Read in 2023

Read in 2023

1. The Big Midweek Steve Hanley, Olivia Piekarski Finished: Dec 28

   Easy read, and revealing perspective that gives a bigger picture of The Fall. Nice to get a sense of how there were more talented people that came together and made it happen, and that MES needed them as much as they him. Reticent as he is to talk about himself you get some glimpses of self refelction, but mainly told deadpan and all the better for it.

2. Periodic Tales Hugh Aldersey-Williams Finished: Dec 24

   Enjoyed it, but felt that it wasn't the best format - feltlike it could've been a series of distinct articles - found it hard to retain much by the end. Probably my fault for rushing.

3. The Forensic Records Society Magnus Mills Finished: Dec 3

   Lovely little allegory - clear enough even for me to get it, and nice details.Slightly ran out of steam.

4. Angry White Pyjamas Robert Twigger Finished: Nov 25

   Interesting journey and examination of his reasons for doing the training as well and interrogating others reasons. Nice pen portraits of all the people. Alos interesting ideas of the Japanese culture.'torture disguised as celebration'

5. 25 Years of VIZ William Cook Finished: Nov 23

   Writer was a bit too much of a fan, but interesting to see just how long they'd been at it before it got really big. Good variety of artwork and behind the scenes of the creation.

6. Madly,Deeply Alan Rickman Finished: Oct 21

   Took a while to understand that despite a seemingly endless succession of meals and names his obsession for the work came through, and he obviously really loved the work, and most of the things around it. Very much a shorthand style compared to the brief selection of angsty early diaries. Became more affecting has his mortality became more apparent, even though it wasn't mentioned. An insight to a type of self reflective diary - not necessarily one meant for publication.

7. Out Kirino Finished: Oct 1

   Very much liked the characters and kept me interested all the way through.

8. The Underground Railroad Colston Whitehead Finished: Sep 9

   Rattled through it - characters grabbed me to pay attention to the horrors of slavery, beyond the 'yeah slavery is bad' to the specifics and then laid bare via the different situations and chapters. All very good.

9. Grunt Mary Roach Finished: Aug 27

   Great fun. Really liked how she wrote it, Breezy and Informative, funny and curious.

10. Hellstrom's Hive Frank Herbert Finished: Aug 20

    Petered out slightly but enjoyed a bit of old school, sort of near future hard traditional SciFi

11. The Female Man Joanna Russ Finished: Aug 12

    Could only make sense of it by cribbing the wikipedia entry and wasn't worth the bother

12. Put me back on my bike William Fotheringham Finished: Aug 6

    Good on the context of the time ands eemed like e well rounding picture of the man.

13. Marabou Stork Nightmares Irvine Welsh Finished: Aug 1

    Funny and strange start. As it went on you wondered where it was all going, kind of knowing that it wouldn't end well, but I wasn't quite prepared with the sharp turn to nasty and brutal. Felt like an authentic ending.

14. Dead Famous Greg Jenner Finished: Jul 22

    Caught myself and got bored of the topic.

15. Pain Patrick Wall Finished: Jul 12

    Started interesting and then got more wooly and unfocused. Became quite dull.

16. Spoon Fed Tim Spector Finished: Jul 2

    One of those that could probably be a bit condensed - but interesting opinions about diet and nutrition, that we have to wait for the science to see how prescient they are.

17. Just Enough Research Erika Hall Finished: Jun 26

    Not really what I was after.

18. Black Box Thinking Matthew Syed Finished: Jun 19
19. Going to Sea in a Sieve Danny Baker Finished: Jun 7

    Fun - nicely written on how he ended up in and around music - especially froma working class background.

20. Ring for Jeeves Pelham G. Wodehouse Finished: Jun 4

    Enjoyable as always but no Wooster does leave a little whole. This all came together in the end satisfactorily, but not with the usual panache.

21. The Status Game Will Storr Finished: May 21

    Was keen to read this, as it's a fascinating subject. It's a useful lense to apply to how people behave. Great on the different types of status games, and how they happen in different proportions in a variety of situations.

22. Happy Now Charlie Higson Finished: Apr 3

    Mental - took some turns and then some more.

23. Touching from a distance Deborah Curtis Finished: Mar 26

    Honest perspective of a figure often mythologised due to his early death.

24. Lost at Sea Jon Ronson Finished: Mar 22

    Enjoyable variety.

25. A Nervous Breakdown Anton Chekhov Finished: Mar 14
26. A Visit from the Goon Squad Jennifer Egan Finished: Mar 9

    Wasn't sure how I'd get on with the shifting timelines and characters, sometimes hard to follow what's happening to who, but then it all seems to coalesce and the threads draw together. Especially liked the slide pages, which could have been gimmicky , but they worked and felt like an authentic voice.

27. Bedsit Disco Queen Tracey Thorn Finished: Feb 21

    Starting a trend for me of reading musicians biogs - enjoy how they discover music and are often incredibly surprised by their own success.

28. King of the Ants Charlie Higson Finished: Feb 13

    Pretty brutal.

29. Why We Sleep Matthew Walker Finished: Feb 4

    Interesting things in it, but spoiled somewhat by him overreaching on some things and cherry picking others.

30. Psmith, Journalist Pelham G. Wodehouse Finished: Jan 22

    Either you think the prose is charmingly and cleverly witty and amusing or you don't I do. Does show it's a age a little with the occasional phrase or word that pulls one up short, but japes ensue with much mirth.

31. Nutshell Ian McEwen Finished: Jan 2

    I imagine that the premise, whilst great, could've been handled badly and gone wrong. But it's really good. Lovely balance between ruminations and moving the plot along. Enjoyed.