Brian.

Amsterdam by Ian McEwan Synopsis When good-time, fortysomething Molly Lane dies of an unspecified degenerative illness, her many friends and numerous lovers are led to think about their own mortality. Vernon Halliday, editor of the up-market newspaper The Judge, persuades his old friend Clive Linley, a self-indulgent composer of some reputation, to enter into a euthanasia pact with him. Should either of them succumb to such an illness, the other will effect his death. From this point onwards we are in little doubt as to the novel's outcome--it's only a matter of who will kill whom. In the meantime, compromising photographs of Molly's most distinguished lover, foreign secretary Julian Garmony, have found their way into the hands of the press, and as rumours circulate he teeters on the edge of disgrace. (Taken from Amazon) My Thoughts The best way I can describe my feeling towards this book is 'meh'. Its just as well its a short book as I think I would have discarded it before the end otherwise. I picked it up because of some of the reviews I had read and whilst it wont put me off McEwan's work I just wasn't feeling it. I didn't really engage with any of the characters and apart from being horrified that Clive stood by whilst a woman was attacked it didnt move me at all. The ending came as a little surprising but not enough to cause me to change my opinions on it. I'm sure that this book isnt bad, its just not for me. If anyone wants this let me know, its up for grab. 4/10 Must post these more frequently.

I hadnt noticed that, it certainly wasnt intentional. I'm thinking of doing the World Books challenge so Snow would help knock one off the list.

Well despite promising myself that I wouldnt buy anymore books I just couldnt resist picking up a couple in Waterstones. Money - Martin Amis Amsterdam - Ian McEwan Snow - Orhan Pamuk Junky - William Burroughs

I don't mind what condition they are in as long as they are readable especially if its something I've been wanting to read for a while. I've got so many books that its madness me keeping them just for the sake of keeping them as I very rarely re-read anything.

Tokyo Vice by Jake Adelstein Synopsis From the only American journalist ever to have been admitted to the insular Tokyo Metropolitan Police press club: a unique, firsthand, revelatory look at Japanese culture from the underbelly up. At nineteen, Jake Adelstein went to Japan in search of peace and tranquility. What he got was a life of crime ...crime reporting, that is, at the prestigious Yomiuri Shinbun. For twelve years of eighty-hour workweeks, he covered the seedy side of Japan, where extortion, murder, human trafficking, and corruption are as familiar as ramen noodles and sake. But when his final scoop brought him face to face with Japan's most infamous yakuza boss - and the threat of death for him and his family - Adelstein decided to step down ...momentarily. Then, he fought back. In Tokyo Vice, Adelstein tells the riveting, often humorous tale of his journey from an inexperienced cub reporter - who made rookie mistakes like getting into a martial-arts battle with a senior editor - to a daring, investigative journalist with a price on his head. With its vivid, visceral descriptions of crime in Japan and an exploration of the world of modern-day yakuza that even few Japanese ever see, Tokyo Vice is a deeply thought-provoking book: equal parts cultural expose, true crime, and hard-boiled noir. (Taken from Amazon) My Thoughts I picked this book up in my local Waterstones whilst browsing as it was marked up as a staff pick and I find true crime and Japanese Culture fascinating, the cover also caught my attention. The book is an account of life as an outsider on the Tokyo police beat. As an outsider he has to work extra hard to make his mark and be taken seriously as a reporter. Initially this means being given everyday inane stories to report on while learning how the whole relationship between reporters and police works. In a nutshell, you strike up a relationship with a senior police officer with gifts for them and their family and over a drink an exchange of info may occur. This is seen as perfectly normal in Japan and the alcohol gives the police officer a way out should there every be an issue. Although quite a few of the police and his colleagues refuse to deal with him some take him under their wing, probably intrigued by this strange westerner. This means that Adelstein doesn't see himself or act as an American but at the same time the Japanese don't see him as one of them. This leaves him in a very strange middle ground. The whole Yakuza situation is bizarre and almost beyond belief to someone alien to Japan. The Yakuza all dress the same as in the movies, movies they usually finance themselves. They are in organised clubs which at the time were perfectly legal and are involved in organised crime. At the same time as being involved in crime they are portrayed as not affecting the everyday man and even helping them out. Make no mistake though, they are not to be messed with. Another bizarre aspect of the story takes place in and around the 'sex' industry in Tokyo. I use the term sex loosely as the laws regarding the sex industry are complex. Adelstein makes no bones about the fact that although he doesn't fully partake in the wares he doesn't shy away from them either. During this phase he also talks about the hostess clubs where Japanese business men can can hire western women for the evening. Although sex is not specifically on the menu the under current of it is always there. It's here he in involved, albeit on the edges of the Lucie Blackman story. He is less than complimentary about the way the investigation is handled by the Japanese police. The finale of the story is his involvement with a threat from a very senior Yakuza boss. The threat is in keeping with the rest of the story, its odd. I would expect that when a crime boss decides to kill a reporter, especially a foreign one, they would just do so. In this case though, he is told to forget about his story otherwise face the consequences. I imagine that the Yakuza expected Adelstein to act like a local reporter would and heed his warning. In this case Adelstein bides his time and then hits back in the one way he knows how. In summary, this is a very good book, especially if you have an interest in true crime and Japan. It's on my swap list for those interested in it. 7/10

