Herb Adams 'Chassis Engineering'
It has taken me a couple of years to read this book; but that should not be taken as a criticism. This book is worth having for the first three chapters alone. Here, at last, is a clear and readable account of load transfer and anti-roll bars. Adams uses a series of simple calculations to make his points clearly. So if you're confused about under-steer and over-steer, load transfer and anti-roll bars, I can highly recommend this book.
HPBooks, 133 pages
Doug Nye 'McLaren. The Grand Prix, Can-Am and Indy Cars'
There days Formula One car manufactories make little else, but that has not always been the case. From its foundation in the mid 60s until the late 70s McLaren not only completed in other formula but with multiple wins of the Indy 500 and of the Cam-Am series, it excelled.
This is a fairly old book dating from 1988 and so leaving the story just before the turbulent Prost Senna era began. However, for me the interest of this book comes from the coverage of the early years and the non-F1 stuff. Also, from the interplay between the experiences learnt in the different categories; for example the design process of the classic F1 McLaren M23 beginning with mating the backend of the current F1 design with the tub and front end of the Indy design. If I have any criticism it is that there is too much coverage of the later F1 seasons and a very perfunctorily coverage of the F500 designs. Still, worth the effort of tracking down.
Hazleton Publishing, 309 pages
Dan Brown 'The Da Vinci Code'
When the Economist stated that the only people who have not read this book are 'impossibly high-brow, total illiterate or living on Mars' I thought that I should prove that I'm none of these. So, what about the world wide best seller? Well, it's not bad. It could be a fair bit shorter, but it is certainly a page turner. If you want some holiday reading you could do a lot worse than this.
Corgi books, 605 pages
J. E. Gordon 'The New Science of Strong Materials or Why You Don't Fall Through the Floor'
This is an excellent and interesting book. Although it touches upon engineering structures, it is mostly about the mechanical properties of materials; why are metals ductile and glass fragile, that sort of thing. It is divided into several sections covering background theory such as stress & strain, elasticity, etc. Then it covers non-metallic materials from wood through to composites like fibreglass and carbon-fibre; and then moves on to cover metallic materials. Throughout the writing is informed by the authors real world experience; illuminating anecdotes abound. For example, the Bakelite Company began life as the Dammard Lacquer Company and sold three grades of varnish, 'Dammard', 'Dammarder' & 'Dammardest'!
So, if you have ever wondered how a loose mesh of glass fibres set in epoxy resin can make a material with properties far different from either component alone then this book is for you.
Penguin Books, 287 pages
Barry Strauss 'Salamis, The Greatest Naval Battle of the Ancient World'
These days it seems impossible to make a TV history program in which events can simply be described. Instead every point is underlined by images of actors in togas/ loin cloths/ cave man outfits, whatever seems appropriate. We can no longer be told that Julius Caesar invaded England without footage of men running around dressed as roman soldiers. This is the first book that I have read which is guilty of the same thing. Each chapter begins with a lengthy description of such-and-such a person surveying such-and-such a scene. In places this does help to bring the history to life, but often I found myself wishing that the author would just get on with it. I found this book to be like a lot of History Channel documentaries, interesting but frustrating. If the time invested setting the scene had been spent instead on telling the history a lot more ground might have been covered in a lot less time. For all that the battle of Salamis is very interesting, but I suspect that a better understanding might be gained through going directly to Strauss's principle sources Aeschylus, Plutarch and Herodotus.
Arrow, 364 pages
James D. Watson 'The Double Helix'
This is the story behind one of the most important scientific discoveries of the twentieth century. The double helical structure of DNA has moved beyond science to become a popular icon; instantly recognisable to millions with little or no knowledge of chemistry. This is the story of the discovery of that structure as told by one of the protagonists. It is not a blow by blow account; the book is too short for that, but the raw excitement of the discoveries come through loud and clears, and so do the personalities and the personal conflicts. It is noticeable in the epilogue, presumably written sometime after the events, that Watson takes a more diplomatic view. Rosalind Franklin, Rosy as she is referred to earlier, is presented in a much more positive light and her significant contribution to the story clearly acknowledged. This is a book that shows how science is really done, a warts and all view covering ideas, personalities, conflicts, rivalries and the distractions of 'popsies'. Highly recommended.
Penguin, 189 pages
Terry Lovell 'Bernie's Game'
This is the story of the rise of Bernie Ecclestone from second hand car dealer to ring master of Formula One. As a close follower of motor racing I have often been struck by the almost total dominance of Formula One, mostly to the exclusion of other, frequently better, forms of motor sport. This book confirms pretty well all of my cynical thoughts about the uses and abuses of power in high places. According to Lovell any form of motor sport that threatens F1 is gradually starved of the life blood of promotion and publicity. This is a book which throws a very negative light on sport as big business and indeed on certain governments' eager of a grand prix at any cost. Much space is given to the politics behind various grand prix venues, in particular all the dealings over Brands Hatch, and to Ecclestone's consolidation of control of motor sport's TV coverage, helped in this aspect by Max Mosley, whose rise to power is also described. Also covered are the 'Cash for Ash' scandal with the UK's labour government (in which Ecclestone comes out as the innocent party), the investigation into motor sport by the EU and the deal with EM-Kirsch. Unfortunately, being published in 2004, the book came too early to cover the saga of 'Bernie and the Banks'.
However, I do have a couple of reservations about this book. Notably, is Bernie all bad? On more than one occasion I've read positive things about Bernie, particularly concerning motor racing folk in trouble who received considerable help. This aspect gets little coverage. I think this is because Lovell sees Ecclestone's story is a kind of morality tale. This is made particularly clear at the end and it greatly weakens what would otherwise have been an interesting book.
Metro Publishing, 374 pages
H. G. Wells 'The Red Room and other stories'
This is an excellent collection of short stories. All types are covered from social commentary (although not from a very politically correct perspective), through adventure, science fiction and horror.
Highly recommended.
