Be Excellent To Each Other

10.How Westminster Works and Why It Doesn't by Ian Dunt

Around 20 years ago (probably closer to a quarter century now), I was watching a lecture by a prominent broadcaster who during the questions mentioned his personal view that "this country is terribly governed" regardless of party. It's stuck with me for many years and throughout my own studies, wider reading, and general life experience it's a view I've never completely shaken.

Sweary podcast king Ian Dunt takes us through the institutional and political failings of the Commons, the government, the civil service, and the media, drawing on contemporary interviews with many leading figures across the political spectrum (how I would have loved to have watch him interview Peter Bone!). I felt that whilst the case studies are new and provide ample modern examples to draw on, the underlying analysis and the lingering sense of futility isn't. But it's a highly enjoyable and concise read, with a comprehensive bibliography for further reading.

The stand-out chapter is the section on the 2021 retreat from Afghanistan. I got so angry reading about what happened, especially the dog lift, that I had to put the book down and get a stiff drink rather than throw it across the room. If you read anything this year, read this.

A depressing but necessary summary of the failings of our constitution, institutions, and leaders. Well worth reading.

11. Everybody Wins: Four Decades of the Greatest Board Games Ever Made by James Wallis

This big, glossy, photo-heavy hardback is far better than I was expecting. Not only does Wallis summarise every winner of the coveted Spiel Des Jahres red pawn, he discusses if the game's worth playing today (TL;DR some are, some should be destroyed with fire), and what else was around at the time. It also tracks the changing tastes and ideas in board gaming from its inception to now (= 2022). He's not afraid to be scathing where necessary

Some poor design choices (white text on a yellow call-out? Seriously?!) but worth dabbling with if you're into modern board games. I got mine from the library: I'm not sure it's something I'd buy given BoardGameGeek exists although it's definitely ideal for dipping in and out of during quiet moments.

Starting late, but summarising the books I've read so far in 2023 (most in the last couple of weeks)...

1. Alien, by Alan Dean Foster
2. Aliens, by Alan Dean Foster
3. Alien 3, by (you guessed it) Alan Dean Foster
4. Jack Reacher: One Shot -- I mistakenly thought this was the first Reacher book, probably because it's the one that the first Tom Cruise movie was based on.
5. Jack Reacher: Killing Floor -- this one *is* the first Reacher book, and is what the TV series was based on.

Currently working through the next Reacher book (Die Trying) but after that I'm going to switch over to The Last Day by Andrew Hunter Murray (of No Such Thing As A Fish fame)

The Old Man - Thomas Perry. I liked the start of the TV series but thought it lost its way, so figured I'd just read the book for closure. They've made some good changes for the series, keeping the heart of this, but like the Bourne stuff, the book is not as good as the screen, just good material. Still, I enjoyed it and whizzed through it in a day; decent espionage and action bits, poorer in dialogue and human relations (but having seen the TV bit I could just picture Jeff Bridges being more convincing).

Rutherford and Fry's Guide to Absolutely Everything - Rutherford and Fry. Decent explanations of science, for a non-science audience, with the presenter/author's personalities still present.

6.) Tombs of Atuan - Ursula K. Le Guin.
Second of the Earthsea books - I really like these and ploughed through this one in an afternoon. A priestess finds a Wizard going to find a thing in a spooky labyrinth!

12.The Theory of Everything Else by Dan Schreiber
A look at cranky beliefs throughout history, especially those held by Nobel prize winners and others who might be expected to know better. A bit of light fun and weirdness including a glowing raccoon.

Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel

Absolutely loved this. Across three timelines, there's an anomaly witnessed. It's a great read, and lovely.

Recommend this!

We have people that have a list they strip the details from and people that use spoiler tags and people that do both...

