His name is Andrew Durgan. He’s written several books on the Spanish civil war, and was also an advisor to Ken Loach on his film ‘Land and freedom’.
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Your best ever read, or the book that changed your mind.
- Thread starter mervyn
- Start date
I’ve been a fan of Charles Dickens since I was a youngster and used to watch serialisations of his books on television, although he has written some classics my favourite is the last of his Christmas books The Haunted Man.
I’m currently reading Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts, a sort of autobiography of his life after escaping from prison in Australia and moving to India on a false passport.
I’m currently reading Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts, a sort of autobiography of his life after escaping from prison in Australia and moving to India on a false passport.
I have been reading a few football forums this season. This is the first one I have come across with a literature section.
Keep 'em coming!
Keep 'em coming!
Just started a book entitled ‘why we get the wrong politicians’, by Elizabeth Hardman, a regular on most political discussion programmes. So far a really fascinating insight into just how hard it is to become an MP.
Me too re Orwell, I like my fiction books with a political underpinning. My favourite is Down and Out in London and Paris, though not one to read when you are hungry. I also liked a lot Homage to Catalonia. Bizarrely, I have not read The Road to Wigan Pier.
Matthew Syed from the Flintoff, Savage and the Ping Pong Guy podcast writes a lot of thought provoking books, such as Rebel Ideas.
Daniel Kahneman’s Fast Thinking and Thaler and Sunstein’s Nudge also make one think.
William L. Shirer’s The Rise and Fall of The Third Reich One of the best history books I have read, though recently realised that I lost my copy when we moved home a few years ago.
While I mostly read non-fiction books, I do like to read historical novels for a bit of escapism typically over Xmas or on holiday in the summer. Master and Commander, the Hornblower and Sharpe are obvious ones. More recently I have got into the Macro and Cato series by Simon Scarrow.
Daniel Kahneman’s Fast Thinking and Thaler and Sunstein’s Nudge also make one think.
William L. Shirer’s The Rise and Fall of The Third Reich One of the best history books I have read, though recently realised that I lost my copy when we moved home a few years ago.
While I mostly read non-fiction books, I do like to read historical novels for a bit of escapism typically over Xmas or on holiday in the summer. Master and Commander, the Hornblower and Sharpe are obvious ones. More recently I have got into the Macro and Cato series by Simon Scarrow.
The Great War For Civilization by Robert Fisk. Amazing book. Gives historical context to present day middle East politics.
Yes, Shirer's 'Rise and Fall' is a great book.
If you like Simon Scarrow, try his four book series on Wellington and Napoleon. The names escape me, but excellent reads.
Thank you for this. Great timing because I’d just made up my mind to read more on this period.
Good. But bear in mind that this series is fictitious (although not by much). Scarrow tries, successfully I think, to imaginatively compare Napoleon and Wellington from their upbringing and careers, right up to Waterloo. I enjoyed them.
There are, of course, many excellent biographies of both of these figures, if you prefer non fiction.
I also have an excellent book on The Peninsular War. I'll try and find the title for you...
Sapiens, A Brief History of Mankind by Yuval Noah Hariri.
A brilliant book showing the development of mankind and the influence of science and history on society. It is based on his lectures at the Hebrew University. I lent my copy to a school teacher and his reaction was that this book should be compulsory reading for A level students.
A brilliant book showing the development of mankind and the influence of science and history on society. It is based on his lectures at the Hebrew University. I lent my copy to a school teacher and his reaction was that this book should be compulsory reading for A level students.
Brilliant book. Drove my wife mad with every 5 minutes me saying ‘did you know……?’
I'll give it a go.
Anyway, the other book I was trying to think of Mervyn, is 'The Spanish Ulcer: A History of the Peninsular War' by David Gates. Quite well written, but the maps are crap (I have rarely seen a good map in a history book, which is a shame).
Great thread ..... some of the suggestions I'd echo as enjoyable bed-time reads - especially the Shardlake series by CJ Sansom - you can almost smell the Tudor period. A bit heavier (but not too much) is 'Captain Correlli's Mandolin' which I loved too (there was a crap film made of it apparently which I've deliberately avoided) . I know some people who reckon it starts slowly but I didn't find that and just thought it was great from the start. Heavier still but very moving and a really unforgettable read is 'Birdsong' by Sebastian Faulks about miners during the first world war.
One book that didn't exactly change my life but certainly changed how I look at things and may be right up your street Mervyn if it's sciencey things you like is the classic 'Selfish Gene' by Richard Dawkins. I can hear a sharp intake of breath from some as he has since become (in)famous as being an outspoken atheist that some people find objectionable. But the book is brilliant and I promise nothing about that.
It does deal with how evolution works but completely blows out the water the old fashioned 'survival of the species' idea to become the far more nuanced 'survival of the gene'. The first chapter as I recall may appear bleak by focusing on the harsh 'selfish' aspects of nature .... BUT there is redemption (if you'll pardon the religious connotations Mr Dawkins) when he explains how altruism evolved. Better still it explains using the mathematical principles of 'game theory' (nothing too heavy) why being co-operative and well, 'nice' to your neighbours is a much better survival strategy than being selfish for social creatures like us ...... it also explains though why some selfishness will persist in populations and has never quite been wiped out by natural selection. Fascinating stuff.
One book that didn't exactly change my life but certainly changed how I look at things and may be right up your street Mervyn if it's sciencey things you like is the classic 'Selfish Gene' by Richard Dawkins. I can hear a sharp intake of breath from some as he has since become (in)famous as being an outspoken atheist that some people find objectionable. But the book is brilliant and I promise nothing about that.
It does deal with how evolution works but completely blows out the water the old fashioned 'survival of the species' idea to become the far more nuanced 'survival of the gene'. The first chapter as I recall may appear bleak by focusing on the harsh 'selfish' aspects of nature .... BUT there is redemption (if you'll pardon the religious connotations Mr Dawkins) when he explains how altruism evolved. Better still it explains using the mathematical principles of 'game theory' (nothing too heavy) why being co-operative and well, 'nice' to your neighbours is a much better survival strategy than being selfish for social creatures like us ...... it also explains though why some selfishness will persist in populations and has never quite been wiped out by natural selection. Fascinating stuff.
