Audiobooks – October 2023

Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World by Henry Grabar

Parking, it’s history and economics, land use and zoning. A fun, accessible book that might be good introduction to those new to the topic. 3/5

American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin

The source of the recent film. Comprehensive although not straying far from the subject and an easy read. 4/5

How 1954 changed History by Michael Flamm

A short series of lectures about major (mainly US) events during 1954 from medicine to politics to popular culture. A nice quick read. 3/5

Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration by Ed Catmull with Amy Wallace

A combination memoir, company history and management advice book. Works well for all 3. 4/5

My Rating 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
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Audiobooks – September 2023

When the heavens went on sale: The Misfits and Geniuses Racing to Put Space Within Reach by Ashlee Vance

Covers 4 rocket companies trying to follow SpaceX: Astra, Firefly, Planet Labs, and Rocket Labs. Good overview companies and their founders. 4/5

A Crime in Holland by Georges Simenon

Inspector Maigret travels to the Netherlands to assist a French professor who is suspected of murder. He is hampered by language barriers & lack of jurisdiction. 3/5

The Ultimate Engineer: The Remarkable Life of NASA’s Visionary Leader George M. Low by Richard Jurek

The biography of a senior NASA administrator during the Apollo era. Interesting although a bit less technical than most NASA books 3/5

Five Came Back: A Story of Hollywood and the Second World War by Mark Harris

The story of five legendary Hollywood who joined the US military in World War 2 to make films for the armed services. Great book, definitely recommend. 4/5

  • 5/5 = Brilliant, top 5 book of the year
  • 4/5 = Above average, strongly recommend
  • 2/5 = Disappointing
  • 1/5 = Did not like at all
  • 3/5 = Average. in the middle 70% of books I read
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Audiobooks – August 2023

America, Empire Of Liberty by David Reynolds

90 * 15 minute episodes covering US history. A fun listen although obviously not a huge amount of detail. 3/5

The Night at the Crossroads by Georges Simenon

When a perplexing murder occurs outside Paris, Inspector Maigret arrives at an isolated intersection marked only by two houses and a dingy garage. 3/5

Outlive꞉ The Science and Art of Longevity by Peter Attia

Lots of advice on how to extend your [healthy] years well above the average. Plenty of good advice even if you can’t follow it all. 3/5

Tehanu by Ursula K. Le Guin

The forth Earthsea Book, it follows Tenar (from The Tombs of Atuan) with Ged as a secondary character. Less fantasy and action than the previous books. But still interesting. 3/5

My Rating 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
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Audiobooks – July 2023

Hollywood: The Oral History by Jeanine Basinger, Sam Wasson

Extracts from hundreds of Interviews by the American Film Institute. Great coverage of the Studio System especially. 4/5

Maigret and the Yellow Dog by Georges Simenon.

In the 6th Maigret Book. The leading citizens of a village are being attacked. Maigret must determine why and by whom. 3/5

Beyond Blue Skies: The Rocket Plane Programs That Led to the Space Age by Chris Petty

An account of the US Rocket Plane programs including the X-1 and X-15. Emphasizes the people, politics and stories 4/5

My Rating 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
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Audiobooks – June 2023

The Player of Games by Iain M. Banks

A Culture novel about an expert game player who goes on a mission to an Empire built on a complex game. Interesting and recommended. 4/5

The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 by Garrett M. Graff

Interwoven accounts of the day from participants. 4/5

Last Man Standing by Craig A. Falconer

Lone Man tries to survive space emergency. Tries to be the next “The Martian” but doesn’t succeed. Science flaky. Many people like but I gave up at 30% through 2/5

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
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Audiobooks – May 2023

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
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Audiobooks – April 2023

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
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Audiobooks – March 2023

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
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Audiobooks – February 2023

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
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AudioBooks – January 2023

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
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