Phoenix, 242 pages
Richard P. Feynman 'The meaning of it All'
This is a series of three public lectures that Feynman gave in early 1960s on the theme of 'a scientist looks at society'. After his death, according to the dust jacket they were found undisturbed among his papers. Sadly, having just finished reading them I must wonder whether they were left undisturbed because Feynman was too busy to publish them, or if he thought that they were simply not good enough. From my point of view neither of the first two lectures have a great deal of merit. However, I found the last lecture to be well worth a read. Here Feynman talks about irrationality; from astrology to nuclear testing to political paranoia. I have always been concerned that ways of assessing risks, from global warming to power politics, are rarely covered, and it was refreshing to read such an incisive essay. So, in summary this book is the preverbal 'Curate's egg', good in places.
Allen Lane, The Penguin Press, 133 pages
Gerald Donaldson 'James Hunt, the biography'
This book presents James Hunt's life as a tragic story; the brilliant and charismatic sportsman, who reaches the top step of his chosen sport but is unable to adjust to normal life; who is haunted by inner demons and only manages to find happiness at the end of his life. Although I was never really a James Hunt fan, I did enjoy this book. The story is told in a way that should appeal to a wider audience than just motor racing fans. On the negative side I did find the author's habit of over dramatizing incidents a bit trying and there are a number of factual errors. For example, as one of the books illustrations shows, Hunt's car did not bounce off a spinning car at the start of the 1977 US GP East. Nor did the spectators at the 1976 British GP throw beer bottles on the track, at least not where I was standing!
Collins Willow, 319 pages
P. D. James 'Unnatural Causes'
So who killed Maurice Seaton; will Adam Dalgiesh get his man (or woman) and will I, the humble reader, get there before him? Well of course Dalgiesh gets his man (or woman), and I was not so much a couple of paces behind him, as several streets away! I've never read a P.D. James before, but I could clearly tell the moment when Dalgiesh had figured it all out, and the author kindly recapitulated the facts for the slower readers who've not twigged yet. It was a humbling moment since I had no idea. Finally after much head scratching and rereading I did get reasonably close. Still, it was a good thing that our hero Adam was there to tie up the loose ends.
Faber and Faber, 226 pages
Mark Maslin 'Global Warming, A very short Introduction'
This is a very interesting little book. The author, although clearly a 'believer' in global warming presents a strongly reasoned, well written and surprisingly un-dramatic account. The main ideas and supporting evidence behind global warming are clearly and concisely covered, and counter arguments and possible consequence are examined. The author avoids some of the more over dramatic statements that have been presented and also looks at the possible costs of trying to avoid global warming. All in all, this book struck me as an interesting and well-rounded account of an important and controversial issue. Well worth reading
Oxford, 162 pages
William R. Polk 'Understanding Iraq'
I suppose it would be fair to say that this book is not a good introduction to the history of Iraq or of the Middle East in general. Although Polk covers a lot of history, he uses it solely to support his thesis that the US occupation is unlikely to make Iraq a better place and that anyone with any idea of history would realise this and maybe even do a better job. In a world where inconvenient bits of history, even recent history, tend to be quietly swept under the carpet this makes a refreshing read. So if you want a clearer idea of why the Iraqis react in the way they do to what the West does I whole heartedly recommend this perceptive little book. As the author says in the introduction:
'Both as a historian and as a planner of government policy, I tremble at Hegel's admonition that "Peoples and governments never have learned anything from history or acted on principles deduced from it." Let us pray that we can prove him wrong. Otherwise, as the American philosopher George Santayana warned, we shall be doomed to repeat it.'
Harper Collins, 221 pages
John Buckingham 'Chasing the molecule'
This is a prime example of an irritating class of popular science book, the type that talks about the science without ever attempting to explain it. The thing is, the science is the thing, the only thing! The people in this book are remembered solely for their discoveries, not to give time to explaining what they actually discovered makes a mockery of their work. A popular book about a science is certainly not the same as a text book, but this book is like a poetry book which contains only prose. The dust cover quotes the Daily Mail as follows 'I wonder if they (educationalists) might take a leaf out of this book and teach not science but the history of science'. Well I hope he thinks about that the next time he takes a pain killer, turns on his computer or listens to the radio.
Not recommended for anyone with even the slightly interest in actually understanding anything about chemistry.
Sutton Publishing, 262 pages
Timothy Gowers 'Mathematics. A very Short Introduction'
This book is almost totally the reverse of the preceding book. It avoids any 'gee-wiz' butterfly effect stuff but goes more to the heart of the matter. In eight short chapters it attempts to explain to the reader what mathematics is about, not the usual application orientated approach of so much popular science, but a concept by concept, proof by proof approach. This may be unfashionable and is certainly harder to read, but by the end I had a real sense of having learnt something useful from this book. This is not a book to read on the bus and does make certain demands on the reader, but still I would strongly recommend it. This is a book about the form and structure of a topic, not just its applications.
Oxford University Press, 143 pages
James Lovelock 'Gaia, A New Look at Life on Earth'
Uhmmmm, I don't quite know how to approach this book. In the preface Lovelock makes it plain that this is not a technical book and readers interested in a more technical approach should look elsewhere; as Lovelock puts it 'To my scientist friends who wanted it to lead somewhere else I would say: if you wanted to go there, you should not have started from here.'
Still this book is worthy of close examination, first published in 1979 it proposes that life modifies the physical and chemical conditions of the Earth (temperature, salinity of the oceans, etc) to keep them fit and comfortable for life itself. Lovelock nicely illustrates his ideas and gives a clear picture of the intricate pattern of loops and feedbacks that control the Earth's environment. However, I would criticise him for an occasional 'slight-of-hand' type argument. Lovelock is also interesting in his views on the Green movement, growing it seems to him from the anti-nuclear weapons movement it naturally gravitated towards a new target, big science-based business.
Ultimately however I found this book unsatisfactory for the following reason. Since 1979 Lovelock's ideas have changed considerably. In preparing this new edition for publication in 2000 he added some corrections and a bit of new material, but I think fundamentally the text was unchanged. This is shown most plainly in the glossary entry for 'Gaia Hypothesis': This begins with a description of the Gaia hypotheses as I had understood it from the preceding 143 pages and then goes on to say that this is the original Gaia hypnoses and is now known to be wrong; in its place Lovelock briefly sketches in a new version, the Gaia theory. The conclusion I suppose is if you want to read about Gaia try one of Lovelock's latter books, I only wish that had been written on the dust jacket.
