic factual account of the trailing of a hacker from a minor accounting mismatch to a spy ring in Germany. You don't have to know about Emacs, telnet or uucp but it might help. Very good.
Diamonds are Forever, Ian Fleming - March 2004
Amazon really are doing very well out of my little Bond-fest at the moment. Number 4 and they're still fun.
Moonraker, Ian Fleming - March 2004
Number 3. Hugo Drax. Big rocket. Fill your boots.
The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agancy, Alexander McCall Smith - March 2004
It's a best seller, it's also a bit crap.
Deadkidsong, Toby Litt - February 2004
Family life as seen from the perspective of four boys who are Gang. Very good.
Disgrace, J.M Coetzee - February 2004
A slightly depressing author (is that fair). I'm writing this a couple of months down the line and seem to remember preferring Disgrace more.
Live and Let Die, Ian Fleming - February 2004
Oh dear I appear to be going through them chronologically. Again, very good.
Red Rabbit, Tom Clancy - February 2004
Dear ols Tom. Same old story. Quite good fun.
Eats, Shoots & Leaves, Lynne Truss - January 2004
This year's must-have Xmas book. For all the pedants out there (and here too unfortunately). I shall never put a comma after an and again!
Casino Royale, Ian Fleming - January 2004
So I've managed to avoid them this far but it came up 2nd hand on Amazon for a couple of quid so I bought it. Not quite the Bond you see in the films and not quite the ending you see in the films either. Really quite good.
Underground, Haruki Murakami - October 2003
The Aum cult's poison gas attack on the Tokyo subway system told through interviews of those who were there.
Girl with a Pearl Earring, Tracy Chevalier - October 2003
Enjoyable story, but is it for children?
A Short History of Nearly Everything, Bill Bryson - September 2003
Easy to read with immediately interesting and immediately forgotten facts on, well nearly everything. A good chapter book before bedtime!
Youth, J.M Coetzee - September 2003
Mixed reaction. Very good, but very depressing. It might be easier to just slit your wrists now.
The Art of Travel, Alain de Botton - September 2003
Poncy philosopher with nice photos of clouds. Makes you think while you're travelling, but be warned that you may never go away again.
Dead Air, Iain Banks - September 2003
Banks continues the downward spiral started with The Business. Read all his Sci Fi and everything else up to Crow Road. Then stop.
The Sum of All Fears, Tom Clancy - September 2003
One thousand and 50 pages of easy holiday twat. I think I now have all the skills required to make a nucleoid device.
Who Moved My Cheese, Spencer Johnson - August 2003
"One of the most successfull business books ever". "An amazing way to deal with change in your work and in your life". If I were you I'd go down to Neil's Yard, buy a nice cheddar and have it on water biscuits with tea - though not just before going to bed.
A Month in the Country, JL Carr - July 2003
Like "Perfume" this was a present from a friend who had enjoyed it. Like "Perfume" it was one of the loveliest books I've ever read. At only 80 pages you'd be daft not to give it a try.
Spies, Michael Frayn - June 2003
Children mistaking a parent for a German spy in war-time Britain and the problems that ensue. Picked up randomly from the Top Ten books in Smiths at Waterloo. Good choice.
The Horse with My Name, Colin Bateman - May 2003
Note to self - Colin Bateman is not Christpher Brookmyre even if the covers look similar. Never make this mistake yourself.
An American Dream, Norman Mailer - April 2003
I heard a book programme on Radio 4 the other week where it was stated that Mailer was one of the most overrated writers of the 21st century. I've read a few of his books and have enjoyed every one. This is very good. Easy to read but with enough weight to make you think a bit too.
The Corrections, Jonathan Frenzen - March 2003
What a lovely book. Picked it up at Books Etc in Canary Wharf on the way to a meeting at our Docklands building when I had 20 minutes to kill. I'm not sure why I chose it, but I think that I half-remembered reading a review in either The Observer or Time Out. Either way it was a very good read. The story of a disfunctional Mid-West American family coming together for a final Xmas before the dementia suffering father dies. I think it's worth ploughing through all 653 pages just for the final line, which has really stuck with me.
Stupid White Men, Michael Moore - February 2003
Borrowed from a friend (unheard of really) I still can't decide if this was very good or very bad. It was certainly inflamatory and the last section regarding bin Laden and the US certainly gave pause for thought. Try reading it in the background as you listen to next year's State of the Union.
The Summons, John Grisham - February 2003
Easy to read page-turner. Don't bother.
The Political Animal, Jeremy Paxman - January 2003
Another easy to read factlet from Mr. Paxman. Interesting as it goes along but you won't remember any of it when you're done. I think I preferred The English, but who cares.