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon Synopsis The title The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time (or the curious incident of the dog in the night-time as it appears within the book) is an appropriate one for Mark Haddon's ingenious novel both because of its reference to that most obsessive and fact-obsessed of detectives, Sherlock Holmes, and because its lower-case letters indicate something important about its narrator. Christopher is an intelligent youth who lives in the functional hinterland of autism--every day is an investigation for him because of all the aspects of human life that he does not quite get. When the dog next door is killed with a garden fork, Christopher becomes quietly persistent in his desire to find out what has happened and tugs away at the world around him until a lot of secrets unravel messily. (Taken from Amazon) My Thoughts I've had this sitting on the TBR pile figuratively speaking since Christmas last year not knowing what it was about. I was after something that I could make short work of after 'The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest'. I read the blurb on the back and decided to give it a crack. For info, I have a family member who is Autistic so can relate to the main character although as many have stated he seems a bit forced at times. This isnt a big criticism as trying to write from the point of view of a disabled 15 year old must have been tricky to do. It was certainly a quick read, I read it in the space of a few hours thanks to its simple plot. The wandering thoughts of Christopher are required most of the time but occasionally it feels as if they are just there to fill page space. I also found it a bit of a cliche that Christopher is a bit of a maths genius. His interest in wildlife documentaries is something that I've seen in a few Autistic kids though. The story really gripped me emotionally, more so than I expected. It was difficult thinking his dad was a shhhhhhh but at the same time feeling really sympathetic with what he was dealing with at the time. The twist with the mother wasnt a huge surprise because her story early on in the book just didnt seem right. I don't know if that was intentional or not. One thing I was happy about what the way the story ended. I always prefer realistic endings to pie in the sky happy one and Christopher's declaration about his future plans were in keeping with my experiences. Reading my thoughts it would seem as though I have a bit of a downer on the book but I don't. It really moved me emotionally. If anyone wants the swap I'll be adding it to my swap list soon. 9/10

The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson Synopsis A young girl lies in a hospital room, her tattooed body very close to death -- there is a bullet lodged in her brain. Several rooms away is the man who tried to kill her, his own body grievously wounded from axe blows inflicted by the girl he has tried to kill. She is Lisbeth Salander, computer hacker and investigator, and the man is her father, a murderous Russian gangster. If Salander recovers from her injuries, she is more than likely to be put on trial for three murders -- the authorities regard her as a dangerous individual. But she won't see the inside of a courtroom if her father manages to kill her first. (Taken from Amazon) My Thoughts So finally I managed to get round to reading the last book in the Millennium trilogy. For some reason I have a habit of reading books in series quite far apart from each other and its taken me a while to get to this one. Like the other books in the series it took me a while to get into this, about 200 pages in. Some of this is probably down the gap I've left between books and also down to the new characters being introduced. Initially I was unsure how the court drama aspect of the story would work out but as it turns out its not a huge part. As with the other books once I got hooked in I couldn't stop reading, so much so that I was reading it at every opportunity. The action aspect as previously is a little daft at times but not distractingly so. One thing I've really liked about Larsson is the way he flicks between the sub-plots. I thought that he could have been a bit more ruthless with characters, a bonus death of one of the 'good guys' wouldnt have been a bad thing I think but I guess he wanted the book to have a happy ending. When I finished the book I felt regret. Regret that I had reached the end of the line. It would be great to read another story about Salander, Blomkvist, Berger etc. A great trilogy, in fact each of the books have been borrowed off me by numerous friends and work mates. 8/10

Finally managed to finish the Millenium trilogy by Steig Larsson. A bit sad that its all over now, I shall post up a review in the next few days. Unsure what to read next now though.

Its not just me who has to read certain books in utter silence. Not a problem at home but a whole other matter at work.