Oxford University Press, 148 pages
Kingsley Amis 'The Green Man'
This is a classic, if rather pretentious, ghost story. Well written, often funny, and occasionally eerie, rather let down by a slightly weak ending.
Vintage Classics, 175 pages
Eric Taylor 'The AB Guide to Music Theory, Part 1'
This book introduces musical notation and theory for Grades 1 to 5 of the UK Associated Board Theory syllabus. I found it an interesting and readable introduction to music theory.
ABRSM Publishing, 103 pages
Hugo Young 'Supping with the Devils, Political writing from Thatcher to Blair'
As a political columnist for the Guardian newspaper from 1984 until 2003 Hugo Young must have supped with a fair number of devils, but as this excellent book shows he clearly kept his preverbal long spoon readily at hand. In these newspaper columns covering the period from the fall of Mrs Thatcher until the Iraq war Young maintains a perceptive but detached eye upon the coming and goings of British politics. There are excellent portraits of Margaret Thatcher and John Major, in which Young manages to show how that their contrasted characters where a source of strength at the beginning of their administrations, but became increasingly a source of weakness. Young was clearly a man proud to be called a liberal and he quietly expresses horror as the checks and balances so critical to a free country are slowly cut away. Only towards the end of the book, when perhaps Young began to realise that his own time was running out, does he begin to reveal a hint of anger. Indeed a compelling aspect of these columns is Young's increasing disenchantment and finally disgust and contempt for a 'leader who believes his own reputation to be the core value his country must defend', who has reduced the intelligence services once the 'jewel in the Whitehall apparatus' into 'flexible friend' and finally who reduced the once sovereign state of Great Britain to a thrall of the US. I may not always have agreed with Young's comments, but I certainly can recommend this book. I have a few minor quibbles, particularly I would have liked a short historical introduction to some of the columns that covered more ephemeral issues, but overall I found this book excellent and can highly recommend it.
Atlantic Book (Guardian Books) 336 pages
Peter S. Wells 'The battle that stopped Rome'
In A.D. 9 the German leader Arminius successful ambushed three Roman legions in the desolate Tuetoburg forest. The destruction of the legions was complete, the magnitude of the defeat hard for the Romains to grasp. Although the German's victory was short lived it had profound consequences on the Roman state; never again would the Romans consider the region east of the Rhine as conquered, the dream of global conquest was over. However, the Romans did not dwell on the defeat, and it time it all but vanished from history.
Considering its important the battle is not well known. Indeed, the site of the battle has only recently been definitive located. This popular history book attempts redress that. Covering both historical and archaeological sources Peter Wells attempts to put the battle into its historical perspective and as far as possible determine what happened when and why. The actual layout of the battle seems surprising like the second battle in 'We were Soldiers once and young'. Although I did find some faults, particularly with some pointless repetition of the more bloodthirsty details, I found this book interesting and informative. I can certainly recommend it to anyone with an interest in history.
W.W. Norton & Company, 256 pages
Francis Spufford 'Backroom Boys, The Secret Return of the British Boffin'
This is an interesting book which focuses on certain aspects of British science and technology. In six chapters it tells David and Golliaf stories of small under funded British developments. Beginning with the UK's own rocket launchers 'Blue Steak', 'Black Knight', etc and ending with the ill fated 'Beagle 2' Mars Lander, it shows how British innovation has adapted to modern commercial pressures. Colin Pillinger, the man responsible for 'Beagle 2' may have played the press for all he could, but he did get the probe to Mars. This is not a book in favour of 'Ivory Tower' science for its own sake, but it does present six interesting technical stories. The choice of subject is good; as well as space exportation, there are chapters on the final commercial success on the Concorde, the development of the cellular phone network, the Elite computer game and the Human Genome Project. Apart from a few errors, particularly in the first chapter, the technical material is well presented. All-in-all an interesting read.
Faber and Faber, 252 pages
Michael Cordy 'The Lucifer Code'
This is a fairly standard page-turner; brilliant scientist, beautiful girl and mysterious millionaire. It's a bit too long and it parts a bit too predictable; but if you fancy a light read you could do a lot worse.
Corgi Book, 443 pages
Jo Ramirez 'Memoirs of a Racing Man'
I was in a book shop at the Rockingham circuit after the CART race in 2002 when I happened to glance at the guy next to me. I recognised him immediately, Jo Ramirez, 'mechanic to the gods'. At that point a couple of people came up to him 'Hi Joe, remember us?' etc. Ramirez said he did and chatted amiably with them for a couple of minutes and then after they had left returned to the books. Here I thought is a man who carries his fame lightly, no ego, no boasting, just an ordinary guy who has been lucky enough to have done an extraordinary job; and that is how he comes over in this book. From his childhood in Mexico to several world championships, Ramirez tells his story in a modest and down to earth fashion. He doesn’t skip out the hardship or the plain handwork, but nor does he moan or try to inflate his role. To have been able to earn a living in motor racing; to have worked for teams like Eagle, Tyrrell and Mclaren; and to have worked with men like Gurney, Stewart, Cevert, Fittipaldi, Prost, Senna and Häkkinen, is clearly something that he considers to have been a privilege. On occasion one can glimpse the frustrations that he must have felt, particularly when he was at the poor end of the F1 paddock. However, only when he recounts some of the incidents with Mclaren boss Ron Dennis does Ramirez show real anger. In fact, the strengths and weaknesses of Ron Dennis are graphically attested to. The book might be a bit livelier if Ramirez let rip more often, but that is a minor criticism of this excellent and entertaining book.
Haynes Publishing, 352 pages
Donald Hill 'A History of Engineering in Classical and Medieval Times'
This book is exactly as its title suggests; divided into 12 chapters covering different areas it describes engineering technology from classical to medieval times, covering the Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Arab and Chinese worlds. It makes an interesting, but in parts rather heavy read. Two factors rather count against this book; firstly, there is Hill's rather dry academic approach, which is perhaps understandable in what is after all a specialist academic book not a popular exposition. Much more serious however is the poor quality of the illustrations. To the ancient craftsmen many of the objects were works of art as well as engineering, but unfortunately that side of the objects gets very short shrift. For example, a quick search on Wikipedia brought up some photos of a model of Su Song's water clock which show a beauty and artistic sophistication that is totally missed out by this book. So, in summary, an interesting and worthy book which could do with a revision to include more and better illustrations.
