Category: Misc

Napoleon: A Life by Andrew Roberts

A moderately detailed biography single-volume biography that gets good reviews. I could mostly follow the action (except perhaps some of the battles) and characters. Would definitely recommend 4/5

Open: An Autobiography by Andre Agassi

A fairly good memoir by the tennis player. Covers both professional and personal life. The match descriptions work quite well. 3/5

My Scoring System

• 5/5 = Brilliant, top 5 book of the year
• 4/5 = Above average, strongly recommend
• 3/5 = Average. in the middle 70% of books I read
• 2/5 = Disappointing
• 1/5 = Did not like at all

1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created by Charles C. Mann

Mostly covering the Colombian Exchange between the Old and New Worlds. With stories of goods, species and people going in both directions. 4/5

The Late Monsieur Gallet by Georges Simenon

A salesman is found shot dead. Maigret finds he was leading a double life, but to what end and why does the case not make sense? 3/5

The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company by Robert Iger

Covers his career before CEO up to his original retirement. Lots of interesting stores and some tips for managers. 4/5

A Man’s Head by Georges Simenon

Suspicious a convicted murderer is innocent Maigret arranges his escape and surveillance. One mysterious man directly challenges Maigret to solve the mysterious web of people around the case. 3/5

Dreams of other worlds: The Amazing Story of Unmanned Space Exploration by Chris Impey and Holly Henry

The story of 12 unmanned space missions. Not as detailed as I’d like, around half of each mission’s chapter goes off on tangents but still good. 3/5

The Hanged Man of Saint-Pholien by Georges Simenon

An unexpected suicide leads Maigret to a pretentious group of youths and another suicide ten years previous. 3/5

Lucky: How Joe Biden Barely Won the Presidency by Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes

Covering the 2020 US Presidential primaries and election. Mostly from the Democratic side. Reasonably good but not quite up to the 2008/2012 books. 4/5

My Audiobook Scoring System

• 5/5 = Brilliant, top 5 book of the year
• 4/5 = Above average, strongly recommend
• 3/5 = Average. in the middle 70% of books I read
• 2/5 = Disappointing
• 1/5 = Did not like at all

Pictures at a Revolution: Five Movies and the Birth of the New Hollywood by Mark Harris

The story of the conception, making and release of the 5 Best Picture Nominees at the 1968 Oscars. 4 Classic films and one Bomb. Great book, Highly recommend. 4/5

The Great North Road: London to Edinburgh – 11 Days, 2 Wheels and 1 Ancient Highway by Steve Silk

A mix of travel and history (a 100 year old guide is used and compared). A nice relaxing read. 3/5

Learn Like a Pro: Science-Based Tools to Become Better at Anything by Barbara Oakley

A good general book on learning and study techniques. 3/5

Firepower: How Weapons Shaped Warfare by Paul Lockhart

How weapons developments from 1300 to the end of WW2 shaped how wars were fought at the tactical and operation level. Very interesting, recommended. 4/5

Pietr the Latvian by Georges Simenon

The First Inspector Maigret detective story. A dead body and a live businessman are both match the description of a notorious fraudster. A short interesting listen. 3/5

Build: An Unorthodox Guide to Making Things Worth Making by Tony Fadell

The author talks about his career (at including helping create the ipod, iphone and Nest) and lessons about building products and companies. 4/5

The Crime at Lock 14 by Georges Simenon

A woman’s body is found in a stable near a canal and Inspector Maigret is called to investigate. Her upper-class but disreputable English husband is suspected. Lots of descriptions of Canal life 3/5

Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

An authorised (although with plenty of warts) biography of the Apple Founder and CEO. Well written, detailed and interesting. 4/5

The Farthest Shore by Ursula K. Le Guin

Throughout Earthsea magic is dying and people are sicking or going mad. Archmage Sparrowhawk and young Prince set out to investigate. A very real-feeling story. 4/5

My Audiobook Scoring System

• 5/5 = Brilliant, top 5 book of the year
• 4/5 = Above average, strongly recommend
• 3/5 = Average. in the middle 70% of books I read
• 2/5 = Disappointing
• 1/5 = Did not like at all

