Recent Reads

Here is another entry in the very irregular series. Four books and what I thought of them.


In the order of how I'd most highly rate them;


1. Bill Bryson - At Home.
Very interesting read. Easy going, thought provoking, well researched. Slightly smug, slightly repetitive but overall a book I'd recommend to others. Its basically him doing a walk round his house, stopping at all the different rooms and talking about how domestic living has evolved- i.e. why we come to have salt and pepper on the table, how cutlery evolved. Its interest works in that it makes you see the history in the things we see every day and take for granted. 8/10.


2. Chris Evans - Memoirs of a Fruitcake.
An insight into an interesting stage in his life. He had and lost loads of cash. Made loads of rash purchases, drank way too much and generally acted like a proper jack the lad. Wish fulfilment right? Quite a cautionary tale, and when you see how Gazza turned out you can see how the wheels could have well and truly come off. Again a very easy to read book and worth checking out. 7/10.


3. Louise Wener - Just for One Day.
Another memoir, this time from the singer in the band 'Sleeper'. I saw this band a few times back in the day. Interesting from this point of view but ultimately its not quite as enjoyable as Evans' book. Quite a cautionary tale for people wanting to be successful in the music industry, and written around the time that 'indie' was a commodity that the big record companies were taking over. 7/10


4. Howard Jacobson - The Finkler Question.
Good read. Interesting discussions about Judaism, and Israel, and relationships and bereavement. But...I think where this book falls down is in the publicity for it. The publishers have branded it with all sorts of quotes about how side splitting hilarious it all is. I didn't laugh once. I don't think I even smiled. Mismarketing, definitely. Nevertheless a good book. Quite London-y, all about different places in London, and people who work in the BBC etc. Its like how sometimes books and films can be a bit too 'New York'ish. This is too London ish. 6/10.