Routledge, 263 pages
Elizabeth Kostova 'The Historian'
When a young girl discovers a strange book in her father's library; blank except for a woodcut of a dragon across the centre pages, she is drawn her into a mysterious and dangerous adventure. As she discovers, she is not the first to enter into the mystery; her father and his mentor before him have both fallen under the spell of the enigmatic books. I believe that this is Elizabeth Kostova's first novel and it is very assured. In equal parts mystery, love story and coming of age story, much of it, especially towards the beginning is very good. However, I also felt that too much of the book rests on a couple of formulas that are used over and over again. For example much of the book seems to follow the following pattern; 'Dad won't tell me anything about the book when we're at home', 'Dad takes me travelling with him', 'I'll describe the place we're visiting', 'Dad tells me a bit about the mystery, often as seen from the perspective of Dad's mentor', 'Dad clams up', 'Dad won't tell me anything about the book when we're at home', etc, etc, etc. All of this adds a certain predictability to the story telling, especially when the protagonists seem to have an uncanny knack of always being the right place at the right time. Also, I found the climax of the book rather disappointing. And finally, there is one very, very obvious question which no seems to even think of, not even when it's too late.So in summary, not a bad book, not a bad read; but it could have been a lot better.
Time Warner Books, 704 pages
Robert Silverberg 'Roma Eterna'
Silverberg imagines a world in which the Roman Empire never falls. Western and Eastern halves sometimes as rivals and sometimes as allies march on to dominate the world, and at many important moments one of Silverberg's narrators is at hand. These are elegantly written stories normally narrated by someone near, but rarely central to events. The soldier sent on an ill fated expedition to the new world; an innocent out-of-towner who witnesses the fall of one empire and the establishment of another; the children who befriend the last emperor. Silverberg rarely gives us the whole picture, but that adds to the charm of this collection. Indeed, the stories that I found the weakest are narrated by characters closest to events. These are essentially fictional memoirs of an alternative history. The stories deal with people and events but not technology, and as such will appeal, I think, to people who would not normal read science fiction. Anyway, I really enjoyed this book and warmly recommend it.
Gollancz, 385 pages
Edward W. Said 'From Oslo to Iraq and the Roadmap'
Edward Said was an interesting man; a Palestinian living in America; a passionate commentator on the Middle East; one whose views were critical of all sides and who was attached by all sides. This is his final collection of essays. Mostly written for Arab journals they cover the period 2000 to 2003, in other words pre-September 11, September 11, the invasion of Afghanistan and the beginning of the war in Iraq.
True to his reputation Said pulls no punches, with all parties Arab, Israeli and Occidental coming in for strong criticism. However, this is not a collection on incoherent rants; these essays are succinct and well argued. Occasionally, I felt that his anger got the better of him, for example the numerous references to 'the war criminal Sharon'. I felt that this grandstanding, if that is what it was, did his arguments no favours. That is a shame since much of the book is well written and very thought provoking. You may not always agree with what he says, but the world is a poorer place without him saying it. I recommend this book to anyone interested in contemporary events. You might not agree with his views, but they are worth listening to.
Bloomsbury Publishing, 323 pages
Brigitte Hamann 'Winifred Wagner, A life at the Heart of Hitler Bayreuth'
This is like one of the fantastic stories from Silverberg's 'Roma Eterna'. Winifred Williams, a sickly orphan from Sussex is adopted by elderly relatives in Berlin. Under their care she blooms, meets and marries Siegfried Wagner, son of the famous composer, and gives birth to four heirs to the Wagner dynasty. Perhaps disenchanted with life in Bayreuth she falls under the spell of a young and not very successful politician, Adolf Hitler. The Wagners give Hitler, a passionate fan of the Richard Wagner's works, support both financial and moral. He in his turn gives support to the cash-strapped Wagner festival at Bayreuth. Even after the war, when Hitler's acts were fully exposed Winifred remains a supporter of Hitler, right up until her death in 1980.
In this book Brigitte Hamann paints an interesting and detailed portrait of Winifred's life and times. Although an ardent Nazi she is shown to have done what she could to right injustices, to both Aryans and Jews. She held strong anti-Semitic views but did what she could to help Jewish individuals, perhaps leading to her increasingly distant relationship with Hitler.
However, when it comes to Winifred's eldest son, I begin to seriously question the author's objectivity. The younger son, Wolfgang is always shown in a positive light, the wounded war hero, questioning and criticising the Nazi authorities. For Wieland however, the author has not a good word, he is a spoilt brat and favourite of Hitler, who got off very lightly at the de-Nazification trials. This may all be true, but does Hamann tell the whole story? At least concerning Wieland, I think not. Consider the Bayreuth festival of 1951; we are presented with a litany of negative views such as this from Emil Preetorius (who had every reason to dislike Wieland) 'It was crafty of Wieland to disguise his paucity of ideas as a designer by minimizing all the visual aspect, thereby at the same time eliciting howls of acclaim from the Abstractionist crowd'. Positive opinions such as this from Ernest Newman get no mention, 'This was not only the best Parsifal I have even seen and heard but one of the three or four most spiritual experiences of my life'. I was left with the impression that concerning Wieland the author is cherry picking the facts; and if she does that with Wieland, who else does she do it with?
Doubts aside, I found this an absorbing and thought provoking book. It is a history of the Twentieth century told from an interesting and unfamiliar perspective. On more than one occasion I asked myself 'what would I have done?'
Granta Books, 582 pages
Seamus Heaney 'The Burial at Thebes'
After greatly enjoying Heaney's adaptation of Beowulf I had high expectations of this translation of Antigone. Unfortunately, I was very disappointed. Sophocles' great tragedy is reduced to an argument between a couple of one dimensional cartoon characters. Definitely not recommended.