The Rules of the Game: Jutland and British Naval Command by Andrew Gordon

A very detailed account of the battle of Jutland and British Navel Culture. So detailed I gave up trying to follow the Audiobook but would work better if printed. 3/5

Wings of War: The World War II Fighter Plane that Saved the Allies and the Believers Who Made It Fly by David Fairbank White

The History of the P-51 Mustang through 3 people. Designer Edgar Schmued, Tommy Hitchcock, the man who fought for its adoption, and Don Blakeslee, an ace who flew it. 3/5

The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula K. Le Guin,

The 2nd Earthsea book. A girl grows up as a high priestess until one day Sparrowhawk comes to rob her temple. 3/5

1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus by Charles C. Mann

Nominally a history of the people’s of the pre-Columbian Americas. Covers the population, age and sophistication of the civilizations based on recent discoveries. 4/5

Geniuses at War: Bletchley Park, Colossus, and the Dawn of the Digital Age by David A. Price

A short book on the Bletchley Park code-breaking efforts of WW2. A general overview concentrating on a few characters with much left under-covered. 4/5

An Unfinished Life: John F. Kennedy, 1917–1963 by Robert Dallek

Good account of life and Presidency although only single volume and the audiobook is further abridged. Well worth it as a first JFK biography. 4/5

Tomorrow’s People: The Future of Humanity in Ten Numbers by Paul Morland

A review of some demographic trends and what they tell us how the world will look in the future. 4/5

Countdown to Pearl Harbor: The Twelve Days to the Attack by Steve Twomey

A chronicle of why America was unprepared for the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor. Detailed but a nice and interesting read. 4/5

My Audiobook Scoring System

• 5/5 = Brilliant, top 5 book of the year
• 4/5 = Above average, strongly recommend
• 3/5 = Average. in the middle 70% of books I read
• 2/5 = Disappointing
• 1/5 = Did not like at all

Colditz Prisoners of the Castle by Ben Macintyre

A good contrast to the “Boys Own” versions by Pat Reid I read as a kid. Covers lots of other viewpoints including from the Germans. Recommended 4/5

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Last read July 2021. A semi-repeat of The Martin where a lone astronaut has to science the shit out of a bad situation. This time to save humanity. 4/5

Seven Games: A Human History by Oliver Roeder

Working through increased complexity of Checkers, backgammon, chess, and Go. Poker, Scrabble, and bridge the author looks at how humans and computers play them. 4/5

Daily Rituals: How Artists Work by Mason Curry

161 short articles about the work habits of authors, artists, composers and the like. Interesting with some ideas one can potentially adopt. 3/5

The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Man: A Memoir by Paul Newman

Based on tapes recordings made by the actor and those that knew him. Honest and Deep rather than broad and concentrating on his early life and career. 4/5

A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin

Classic Children’s Fantasy story that I haven’t read since I was a kid. Told in a very epic tone and language. Good although I missed the map on audiobook. 4/5

My Audiobook Scoring System

• 5/5 = Brilliant, top 5 book of the year
• 4/5 = Above average, strongly recommend
• 3/5 = Average. in the middle 70% of books I read
• 2/5 = Disappointing
• 1/5 = Did not like at all

The Years of Lyndon Johnson. Book Four: The Passage of Power by Robert Caro

Covers 1958-1964. Especially the 1960 Democratic primary and election, Johnson’s unhappy Vice Presidency and the first months of his Presidency. As good as the others in the series. 4/5

England’s Villages: An Extraordinary Journey Through Time by Dr Ben Robinson

An archaeologist writes about the evolution of English Villages, their people, buildings, names and forms. Okay but not exceptional. 3/5

Jefferson: Architect of American Liberty by John B. Boles

A good single volume biography. Works hard to explain Jefferson’s attitudes especially on slavery. Good coverage and easy to follow. 4/5

Shutdown: How Covid Shook the World’s Economy by Adam Tooze

Covering roughly 2020 plus a few months on each side it mostly concentrates on the government and central bank measures to stabilise economies. 3/5