Life of Pi, Yann Martel - December 2002
Winner of the Booker prize 2002 which (IMHO) isn't normally a good indicator, but this really is a lovely book. How to survive with a 450lb Bengal tiger in a lifeboat at sea. Read it in 2 days flat.
Dorian, Will Self - December 2002
I think he's done better and it is hard work at first, but the pace picks up in the second half and saves it (just about). Don't let it be your first WS book.
The Truth, Terry Pratchett - December 2002
More Discworld fun. Same characters, same jokes, same difference. I liked it.
The Amber Spyglass, Philip Pullman - November 2002
Probably the weakest of the three, but then I may not really be the target market.
The Sacred Art of Stealing, Christpher Brookmyre - October
2002
After you've forgiven Brookmyre for naming his heroine
Angelique de Xavia and remembered that reading should be fun and stuff then I'd
just go for it. Angelique de Xavier, come on?
Lullaby, Chuck Palahniuk - October 2002
Right, well, yes.
Firstly read fight club. Then read Coupland. At least he has tight panties.
Rainbow Six, Tom Clancy - October 2002
Well I had never
read a "Tom Clancy" before, and this one cost me the equivalent of 30GBP in
Buenos Aires (thank God for the exchange rate) so I was going to get through it
if it killed me. Actually quite fun. I now know all about the Special Forces, so
if ever I decide to become a terrorist I shall beware of flash-bangs lest I be
double-tapped. Apparently Red Storm Rising is his best - I may never find out.
Cradle and All, James Patterson - September 2002
355
pages and 112 chapters of utter tosh.
Ratking, Michael Dibden - September 2002
My first Aurelio
Zen mystery. Not bad for Copacobana beach.
On Green Dolphin Street, Sebastian Faulkes - September
2002
Ooh, a bit of a tear-jerker. Read it.
Atonement, Ian McEwan - September 2002
Another lovely
McEwan book. Read it.
Subtle Knife, Philip Pullman - August 2002
Am slowly
doing the trilogy, with only the Amber Spyglass to go. Another easy to read
tale. Enjoyable, but did feel like the filling in the middle.
Choke, Jack Palahniuk - August 2002
Fast paced
sexaholics. Fight Club was better.
Dead Famous, Ben Elton - August 2002
Good old Ben. He may
be part of the establishment these days but he does write good, fast-paced
"tube" books.
Northern Lights, Philip Pullman - August 2002
It's for
children apparently, but I had no idea until about 3/4 of the way through. Gives
Potter a run for his money.
The Fourth Hand, John Irving - July 2002
Blimey, I
haven't finished a book for nearly 6 months. I can only blame John Adams.
Anyway, back on the wagon now - bookwise at least. Very easy-to-read Irving was
just the tonic I needed. What happens when a hand-transplant doner's widow wants
visitation rights with the hand? Read this and enjoy finding out.
Boswell's Presumptuous Task, Adam Sisman - February
2002
Aborted.
Pigeon, Patrick Suskind - February 2002
Very short. Very
sharp. Very good.
McCarthy's Bar, Pete McCarthy - January 2002
Brain candy.
Laughed out loud a few times. Good in patches.
Perfume, Patrick Suskind - January 2002
Christmas present
that I probably would never have bought myself (which is good) and I enjoyed it
very much (which is better).
Flying Under Bridges, Sandi Toksvig - December 2001
On
the bestsellers list for a long time so gave it a go and enjoyed it, but am
writing this review on the 18th February and I can't, for the life of me
remember what it's about. Maybe that's a good sign?
The Stars' Tennis Balls, Stephen Fry - December 2001
Easy
and fun to read, but you must read Dumas first for pity's sake.
The Wrong Boy, Willy Russell - October 2001
Lovely book.
All Families are Psychotic, Douglas Coupland - October
2001
Typical Coupland. Cool.
Roads, Larry McMurtry - September 2001
How much fun can
you have driving round America without ever really leaving the highway? I would
have thought not a lot, but Larry proves me wrong. Made even more special
because I've been along nearly all the roads - I defy anyone to read this book
and not want to go out for a Mexican. Pity that there aren't any decent ones in
London. Read it and then book your fly-drive.
Thinks..., David Lodge - August 2001
Finished in two days
flat, so back on course. Good David Lodge stuff. A shame that Robyn Penrose's
appearance wasn't pursued a little more.
Battle Cry of Freedom (The American Civil War), James McPherson -
August 2001
Hoo-bloody-ray. I have finally finished this 1,000 page
epic. Bit of a war of attrition, really, and I'm not too sure who won. Anyway,
it was worth reading, and I can only blame my tardiness on the lack of a commute
from which I am currently suffering. Onto some fluff for a while, I think.