Bringing Down The House by Ben Mezrich Synopsis Liar's Poker meets Ocean's Eleven in Ben Mezrich's riveting story of a team of brilliant card counters who developed a system to take some of the world's most sophisticated casinos for millions of dollars. Bringing Down the House is an utterly gripping real-life thriller, and a fascinating insight into an excessive, corrupt and tightly closed world. (Taken from book cover) My Thoughts By now this is a well known story, a bunch of students from MIT with the help of a lecturer and some secret bankers take on the Vegas casinos. They do so using a deceptively simple method of card counting which although simple in theory takes a lot of concentration to pull off in the casinos. There remains the threat of being caught by security and black balled from ever casino on the strip. Mezrich relays this story in a simple but effective manner keeping the story trotting along at a fast pace. I'm very glad that I read the book before watching the movie. There are a few changes in the movie and it misses out on aspect of the story. Although the fear is solidly there the book mentions that card counting in not illegal and casino security no longer smash offenders hands with hammers as punishment. They say that fact is stranger than fiction and in this case it certainly is. 7/10

Just finished reading A Life Too Short: The Tragedy of Robert Enke by Ronnie Reng. An incredible book imo.

Life Too Short: The Tragedy of Robert Enke by Ronald Reng Synopsis On 10 November 2009 the German national goalkeeper, Robert Enke, stepped in front of a passing train. He was thirty two years old. Viewed from the outside, Enke had it all. Here was a professional goalkeeper who had played for a string of Europe’s top clubs including Jose Mourinho’s Benfica and Louis Van Gaal’s Barcelona. Enke was destined to be his country’s first choice for years to come. But beneath the bright veneer of success lay a darker story. In A Life Too Short, award-winning writer Ronald Reng pieces together the puzzle of his lost friend’s life. Reng brings into sharp relief the specific demands and fears faced by those who play top-level sport. Heartfelt, but never sentimental he tells the universal tragedy of a talented man’s struggles against his own demons.Taken from Amazon My Thoughts The story of Robert Enke captured me when it happened more than I expected. I happened to be working in Germany in September of 2009 and was back there a week after Robert killed himself. One of the things that struck me most while I was there was the effect it had on the whole nation. There was a memorial in Berlin set up by everyday people and football fans alike for a person who wasnt a huge star or a native of the city, he had also never played for Herta. With the drama with Tevez, footballers and drugs, footballers cheating on their wives this book could not be more appropriate at the moment. This book was written a year ago and I desperately wanted to read it, sadly it was written in German, a language I only have a very loose grasp of. Thanks to some coverage in The Times I found out that a translated edition was due to be released last week. I've burned through the book in some speed, wanting to read on but at the same time not wanting to reach the moment where Robert takes his life. Although the book is a biography it is also a study on depression, lonliness and the pressures of being a professional goalkeeper under constant scrutiny. It also looks at how in the macho world of professional sport being unassuming, vulnerable and suffering from mental illness is often seen as a weakness. The magic of the book is due in no small part to the fact that Ronnie Reng isnt just another journalist but was a friend of Roberts and they had talked about writing Robert's story once he (Robert) had retired. Ronnie Reng had to be persuaded to write the book by family and friends of Robert Enke with the help of diaries left behind. Thankfully Reng has been very selective in what parts of the diaries he left. There could have been the anger directed at people and accusations in the book but these have been left out with the important exception of one. This is right upn there with the very best books that I have ever had the fortune to read. At no point is it exploitative or overly morose. It is an emotional read however, I enjoyed the good times portrayed yet knew bad times were coming. I felt joy when his first attack of depression was defeated and crashing sadness when it returned. There is also the death of a young daughter which does not bring the depression back as I would have expected. This just goes to show that depression can strike at anytime without any obvious reason. The books isnt only about Robert, we get to see the efforts that his friends and especially wife have to put in to keep things together. His wife comes out as an incredibly strong and dignified person. Fittingly the book ends with Reng's only real showing of anger towards the game he loved. Huge efforts are made to hide Robert's depression due to the fact that his revealing it would have probably ended his career. For this I don't think that Reng will every love the game again in the way he once did and it makes the obcene oppulence in the game today more odious. Everyone should read this book 10/10