Faber and Faber, 56 pages
Neil Gaiman 'Anansi Boys'
For all its fantastical elements this is basically the feel-good tale of a man coming to terms with his family and himself. It is also the story of Fat Charlie Nancy, a man who's father has just died in a karaoke bar, a man who is surprised to discover that his father is actually not just dad but Anansi the trickster-spider god, and who also has a brother, a brother who is everything that Fat Charlie isn't. By turns the story is funny and freighting, laughter and darkness go hand-in-hand. This may not be the most profound book in the world, but it's none the worse for that. So sit down, put your feet up and enjoy Fat Charlie Nancy's journey from zero to hero.
Headline review, 457 pages
J. G. Ballard 'Vermilion Sands'
This was my second visit to Vermilion Sands, that sleepy resort midway between Nice and Las Vegas, where neurotic movies queens sing to operatic plants, and computers write poems. At one point I read a lot of Ballard's work and perhaps the most memorable was Vermilion Sands. Here is Ballard in the same vein as 'Drowned World' and 'Terminal Beach', but the darkness is tempered with a wry humour. The stories all follow the same outline, but I felt that gives the book a theme and variations quality. And the verdict on my second visit, very enjoyable. So, go to Vermilion Sands yourself and maybe you will see 'the god Pan drive by in a Cadillac.'
Vintage, 208 pages
Israel Finkelstein & Neil Asher Silberman 'The Bible Unearthed'
It has been said that archaeology is as much about the excavator as the excavated. The artefacts in the ground may be concrete but the interpretation can be anything but. In this interesting book Finelstein & Silberman look at the Hebrew Bible in the light of modern archaeology. They come to the conclusion that much of what is commonly taken as fact, for example the Exodus, the conquest of Canaan and the Kingdom of David are not supported by archaeology. In fact, the scientific approach leads instead to the conclusion that Old Testament was written long after the event, and was moulded to fit a particularly political and religious viewpoint. Not being an expert on biblical archaeology I cannot say if the authors are correct, but I did find the arguments compelling. Although I found parts of the book hard going I would still recommend it.
A TouchStone Book, 385 pages
Hans Hotter 'Memoirs' (Translated & Edited by Donald Arthur)
Since I first heard Hotter I have been captivated by his singing. Not just by his voice, but by his command and vocal presence. For example, in Wagner's Die Walküre Hotter is the most complete Wotan that I have ever heard. Even in the studio recording that he made with Solti, long after his peak Hotter somehow uses his weakened vocal condition to enhance his characterisation; others may have sang it better, but few as completely.
Here in his memoirs Hotter talks at length about his career, about his approach to his roles and to his art. So, is Hotter the writer as captivating as Hotter the man? Overall, I think that he is. Especially when talking about his major roles or about some of his distinguished collaborators, particularly Richard Strauss and Hans Ptitzner, he is an interesting and articulate, and occasionally moving writer. It is interesting to compare Hotter's views on Wieland Wagner with whom he works closely for several years, with those of Brigitte Hamann. Unlike the latter author Hotter is generous in his praise. Are they discussing the same man one wonders? Perhaps, being a contemporary of Wieland and like him having lived in Germany throughout world war two Hotter is less willing to judge than the younger Hamann. However, Hotter is no Nazi apologist and makes his horror of Hitler and his acts very clear. Despite this the story of meeting Hitler and avoiding shaking his hand, and of Hitler's quick witted response, do raise a wry smile. What is a little surprising is that no mention is made of Hotter's studio recordings, the things which probably bought his art to the widest audience. However, I greatly enjoyed this book and would warmly recommend it to any fans of opera and especially of Wagner.
Northeastern University Press, 287 pages
Alfred Bester 'The Dark Side of the Earth'
Not the best science fiction that I've ever read, but also far from the worst. A worthy collection of short stories from an unjustly neglected writer. Recommended.
Pan Books, 171 pages
David F. Anderson & Scott Eberhardt 'Understanding Flight'
This book largely succeeds in its purpose of providing the reader with a simple intuitive understanding of flight. By replacing the combination of Bernoulli's principle and the incorrect 'principle of equal transit times', with the Coanda Effect the authors present a far more intuitive model of flight. Such things as the effect of angle of attack, especially in relation to symmetrical aerofoils, as well as power consumption flow naturally from their approach, rather than appearing to be tacked on, as always seems to be the case with more conventional explanations. Much as I enjoyed this book, I do have a couple of small grips, mostly concerning the proof reading. On more than one occasion the text and the illustrations were contradictory; mostly with the text being wrong.
As I said these are small criticisms of such a good book. Although, I do highly recommend it, I think that it would best be used in combination with Henk Tennekes' excellent 'The Simple Science of Flight'.
McGraw-Hill, 239 pages
John Polkinghorne 'Quantum Theory, A Very Short Introduction'
In this small book John Polkinghorne succeeds superbly in outlining quantum theory for the lay reader. By avoiding over complex metaphors and sticking to a rather direct approach he presents this highly complex and often paradoxical subject in an extremely clear way. In parts things do get a bit obscure, but that goes with the territory. The main text is equation free, but there is an appendix giving certain areas a more mathematical treatment. I have to admit that I found parts of this hard going. Still, this is an excellent and recommendable book.
Oxford University Press, 113 pages
Scott Rosenberg 'Dreaming in Code'
If you have ever wondered why a major software project goes wrong, and they often do, then this is the book for you. It charts the development of a software project called Chandler over a three year period; from conception, to missed release dates, through re-working, and on and on. The book follows the project up to 2005; as of a couple of months ago the product has still not been completed. Rosenberg mulls over the various software development strategies, from highly specified and controlled, through to rapid development free-for-all. For my money Chandler was doomed from the outset because the developers confused a dream for a specification. I'm very much in the 'would you build a bridge without any plans?' camp, but others argue strongly the other way. Whatever your viewpoint this book has some interesting points to make.
Crown Publishers, 400 pages
Neil Gaiman 'American Gods'
Meet Shadow, he's about to end his prison sentence, leave his cell mate 'Low Key' behind; his wife and his life are waiting for him outside. Then he learns that his wife has been killed in a car crash and he has nothing to get out for. Still he makes his way home; and on the way meets Mr Wednesday, who offers him a job and with nothing to loose, he accepts. Welcome to the strange world of American Gods, a world where no one is quite what they seem; a world of coin tricks and con men and ,oh yes, a world of gods.