Jimmy Corrigan - The Smartest Kid on Earth, FC Ware - June
2001
Fabulous. Fabulous. Fabulous. Read it. Read it. Read it.
How to be Good, Nick Hornby - June 2001
Very poignant.
Read it.
Anita and Me, Meera Syal - May 2001
Growing up in a Black
Country village in the 60's. A few belly-laughs and not a bad read at all.
Shooting Sean, Colin Bateman - May 2001
I always think
that I didn't enjoy Divorcing Jack, and because of this I have never read any
other Bateman Books. Bought this at Waterloo WHSmith whilst under time pressure
to get a train and then read it in two days flat. So maybe I did enjoy Jack and
I should read some of his others. All of which begs the question - what didn't I
enjoy?
Thief of Time, Terry Pratchett - May 2001
I'm so sad that
I now buy TP's new books in hardback shortly after they come out (although
Waterstones was doing an offer). It never takes me more than a day to read them,
and I always enjoy them. I think it must be the Computer Scientist in me.
Girlfriend in a Coma, Douglas Coupland - May
2001
Coupland's cool. Bit weird at the end.
1066 and All That, Sellar/Yeatman - May 2001
In his
introduction, Frank Muir describes this book as one of the three all time
classics of British comedy writing. The other two are Diary of a Nobody and
Three Men in a Boat. I'd read the other two first if I were you.
Elizabeth, David Starkey - April 2001
A treatment of
Elizabeth the First's early years. Started off very well but tailed off a little
as major events in later years were swept over in a couple of sentences.
Readable - so worth a look.
Letters from London, Julian Barnes - April 2001
Barnes
worked as the UK columnist for New Yorker magazine in the early 90's. This book
is a collection of his best articles. Worth a look.
Look to Windward, Ian M Banks - April 2001
Another great
Culture novel from Ian Banks (wearing his SciFi hat). A bit slow to get into but
once it got going it was excellent. Player of Games is still the best.
Touching the Void, Joe Simpson - March 2001
The story of
a disasterous climb. Good.
London: The Biography, Peter Ackroyd - March 2000
Quite a
book. Apparently Ackroyd had a heart attack shortly after writing it. A history
of London written not chronologically, but thematically. Magnificent (if
somewhat daunting).
84 Charing Cross Road, Helene Hanff - March 2001
Lovely
book. Very short and very moving.
ORACLE8i Backup & Recovery Handbook, Velpuri/Adkoli - March
2001
Clear and well written. The case studies chapter should prove
most useful. Keep it in your desk and forget about it - until you (hopefully
never) need it.
Posh and Becks, Andrew Morten - January 2001
Bad, really really bad, but not quite so bad that it was actually good.
The Truth, Terry Pratchett - January 2001
More of the same from Terry P. Easy to read and enjoy. Recommended.
The Night Listener, Armistead Maupin - January 2001
Maupin back on lovely form with the intelligent story of a radio author and his terminally ill fan. Read it in 3 days without any trouble at all. Any and all of his books are great.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, JK Rowling - January 2001
Another excellent Harry Potter book. Much longer than the others and with a slightly more grown-up feel (well Harry is in the 4th year now). Issues of death and loss towards the end, and early tinglings of love too. Still a great page-turner, whether young or old. Roll on number 5.
Microserfs, Douglas Coupland - December 2000
Excellent. My panties are tight!
Miss Wyoming, Douglas Coupland - December 2000
Very good. Will start a bit of a Coupland-fest for my next few books. All very Zeitgeisty!
Big Brother (The Official Unseen Story), Jean Ritchie - November 2000
Calling it the "unseen story" is a bit misleading. It's basically the highlights of the series converted to text (and let's face it - a picture is worth a thousand words - so why bother). More pop-psychobabble would have added more value, but if you watched much of the show then it probably isn't worth the bother.
The Fifth Elephant. Terry Pratchett - November 2000
Terry's back in paperback. A tried and tested formula which makes you think "haven't I read this already" whilst still gripping you to the end of the book. As the pace of the action increases so does your reading speed. Bizarre.
Rowing Against the Current, Barry Strauss - October 2000
Zen and the art of rowing. Interesting.
Nathaniel's Nutmeg, Giles Milton - September 2000
Easy to read pop-history of the spice trade. Good.
High Performance Rowing, John McArthur - September 2000
Very good - if you like this kind of thing.
Where Wizards Stay Up Late, Hafner/Lyon - August 2000
Good read if you like nuts and bolts kind of stuff.