And then we have Mali

How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu. Melting ice-caps reveal a deadly virus that spreads, causing death and destruction. The book follows different stories, a scientist at first, a comic with a new job jollying kids along to euthanasia, an exploratory ship. It's almost a series of short stories, except they're cleverly interlinked. It's science fiction, and obviously a pandemic book, but thoughtful, clever, and an exploration of a possible future. The setting is bleak, yet people keep falling in love - and that's never tedious for repetition, just nicely handled. It's under 300 pages but epic in scale. Proper good sci-fi, with satirical and predictive elements, rooted in humanity.

13.A Bit of a Stretch by Chris Atkins

Middle class filmmaker goes to prison; hangs out with other white collar crims; they get all the good jobs.

A bit harsh, but that's how he describes his time at HMP Wandsworth. His descriptions of the petty bureaucracy, the drug abuse, and the mental health problems prisoners face are pretty stark, but he intersperses it with the everyday humour and humanity of prison life.

1. Alien, by Alan Dean Foster
2. Aliens, by Alan Dean Foster
3. Alien 3, by (you guessed it) Alan Dean Foster
4. Jack Reacher: One Shot -- I mistakenly thought this was the first Reacher book, probably because it's the one that the first Tom Cruise movie was based on.
5. Jack Reacher: Killing Floor -- this one *is* the first Reacher book, and is what the TV series was based on.
6. Jack Reacher: Die Trying -- wasn't quite as enjoyable as the other two, perhaps because I struggle to form pictures in my head, but still a good read.

Contrary to my last post, I'm now moving on to The Colour of Magic by Pratchett.

Jack Reacher: Tie Dyeing is what I read that as. But yeah, probably quite visual. Lots of swirly colours.

14. Jingo by Terry Pratchett

The Watch get caught up in the complexities of geopolitics. They're always a joy but Pratchett's satire is a bit too obvious and clunky here.

Utopia Avenue - David Mitchell. The story of a fictional band in the 60s, the story of the band and its members. Daringly includes encounters with real celebs and musicians which mostly work, at least till some parties later on when there are a few too many, and some very bland bantz. We're not quite in "that's my name, don't wear it out!" territory, but it's close. But the story rocks along, even surviving a very strange chapter or two covering mental illness/magic which is I suppose a hefty nod to 60s psychadelia. The descriptions of gigs, successful and not, are excellent and moving, and the whole is brilliant. It's long, but rolls along happily.

7.) South by Java Head - Alistair MacLean
Not bad, but honestly just felt like a string of stuff that happened all in a row, rather than an actual story. All highly improbable and slightly daft.

The Terraformers - Annalee Newitz

The story of a planet made to be sold to people to live on as a holiday place, and those who take care of it through its life.

Yeah, I didn't like this
The first third was good, the second not so much, the third took a nose dive. Avoid.

15. Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Heard a lot about this, both here and elsewhere, so gave it a go. Loved it. Gripped all the way through.

I also liked Children of Time. There are two more in the series for you to read now

Eversion by Alistair Reynolds

A vice enjoying surgeon joins a ship's crew on a private expedition to find a mysterious structure to gain fame and fortune in the absolutely brilliant mystery horror novel.

It was 99p so grab it on Kindle. I loved every page.

I read that as "Eurovision" at first and was very surprised by the summary.

8.) Sharpe's Triumph - Bernard Cornwell
The second Sharpe novel ( chronologically ). Sharpe has an adventure, kills some foreigns at the Battle of Assaye, meets the Duke of Wellington and gets promoted! A nice easy read with a bit of intrigue and action and historical shenanigans. My dad had the full set, so I'm going to slowly work my way through. Next stop, Sharpe's Fortress!

I got the DVD boxed set a few years back. Unfortunately the recording quality makes it unwatchable on a TV of any decent size

Yes I have the same baox set, it is a shame.

And since it was likely shot on video, it'll never look any better.

It'll never be.... sharp

I haven't got as far as the TV series yet, as they were written out of order and the ones I'm reading now were written after the TV show started. I liked the show, although i haven't watched it for ages, but i do remember them trying quite hard to hide the fact they could only afford about 15 extras for the battle scenes.