Doing Good Better: Effective Altruism and How You Can Make a Difference by William MacAskill

A Introduction to Effective Ultruism and how you can do the most good in the world via carefully picking charities to give to and other alternatives. 4/5

Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli: The Epic Story of the Making of The Godfather by Mark Seal

Covers the writing of the book by Puzo, adapting and then filming it. Lots of Behind the scenes stories. A fun read 4/5

The 2020 Commission Report on the North Korean Nuclear Attacks Against the United States by Jeffrey Lewis

A future/alternative history where Trump’s America fights North Korea. Well done and relatively plausible. 4/5

My Audiobook Scoring System

• 5/5 = Brilliant, top 5 book of the year
• 4/5 = Above average, strongly recommend
• 3/5 = Average. in the middle 70% of books I read
• 2/5 = Disappointing
• 1/5 = Did not like at all

Calculating God by Robert J. Sawyer

Aliens arrive on present-day Earth and one befriends a Canadian paleontologist. These of religion & alien civilizations are covered. Good read. 3/5

Working: Researching, Interviewing, Writing by Robert A Caro

A series of articles on the author’s process & experiences researching and writing his biographies. Short but interesting. 4/5

Consider Phlebas by Iain M. Banks

A “spy story” within a interstellar conflict, it introduces “The Culture” civilization. Reasonable main character and lots of stuff for Hard Core SF fans. 3/5

The Hunt for Vulcan: . . . And How Albert Einstein Destroyed a Planet, Discovered Relativity, and Deciphered the Universe by Thomas Levenson

Fun story following a few main characters (Thomas Edison has a cameo). 4/5

My Audiobook Scoring System

• 5/5 = Brilliant, top 5 book of the year
• 4/5 = Above average, strongly recommend
• 3/5 = Average. in the middle 70% of books I read
• 2/5 = Disappointing
• 1/5 = Did not like at all

The Man from the Future: The Visionary Life of John von Neumann by Ananyo Bhattacharya

A good overview of von Neumann’s life and introduction to his most important work. An accessible read that keeps things interesting. 3/5

Sam Walton: Made in America by Sam Walton

Covers the authors life and especially the creation and growth of Walmart. Lots of details about running the business and the industry. 4/5

The Other Side of History: Daily Life in the Ancient World by Robert Garland

48 lectures covering daily life in Egypt, Greece, Rome and Medieval Britain. Plus a few other times & places. Quite interesting. 3/5

We Don’t Need Roads: The Making of the Back to the Future Trilogy by Caseen Gaines

An overview of the making of the movies. Some good stories and I’m sorry it wasn’t longer 3/5

The Hidden Habits of Genius: Beyond Talent, IQ, and Grit—Unlocking the Secrets of Greatness by Craig M. Wright

The “14 key traits of genius, from curiosity to creative maladjustment to obsession”. Some interesting stories but not much really actionable. 2/5

My Audiobook Scoring System

• 5/5 = Brilliant, top 5 book of the year
• 4/5 = Above average, strongly recommend
• 3/5 = Average. in the middle 70% of books I read
• 2/5 = Disappointing
• 1/5 = Did not like at all

Washington: A life by Ron Chernow

Very well written single-volume biography of the president. Covers his whole life in detail without being boring. Strong recommend. 5/5

The WEIRDest People in the World: How the West Became Psychologically Peculiar and Particularly Prosperous by Joseph Henrich

How the “normal” psychology of western individuals differs from other societies and how it got that way. Interesting ideas and a good read. 3/5

Dress Codes: How the Laws of Fashion Made History by Richard Thompson Ford

A mix of fashion orientated and enforced dress codes. I found the pre-1900 stuff more interesting than then later US-centric stories. 3/5

FDR by Jean Edward Smith

Biography of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Extensive but not comprehensive, so some gaps where I wanted more. Would recommend though. 4/5

My Audiobook Scoring System

• 5/5 = Brilliant, top 5 book of the year
• 4/5 = Above average, strongly recommend
• 3/5 = Average. in the middle 70% of books I read
• 2/5 = Disappointing
• 1/5 = Did not like at all