The Nudist on the Late Shift, Po Bronson - August 2000
A very long Wired article. Somewhere between OK and good.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, JK Rowling - August 2000
Did this one in just 2 days. Very good.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, JK Rowling - August 2000
Good fun. Easy to read. Finished it in 2.5 days. You feel a bit a bit of a nerd reading a "childrens" book in public - but you just can't help getting caught up in the whole magic of the thing.
Down Under, Bill Bryson - August 2000
Better, Bill, better.
The Code Book, Simon Singh - August 2000
Just as good as his "Fermat's Last Theorum". A good introduction to the history and mathematics of codes and ciphers. Well written and easy to read.
The Museum Guard, Howard Norman - July 2000
Proulx meets Gutterson. Very Booker Prize. Not bad either.
The Man in the High Castle, Philip K Dick - July 2000
Germany and Japan won the war and divided the USA - everything east of the Rockies belongs to the Germans - everything west, to the Japanese. One to make you think.
Cybill Disobedience, Cybill Shepherd - July 2000
I bought this because, well (a) I used to fancy her when she was in Moonlighting and I was in college, and (b) I thought that she wrote it all on her lonesome. By the same token I'll probably (a) buy Plain Jane Superbrain's biography when that comes out, and (b) discover she didn't. Again - not great.
Inversions, Ian M Banks - June 2000
Excellent. Restored my faith in Ian (M) Banks. Well written, easy to read, and a good ending. Get over your SF/Fantasy hangups and buy it for the tube.
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (Blade Runner), Philip K Dick - June 2000
Good book. See the film, read the book, see the film, read the book. The film may be better - but that probably has more to do with Darryl Hannah's bottom than anything else. I'm told that Mr Dick has written better books. If so he might be worth searching out (if you can handle the whole SF thing).
Oracle8i Internal Services, Steve Adams - June 2000
Not for the feint-hearted.
Oracle8i Tips and Techniques, Scherer/Gaynor/Valentinsen/Cursetjee - June 2000
OK.
The Business, Iain Banks - June 2000
Another bit of a disappointment. Very superficial, almost read like a teens novel. Try The Wasp Factory or Complicity before this one. If you like SF try Player of Games.
Havana Bay, Martin Cruz Smith - June 2000
OK. Prefer Arkady on home soil.
Inconceivable, Ben Elton - June 2000
Not one of Ben's best. Try the older stuff like Gridlock or This Other Eden for a better read.
Hannibal, Thomas Harris - May 2000
Waterstone's in Ludgate Circus really went to town pushing this book, but my favourite Harris book remains Red Dragon, and to be honest this is probably my least favourite. OK tube book but falls short of all the hype.
On the Town with the League of Gentlemen, BBC Radio Collection (audio) - May 2000
Fantastic BBC radio comedy. It you like Python or Partridge then this is a must.
Through Blood & Fire at Gettysburg, General Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain - May 2000
Very short text written by Chamberlain. Describing his march to Gettysburg and his successfull defence of Little Round Top on the second day of the battle. For American Civil War anoraks only.
A Traveller's History of London, Richard Tames - May 2000
Very easy to read. Bitesize chunks of history without a great deal of depth, which sounds like a criticism but shouldn't do at all. A good overview for anyone who wants the "complete" history of London from Londinium to the Dome. Helps you to decide what you like before investigating further.
Surviving in Stroke City, Gerry Anderson - May 2000
Not great.
The Life of Samuel Johnson, James Boswell - May 2000
"Why, Sir, you find no man, at all intellectual, who is willing to leave London. No, Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford." and (around 1776) "I am willing to love all mankind, except an American." The biography of the rotund, xenophobic genius as written by his sex-obsessed best-friend. Very hard to get into, but very rewarding if you persevere.
The Motley Fool UK Investment Guide, David Berger - May 2000
We are (were) in the process of buying a house as I read this book. What a difference a little knowledge makes. I actually began looking forward to meeting Independent Financial Advisors (salespeople) because I enjoyed Foolishly cutting through their crap. It's incredibly empowering to know what you want and (amazingly, for me anyway) why you might want it, before you speak to them. A must-read for anyone who wants to invest Foolishly in anything.
The English, Jeremy Paxman - April 2000
Information overload, but fun - particularly if you are English.
Cold Mountain, Charles Frazier - April 2000
Wounded Confederate soldier walks home to his pre-war love. A little hard to get into.
American Walks in London, Richard Tames - April 2000
A must for all US visitors, ten walks through the heart of London, with an American bent.
Sherman's March, Burke Davis - March 2000
Sherman's devastating
march through the heart of the Confederacy, from Atlanta to his glorious return
to Washington DC, very readable.
Grey Fox, Burke Davis - March 2000
Robert E Lee during the American Civil War, fact written as fiction, very readable.