Although linked to the 'Anansi Boys' this book is quite different; dark where the other is light. It is almost like a road movie, a strange and dark trip to sacred places of American, to the places of power, the secret places. So what are you waiting for? Join Shadow on his strange and wonderful and freighting journey.
Headline Review, 640 pages
Tom Holland 'Rubicon, The Triumph and Tragedy of the Roman Republic'
Looking at my reviews I notice that a frequent criticism is that the book is all right, but a bit too long. Well not this one, I would have enjoyed Rubicon even if it had been twice the length. This is an excellent book, a popular history but without any History Channel type scene painting. I found it informative and interesting and fast paced and it really left me wanting to know more. If you have even the slightest interest an ancient history I can highly recommend this wonderful book and its story of ambitious and talented men & women, of politics and war, and of the end of the Roman Republic.
Abacus, 430 pages
Richard Morgan 'Altered Carbon'
A good sci-fi detective story hybrid, a bit like a cross between Robert Silverberg and Raymond Chandler, although much more violent than either. The dark future world is well painted and the characterisation is OK. My only criticism is that from time to time a large clue falls with heavy clunk off of the page, and always when our hero is looking the other way. Oh, and that in far future they seem to have forgotten about archiving backups.
Orion, 534 pages
John Man, 'Attila the Hun'
I find it hard to say much about this book. It's not bad, but then it's not particularly good either. The author sums up Attila as one of histories nearly men, and I guess that sums up this book; it's one of those nearly interesting books. The style is chatty and informal and the facts are there, but overall the book is uninspiring.
Bantum Books, 397 pages
Richard Barber 'The Holy Grail, the History of a Legend'
This is the reverse of John Man's 'Attila the Hun', heavy and authoritative where Attila is light and chatty. That is not to say that 'The Holy Grail' is boring, far from it. However, it is not an easy read. It charts the development of the Holy Gail, from the twelfth century romances of Chrétien de Troyes, through Wolfram von Eschenbach, and on to Wagner and finally 'The Da Vinci Code'. As I said, with extensive quotes and analysis of medieval literature, it's not a light read (in fact it took me over a year to get through it). However, it is well worth the effort. I can't really comment on how accurate Barber's analysis is, but it seemed convincing to me, and I thought that his analysis of Wagner's Parsifal was one of the most sensible, not to say clear, that I've read. So in summary a long read, but well worth it.
Penguin, 463 pages
Isaac Asimov 'Foundation'
Uhmm, I've not read this book since I was 14 or 15. Back then I found the ideas behind it fascinating; I realized that politics could be interesting, that events could have their own subtext of personal agendas and ambitions. However even then I remember that I found the stories uneven. Rereading it I found that I could remember the best bits very well, and that stores that I remembered less were not worth rereading. So, disappointing the second time around, but worth reading once.
Panther Science Fiction, 189 pages
James Lovelock 'The Revenge of Gaia'
I found this book an irritating mix of science and pseudo religion. In many places Lovelock writes as an intelligent and perceptive scientist, I did not always agree with him, but his views are interesting and thought provoking. However, Lovelock's views are based on an, in places, almost mystical holistic view of the earth and like some new age prophet he forthrightly rejects what he does not agree with. Although I agree with his support for nuclear power and his anger at the greens unwillingness to accept it I do not agree with his rejection of renewable energy or his likening of the Kyoto Protocol to the Munich conference. I could rant for quite a while about why I found this book so irritating and that it is not a helpful guide about how to prevent/ reduce/ deal with climate change, and that I fear many climate change sceptics reading this book would conclude either, 'what a lot of rot' or worse still 'there's nothing I can do'.
Penguin, 221 pages
George Monbiot 'Heat, how we can stop the planet burning'
I started this book holiday and nearly threw it in the swimming pool. I'm very glad that I didn't because if I had I would have missed out on a very interesting read. I'm not sure that I agreed with everything, but overall I thought this book was excellent. Here, at last, is a (mostly) sensible book on how to reduce CO2 emissions. Monbiot starts with the idea that you can't give up all modern conveniences; instead he looks at how modern standards can be maintained whilst making considerable reductions in CO2 emissions. In the main he comes out with plausible suggestions. Only in the case of air travel can he come up with no solution; the only way to make mass air travel green is to stop it. But, don't think that this is a negative book, far from it. I came away with that idea that if we do something concerted now, we can continue with business much as usual. There have been many times when I've read claims from both sides of the green argument and have looked from facts and figures to support or refute the claims. Monbiot has made the effort to find the figures and uses them to telling effect.
So, I urge you to read this book.
Penguin, 278 Pages
Ian Fleming 'Casino Royale'
A classic spy story. Well written and entertaining. Recommended.
Penguin Classics 181 pages
Marcus du Sautoy 'The Music of the Primes'
This is an interesting journey through the world of prime numbers; stopping on route to look at such varied things as Quantum theory, a magician's card shuffles and the Riemann Hypothesis. Written for non-mathematicians and highly readable the book instils one of the most important, and to the lawman strangest features of mathematics; the need for proof. Even overwhelming experimental evidence is nothing to a mathematician without a real proof. Indeed, du Sautoy gives an example of where overwhelming experimental results were over turned by a single counter example.
This is not the best popularization that I have read, and I would have preferred more actual mathematics, but it is still very good. It also contains a useful appendix contains amongst other things a useful list of further reading.
Highly recommended.
Harper Perennial, 322 pages
John Culshaw 'Ring Resounding'
This is the story of the first commercial stereo recording of Wagner's Ring Cycle; or at least the first to be made available. Between 1958 and 1965 the Decca Record Company recorded the whole fourteen and a half hour epic in glorious sound and captured for posterity the end of a golden era in Wagnerian singing. In this book John Culshaw, the project's producer and main motivator recounts his memories of the project. How he persuaded his employer to fund this unprecedented expensive project, how he assembled an almost dream cast, conductor and orchestra and how he and his dedicated and talented team of engineers and musicians worked though this huge project, in the process changing the way that opera was recorded. Culshaw describes the ups and downs, the moments when it all seemed to have gone irretrievably wrong, and the moments when they captured something extraordinary. Also, he movingly writes of his friendship with the great Wagnerian soprano Kirsten Flagstad and his attempts to include her in the recording. These days it is rather fashionable to criticize this first studio cycle, and ironically one of Decca's test runs, a live recording of the Ring made at the 1955 Bayreuth festival is in many quarters considered the recording to have. However, for all that Culshaw and his conductor Georg Solti opened the way for the other recordings, as well as setting the standard by which they are judged.
