Read in 2024

What Money Can’t Buy Michael J Sandel
Read : Jan 7
Succinctly written and thought provoking on how the application of markets, changes the nature of the thing being allocated via that mechanism. Especially like the way he puncturing the idea that altruism is some kind of limited resource and so should be preserved - a handy excuse to be selfish. Examples - stadium naming rights, life insurance, blood donations. Also how fines can become fees and how that ends up distorting behavior. Useful thing to remember the reason people often feel queasy was referring to either fairness or corruption (of norms) in the mechanism and how that panned out.
The Rudiments of Music William Lovelock
Abandoned : Jan 23
A Confederacy of Dunces John Kennedy Toole
Read : Feb 4
Great. Bonkers characters all brought together expertly and satisfyingly.
Thank You for the Days Mark Radcliffe
Read : Feb 6
Likeable and light collection of anecdotes crafted into a book.
I Am the Law Michael Molcher
Read : Mar 3
Very thorough breakdown on Dredd in relation to Law and Order policies, and at times a very dense political book. Just about pulls it back to be more accessible and stays the right side of the academic versus readable line. I particularly liked the early chapters that covered the context that 2000ad was born into - more history than politics.
The Creative Act Rick Rubin
Read : Mar 20
More influential than i expected, maybe coming at the right time for me - the universe delivering.
Where Did I Go Right Geoff Northcott
Read : Mar 25
Enjoyable easy read. Liked his thoughtful and funny approach, and he seems better at being serious with a bit of humour - liked the bit about how Labour aren’t thinking that working class people want to aspire.
Scoop Evelyn Waugh
Read : Apr 13
Took a little while to get going, but funny and enjoyable. More farce than satire, but came satisfyingly together.
Private Eye the first 50 Years Adam McQueen
Read : Apr 23
Fun roundup and educational on where it came from.
The Silence of Animals John Gray
Read : May 1
Struggled to grasp things, but there was enough there to keep me trying
What the Dog Saw Malcolm Gladwell
Read : May 23
Entertaining nuggets of counterintuitive ideas and noticing. His wheelhouse.
Empire of the Sun J G Ballard
Read : May 26
Nice writing throughout, and evokes a sort of heat haze sort of feel to the story. Reminds me of the bit at the start of Fargo that say this is a true story - meaning true not accurate.
A Brief History of Motion Tom Standage
Read : Jun 9
Enjoyable. Breezy coverage of a big topic, but enough depth to be interesting.
Exactly Simon Winchester
Read : Jun 16
Enjoyable - interesting cast of characters and nice range of topics.
The City and the City China Mieville
Read : Jun 23
Police procedural with very odd twist of two distinct countries existing alongside and on top of each other. Made for interesting anglesto the mystery, and resolved decently enough. As is important for these things you grow to like the main protagonist, so get invested.
Jeremy Hutchinson's Case Histories Thomas Grant
Read : Jul 12
Interesting cases for a variety of reasons and good on the workings of the law, but veering close to hagiography at times.
Shuggie Bain Douglas Stuart
Read : Jul 21
Bleak at times, but nicely written. Had me rooting for the protagonists’ Enjoyed the descriptiveness of the writing that didn't get in the way and propelled things along as well as invoking an atmosphere.
Ten thousand light-years from home James Tiptree Jr.
Read : Jul 30
Pulpy feel of a selection of stories, but nice variety of trippy, tricky and downright weird.
The Satsuma Complex Bob Mortimer
Read : Aug 18
Straightforward and enjoyable with Mortimer touches
Cartographies of Time Daniel Rosenberg
Read : Sep 4
Felt it took a while to get going into the interesting challenges of representing events in an accessible and visually arresting way. Once it did show those successful examples it was good. Would have liked more info on the crossover with data visualisation which the time line is very much a subset of these days.
Diary of a Nobody George Grossmith, Weedon Grossmith
Read : Sep 9
Odd little book that gently sends up Mr Pooter, but also has you wishing him well - despite his silliness
Our Lives in Their Portfolios Brett Christophers
Read : Sep 18
Not unexpectedly pretty technical so sometimes hard to follow, but the general point that the asset funds have captured large swathes of stuff to extract money is clear, and as I suspected a bit depressing. At least I know a bit more about the how, and how outrageous it all is.
Wish I Was Here M. John Harrison
Read : Oct 7
Frustrating, enjoyable, baffling, inspiring, dense, deft. - Some of the words conjured up by this. Glad I read it, but couldn’t do it again. Sort of like ‘difficult’ music.
The Great Gatsby F Scott Fitzgerald
Read : Oct 29
Our Mathematical Universe Max Tegmark
Read : Dec 8
Mostly baffling, but he is enjoyable to read. I ran out of steam by the end as I think I was putting in more than I was getting out.
Managing Records Elizabeth Shepherd, Geoffrey Yeo
Abandoned : Dec 11
Charlie’s Good Tonight Paul Sexton
Read : Dec 11
Charlie comes across as a lovely man, with an almost workmanlike attitude to his job. Was a bit of a hagiography, and the endless talk about houses here there and everywhere was dull. One for the uber fans.
This Sporting Life Robert Colls
Read : Dec 23
Felt a bit academic at times, as any book with a 100 page bibliography is going to. Was interesting on the transition of customs and events into play and games. Overall felt very thorough, but too dry and exhaustive to enjoy as a dip in. One for the professional historians.
Haywire Craig Brown
Read : Dec 28
The Corner David Simon, Ed Burns
Abandoned : Dec 30
Even though it started well and was well written, not sure if I could take 600 pages of drug tragedy.