Read my reviews of books, and assorted matters – such as why I love printed books.
Set in the late 16th century, SJ Parris’s Heresy follows the travails of a novice English spy, Giordano Bruno, on his first mission – to hunt out a Catholic conspiracy at Oxford. … Read the full post »
Former Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron has a new book out about his journey from a childhood in Preston through to his resignation as party leader. … Read the full post »
Which book has most challenged your previous political views, putting them under heavy strain or even changing them? … Read the full post »
A few years back, The Guardian’s ran a feature, A book that changed me: we want your choices, which got me thinking about which book most influenced my political views. … Read the full post »
If you have been involved in grassroots electoral campaigning, reading Rasmus Kleis Nielsen’s study of the grassroots part of two Democrat campaigns from the 2008 Congressional elections in the US is likely to produce a mix of two responses. … Read the full post »
Although published now nearly a century ago – in 1927 – Harold Lamb’s highly successful biography Genghis Khan: Emperor of All Men is still well worth a read. … Read the full post »
The question of how Margaret Thatcher won power in 1979 has become rather topical again as supporters of Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn argue that her victory shows you don’t need to tack to the centre ground to win elections. … Read the full post »
Did the author Lewis Carroll ever visit Llandudno in Wales? It is a hard question to track down the answer to as this book sets out. … Read the full post »
Fraser’s skill in mixing the stories of individuals with the story of social tensions brings out the frequent difficulty in deciding quite who or what behaviour is beyond the pale. … Read the full post »
“In his own words” is a collection which brings together forty-three of Tony Blair’s speeches, articles and similar items stretching from 1982 to 2004. … Read the full post »