Unfortunately, this book is currently out of print and I was lucky to receive a copy a special illustrated edition from Time-Life Records, as a birthday present (thanks Monty). However, if you can't get hold of the book the TV documentary that the BBC and ORF made of the recording of Götterdämmerung is available as 'The Golden Ring' from Decca classics. Incidentally, Culshaw mentions in passing that this 90 min documentary was the result of a painful process of whittling down many hours of high-quality material. If that material still exists, would the BBC, ORF, Decca or whoever has it, please release it.
Time Life Records 278 pages
John Peddle 'The Roman War Machine'
This book looks at the command techniques, planning and logistical techniques used by the Roman army. Since the ancient authors rarely talked about such matters much of the book is based on inference. I am not able to say whether the conclusions are reasonable, but they did seem plausible to me. Although at times I found the book heavy going, I would certainly recommend it.
Sutton Publishing 212 pages
Richard Morgan 'Broken Angels'
This book is the sequel to 'Altered Carbon' and continues the story of Takeshi Kovacs. Although it is not at all a bad book I enjoyed it much less than its predecessor. It has a strong story and a clear moral, but I just found it all a bit contrived. Also it is a bit too long.
Gollancz, 394 pages
Fred Hoyle and John Elliot 'Andromeda Breakthrough'
Compared to 'Broken Angels' above this is science fiction from an earlier, less violent and cynical age. Apart from the sci-fi perennial of alien technology both books share the theme of corporate greed and Man's tendency for destruction. However, Hoyle and Elliot are much gentler in their story telling, this is a far less disturbing journey than 'Broken Angels' If all this sounds like damming with faint praise that isn't my intension. I enjoyed this very English story of how Man treats an ambiguous a gift from the stars.
Corgi Books, 205 pages
Bjorn Lomborg 'Cool It, The Skeptical Environmentalist's Guide to Global Warming'
Although definitely a 'Global Warming Believer' I am often shocked by the sensationalist and inaccurate way that it is reported. Therefore, I was intrigued by what appears to be an objective look at the subject. Rather than presenting alarmist visions or outright denials Lomborg accepts that global warming is happening and asks what is likely to happen, how much will it cost and how much will it cost to stop? This seems a very valid way of approaching the issues; with limited resources available they must be focused where they will do the most good. Well written and with copious notes and references 'Cool it' looks like an objective view at the facts: but is it?
At first I found the book very persuasive, maybe trying to stop global warming is more expensive than just living with it. After a while I began to ask if Lomborg might be, ah shading his sources a little? Something on page 185 particularly caught my notice. Here we are told about 'the largest study of efficiency in life-saving public policy in the US, carried out by Harvard University's Center for Risk Analysis', which found that the price paid for extra life years was relatively low for health care at $19,000 per life year saved compared to $4.2 million per life year for environmental investments. So far so good, as ever Lomborg cites his references, I looked up reference 944 and to my delight some of the material is available on the internet. However, I was more than a little surprised to discover that at least some of the work was performed under the aegis of a conservative think tank, one which is a member of the 'Cooler Heads Coalition' (a group which according to Wikipedia describes itself as 'Generally skeptical of the anthropogenic global warming theory') and which according to www.exxonsecrets.org has received $495,900 from ExxonMobil since 1998 (in fairness the work in question was published before 1998). Further searching on the internet (www.citizen.org) revealed that center in question 'is funded by more that 100 large corporations and trade associations…' I was left with the view that Lomborg was happily quoting the results from a centre that receives funding from the Chemical Industry and shows that protecting the environment is not cost effective. I'm not saying that the studies are flawed simply by where the center's money comes from, but it seems to me that Lomborg has a duty to his readers to make them aware of a possible conflict of interest.
Take another case; the IPCC chairman comes under attack on page 197 for saying that deep cuts in CO2 are required, an example of a scientist misusing their standing as scientists to pursue a political agenda according to Lomborg. Interestingly he cities a number of articles from the journal 'Energy and Environment' but fails to mention that when questioned on why that journal publishes articles opposing climate change she said 'I'm following my political agenda, a bit anyway. Isn't that the right of the editor?' I could go on about this book all night, but instead would direct the interested reader to the website www.lomborg-errors.dk
In conclusion this is a very disappointing book. Lomborg pretends to be laying the ground for a rational discussion of climate change policy, but I was left with the feeling that he was actually doing nothing of the sort. This is sad since he is making a very important point, resources are limited, and we must use them where they will have the most effect. If cost benefit analysis is the correct tool for doing this couldn't Lomborg had explained the topic giving us the tools to understand the analysis and to judge the assumptions? This reader for one wants a rational fact-based discussion of climate change policy; sadly this book is not the place to find it.
Cyan, Marshall Cavendish Editions, 353 pages
Jill Gregory & Karen Tintori 'The Book of Names'
A mystical thriller, rather like the 'Da Vinci Code' only better. A good light read.
Snowbooks limited, 348 pages
Penelope Wilson 'Hieroglyphs, A Very Short Introduction'
Another excellent book in the 'Very Short Introduction' series. This is not a 'how to read hieroglyphs' type of book. Instead it places the language in a historical and cultural context. The style is readable and the illustrations good. All-in-all an excellent little book.
Oxford University Press, 130 pages
Vic Elford 'Reflections on a golden era in motorsports'
Vic Elford was a successful racing driver in the 1960s and early 70s. Although, he reached Formula One most of his successes came in rallying and sports car racing and he is especially linked with the wonderful Porsche 917. I have read more gripping racing memoirs, but still found much to enjoy in this book; not least the excellent and atmospheric illustrations. Recommended for fans of 60s and 70s car racing.
