After reading through this book, I am still struggling to find a point to it. Most of the hints and tips seemed aimed at navigation in the UK if you hAfter reading through this book, I am still struggling to find a point to it. Most of the hints and tips seemed aimed at navigation in the UK if you happen to find yourself lost on Dartmoor, in the dark, in heavy fog, without your mobile phone or map and compass, or in one of our more remote forest 'wildernesses'. The hints and tips in themselves seem much more effort to learn than they are worth on the off-chance you are stuck in such circumstances - I don't know a red admiral from a rear admiral. The one interesting facet of the book is his trip to Borneo, where he uses the most abundant resource to navigate in foreign terrain to good effect - local people, guides and knoweldge. Curiously, this isnt dedicated a chapter or two. So, not for me - I'll continue wandering around the Himalayas, rural France and Spain and elsewhere without knowing which way the wind is blowing. ...more
Intensely dull. Try as I might, as an LFC fan, to like this I felt it didn't really provide much insight apart from a repeat of 'press, counter-press, Intensely dull. Try as I might, as an LFC fan, to like this I felt it didn't really provide much insight apart from a repeat of 'press, counter-press, do a rondo, be brave. Boys - what an effort. Top. Jurgen great'.
I think this could have all been said in a pamphlet 10 pages long. Even for a die-hard fan like me, I can't recommend this one. ...more
Like reading a classic black-and-white noir from the 30s. The language hasn't dated well, but that lends to the authenticity.Like reading a classic black-and-white noir from the 30s. The language hasn't dated well, but that lends to the authenticity....more
If you like Partridge, you'll like this. It fades in the last 50 pages, but some classic cringe-worthy phrases in here are Partridge at his best (realIf you like Partridge, you'll like this. It fades in the last 50 pages, but some classic cringe-worthy phrases in here are Partridge at his best (really his worst)....more
I enjoyed this one in the end. There were about 200-300 pages before the ending where I thought 'where is this going', it felt like a lot of padding wI enjoyed this one in the end. There were about 200-300 pages before the ending where I thought 'where is this going', it felt like a lot of padding with no direction and I was getting bored with it, but the ending ties it up so well that it was worth continuing to the end.
The 'secret' of the affliction where the book gets its name from is fascinating, but I felt the author could have cut out a lot of the medical jargon - it seemed like a lot of showing off.
There are a few other issues with the book, but my bugbear with this one is the Dick Van Dyke level of the Glaswegian dialect, the 'No Mean City' cliches associated with the city and stating that the Royal Infirmary is in the Gorbals - its a mile and a half up the hill in Townhead.
So, 3 1/2 stars rounded up to 4 because of the book's finale. ...more
A promising start unfulfilled by a plodding narrative that ultimately doesn't make a lot of sense. Stephen King would have a field day with the style A promising start unfulfilled by a plodding narrative that ultimately doesn't make a lot of sense. Stephen King would have a field day with the style - it's not brilliantly written. Folks who like really slow-burn romance may enjoy this one, but not for me....more
A tale of a near-future dystopian Ireland that tears itself apart after instilling a populist government that turns right-wing and then fascist. The tA tale of a near-future dystopian Ireland that tears itself apart after instilling a populist government that turns right-wing and then fascist. The trope is hackneyed, but the telling is credible and well-tempoed. My only issue is the odd flight into purple prose that holds the narrative up and times, but overall seems like a worthy winner of the Booker....more
There are some interesting anecdotes in this one, for example being locked in a love hotel. Its fairly light reading so enjoyable overall but I felt iThere are some interesting anecdotes in this one, for example being locked in a love hotel. Its fairly light reading so enjoyable overall but I felt it lacked the insight or fish-out-of-water commentary I was hoping for from someone who had lived in Japan for 10 years. I think most of what is referenced in here had been covered many years ago by 'Clive James on Television'. Still, enjoyable enough but I'm now looking for something that deep-dives into the culture. Any recommendations gratefully received. ...more
There are a couple of clever premises that this book covers: is it acceptable for a non-Asian to write on on Asian subjects? The author is Asian, writThere are a couple of clever premises that this book covers: is it acceptable for a non-Asian to write on on Asian subjects? The author is Asian, writing as a Caucasian, who is masquerading as an Asian writer... The second is the author's critique of the publishing industry and how best-sellers are chosen by the major publishers based on marketability rather than merit. This book falls within that category. So, it should have been interesting. But, I found myself yawning when reading this one. The problem is the protagonist: there wasn't enough to garner my sympathy and so I just didn't care whether she was rumbled or not. I also found the internet trolling passages overdone - I think we've all seen enough of that stuff to realise what its like....more
A brilliant pan-generational love story set against the horrors of the Spanish Civil War and then the military dictatorship in Chile. Beautifully writA brilliant pan-generational love story set against the horrors of the Spanish Civil War and then the military dictatorship in Chile. Beautifully written, educational and inspirational....more
This one is a page-turner but overdoes it in terms of trying to keep the tension going through the protagonists' continued ill-fortune. Worth a read bThis one is a page-turner but overdoes it in terms of trying to keep the tension going through the protagonists' continued ill-fortune. Worth a read but I don't think it'll stay with me....more
There are so many reviews on here that will surpass mine in terms of detail, suffice to say this deserves all the accolades its received over the yearThere are so many reviews on here that will surpass mine in terms of detail, suffice to say this deserves all the accolades its received over the years....more
Encyclopedic, but tries to cover too much ground and assumes the reader has some intimate knowledge of some of the historical characters and periods. Encyclopedic, but tries to cover too much ground and assumes the reader has some intimate knowledge of some of the historical characters and periods. I was never sure if this was meant for the casual reader or mandated text for the author's 1st year undergrads. Still, a lot of interesting stuff in there in pockets....more
Good fun as a sacrilegious road trip. Written Pratchett-style, I couldn't help but compare it to the Life of Brian. There's nothing in the same class Good fun as a sacrilegious road trip. Written Pratchett-style, I couldn't help but compare it to the Life of Brian. There's nothing in the same class as the scene on Roman grammar or Peoples's Liberation Front of Judea versus the Judean People's Liberation Front in here for laughs, but there are a few good one-liners that had me smiling....more
This one didn't grab me. It only occasionally came to life with the human aspects of the climb and was too focused on the technical for me. Add to theThis one didn't grab me. It only occasionally came to life with the human aspects of the climb and was too focused on the technical for me. Add to the bizarre grammar and punctuation in the version I read it didn't read coherently. Savage arena is much better and I'd recommend you start with that one of his....more
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