David Bull Publishing, 288 pages
Stephen Clarke 'A year in the merde'
Englishman goes to work in Paris, quite fun. A poolside read.
Black Swan, 283 pages
Carl Sagan 'The Demon Haunted World. Science as a Candle in the Dark'
Part of the duty of citizenship is not to be intimidated into conformity. I wish that the oath of citizenship… Included something like 'I promise to question everything my leaders tell me'. That would be really to Thomas Jefferson's point. 'I promise to use my critical faculties. I promise to develop my independence of thought. I promise to educate myself so I can make my own judgments'. Page 401
As the quote above shows this book is about more that science, although Sagan does make a wonderful advocate for science. Not so much about science, as scientific thought, this book shows how that delicate balance of wonder, openness and scepticism backed by rigorous experimentation is such a powerful tool not only against ignorance and superstition, but against tyranny and oppression.
Sagan however, is not blind to the problems that science can create and devotes considerable space to the ethics of science. Another part is devoted to debunking such things as alien abduction. I found this the least interesting section; largely, I think because he was preaching to the converted. In contrast I found the sections placing scientific thought in a wider political and social context interesting and inspirational. Also, very interesting are the lucid and articulate discussions of the differences between science and religion, and Sagan's spirited defence of science against pseudo-science.
In conclusion I think that this is an important and inspirational book. Very highly recommended.
Headline, 436 pages
Washington Irving (ed. Michael Hayes), 'The Ghostly Tales of Washington Irving'
This is an excellent collection of supernatural stories from the pen of Washington Irving. Although I had read several of them before as part of the 'Tales from the Alhambra' these understated tales are well worth reading again. If you're not familiar with Irving's work I can highly recommend this book; the perfect companion for a quiet autumn evening by the fireside.
John Calder, London. 152 pages
David E. Alexander 'Nature's Flyers'
This is a book about flying creatures; mammals, birds, insects and fish, alive or extinct. It covers a wide range of topics; including animal aerodynamics, navigation, metabolism and evolution. Although it would be fair to say that I found some of the later chapters concerning navigation and the global impact of animal flight less interesting; the earlier chapters covering animal aerodynamics, especially the subtle effect s used in flapping, are fascinating. Also the book covers the paradox of flight as a high power but low energy means of locomotion very well. All-in-all an excellent read. It made me look at our feathered and indeed buzzing friends in an altogether different light.
Recommended.
The John Hopkins University Press, 358 pages
Robert Harris 'Imperium'
A popular fictional, but historically accurate account of the first part of the life of the Roman orator Cicero. I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it, not least as an easy going adjunct to Tom Holland's 'Rubicon'.
Arrow Books, 480 pages
Bryan Magee 'Aspects of Wagner'
This is one of the most highly regarded books of Wagner scholarship in English. It does have many virtues, not least a very un-wagnerian length. In six short chapters (basically free standing essays) Bryan Magee cover such topics as Wagner's prose works, his influence, performance and the more delicate topic of Wagner's anti-Semitism. Overall, I found the book highly variable. Although I found parts, such as the chapter on Wagner's theory of opera, extremely interesting, others were much less so; indeed parts seemed extremely eloquent statements of the obvious. For all that, this is a short, very well written, very reasonably priced and often thought provoking book.
Oxford Paperbacks, 102 pages
David Kushner 'Masters of Doom'
Doom was a mould breaking computer game, the first-person shoot-em-up, in which the player moved around a strange maze like building and shot everything that moved. Like many people I briefly fell under its spell. Cleverly the game included multiplayer possibilities. I remember several raucous LAN parties where friends came around bearing PC and monitor and after struggling with the mysteries of IPX we spent many happy hours firing missiles, guns and chain saws at each other.
This is the story of the 'two Johns' Carmack and Romero who rose from rough childhoods to create a series of popular PC games, including Doom and became computer software rock stars. The story is well told in what might be politely called colourful, and on occasion, almost incomprehensible, prose. Unfortunately a few errors have crept in; Civilization a 'Risk-like strategy game based on famous historical battles' or how in spring 1994 Microsoft was preparing for the release of its new operating system called Windows. Still not a bad read.
Paitkus, 335 pages
Cicero 'Selected Works' (trans. Michael Grant)
After finishing a fictional book about Cicero (Robert Harris 'Imperium', see above) I thought that it would be interesting to read some of the real stuff. Indeed, it was. This is an excellent book, I could hardly have wished for better company than Marcus Tullius Cicero during several long journeys, including a very long wait at Gatwick airport.
This book contains extracts from a number of texts including the 'Against Verres' which features heavily in 'Imperium', 'The Second Philippic against Antony' and the wonderfully optimistic 'On Old Age'. There are also extracts from a large number of letters. I cannot judge the quality of Michael Grant's translation except to say that I found it highly readable and that he made an excellent job of placing each text in context.
Very highly recommended,
Penguin Classics, 271 pages
Tim Collins 'Rules of Engagement, A life in conflict'
Colonel Tim Collins is perhaps best known for his eve-of-battle speech prior to the Iraq invasion, a copy of which apparently hangs, or anyway used to hang, in the White House's Oval Office. However, as this book shows there is more to the man than a smooth turn of phrase, although he certainly does have that. Throughout this book, which covers his military career through Sierra Leone, Northern Ireland and Iraq, Collins comes over as a tough but thoughtful, humorous and ultimately humane man. Although he describes the horror of events in those places he does not dwell upon them, instead he presents the use of military force as a necessary evil, which if correctly applied can and should lead to a greater good. Particularly gripping is the description of Iraq immediately post invasion; a country slipping into anarchy. He describes his own efforts at building up the trust of the locals, at attempting to restore some normality, at stopping looting, at getting water and electricity running and reopening the schools. Later he describes revisiting Iraq as a civilian and finding it a country where the West's heavy handed and sometimes inept government has allowed the insurgency that he fought so hard to flourish.
Once back in the UK he was accused of war crimes. His anger at the way that the military system that he so believed in failed to offer him support is palpable. So too is his relief when the charges against him were found to be groundless.
This is not always a comfortable book, but it is gripping and in many places moving. If you want a view of part of modern history from the sharp end then this may be the book for you.
Headline Review, 496 pages