The Damage Done by Warren Fellows Synopsis Think about the most wretched day of your life. Maybe it was when someone you loved died, or when you were badly hurt in an accident, or a day when you were so terrified you could scarcely bear it. No imagine 4,000 of those days in one big chunk. In 1978, Warren Fellows was convicted in Thailand of heroin trafficking and was sentenced to life imprisonment. The Damage Done is his story of an unthinkable nightmare in a place where sewer rats and cockroaches are the only nutritious food, and where the worst punishment is the khun deo - solitary confinement, Thai style. Fellows was certainly guilty of his crime, but he endured and survived human-rights abuses beyond imagination. This is not his plea for forgiveness, nor his denial of guilt; it is the story of an ordeal that no one would wish on their worst enemy. It is an essential read: heartbreaking, fascinating and impossible to put down.Taken from Amazon My Thoughts I am a fairly slow reader at times unless its very quiet at work and I get a few hours to myself. When I'm at home I tend to read in short stints rather than big sessions. Time with this book however was very different. I started it one evening and didnt go to bed until I had finished it, I just couldnt put it down and for me thats a rare thing. Unlike some books I've read in the past on westerners in foreign jails, from the start Fellows states his guilt. Sometimes you tend to feel that when people do this they are somewhat proud of what they have done, not Fellows. Some stories of captivity in foreign jails tell of bad times but are inter-twined with the parties they have and the ease of getting things should you have the money. In Fellows' book there are drugs and plenty of them but at no point there is the glamourisation that sometimes occurs. Everything is nasty, brutally violent and unrelenting. There is no break in the pace of for lighter moments and I really felt the relief he felt at the end of him time prison. Tellingly there is a large section dedicated to the time after his release and how hard he found it trying to adjust to 'normal' life again. I really got a feel of the physical prison being played out for eternity afterwards mentally. His way of laying everything out on the table throws up some thoughts with me. He is guilty, of that there is no doubt so does he deserve what he got. He deserved to be locked up, of that there is no doubt but having no human rights is undeserved by anyone today. Its certainly a very stark contrast when compared with the sentence and punishment he would have received in the UK for example. 9/10

Fatherland by Robert Harris Synopsis Fatherland is set in an alternative world where Hitler has won the Second World War. It is April 1964 and one week before Hitler's 75th birthday. Xavier March, a detective of the Kriminalpolizei, is called out to investigate the discovery of a dead body in a lake near Berlin's most prestigious suburb. As March discovers the identity of the body, he uncovers signs of a conspiracy that could go to the very top of the German Reich. And, with the Gestapo just one step behind, March, together with an American journalist, is caught up in a race to discover and reveal the truth - a truth that has already killed, a truth that could topple governments, a truth that will change history. Taken from Amazon My Thoughts I listen to 2 books based podcasts on a regular basis, Guardians Books & BBC's Books & Authors. On one of these I heard an interview with Robert Harris, I forget which it was but I would guess Books & Authors is the more likely. He was taking about his new book at the time, Lustrum and also the fact that The Ghost was being made into a movie. I remember thinking that at the time that Lustrum sounded like the sort of book I would like, mixing history with a good story. Unfortunately at the time I was driving and so couldn't make a note of the author or book. Inevitably I forgot all about Harris. Skip forward probably more than a year and I'm browsing the shelves of my local Waterstones looking for something to jump out at me. Fatherland caught my attention, initially due to the cover I must admit but the synopsis really grabbed me. At the time I had been to Berlin recently and I could visualise quite a lot of the places talked about and I loved the aspect that the book looked at 'what if?'. It wasn't until I finished the book that I realised this was the author I had heard interviewed previously. So onto the book, I absolutely loved it. The book is very easy to read and has a nice meandering pace to it, not speeding along but not crawling either. Dipping into history a lot is something that Harris does very well, using real people at times really helps build the story without having to delve into that character too far. I felt connected the main character Xavier March even though the name was a little bizarre for me. There are twists and turns along the way but to be honest its more that story that sucked me rather than the plot twists. On the strength of Fatherland I read Imperium which I also really liked. I loved the ending of the book, I wont spoil it but I wish more books finished in his way. 9/10

Thanks for the review of Cats Cradle. I bought a copy the other day as I thought I should read some Vonnegut. I've yet to read it yet but by your review I suspect I will really enjoy it

One of the best football books I've read is 'Braca: A People's Passion' by Jimmy Burns. It goes right back into the history of the club and all the political problems it had during the Spanish Civil War. I read it many years ago before they started to win the league again so no doubt you can pick up an updated version which includes this latest incarnation of the team. Gazza's 2 books are heart wrenching reads, I used to think he was a bit of a fool but reading the books changed my mind completely.

Bad Science by Ben Goldacre Synopsis The crusader against quakery is on top form. With rapier logic Goldacre skewers big pharma, the media and misusers of science everywhere. His aim is to teach readers how to spot the mumbo jumbo so that they become future proofed against the new variants of bullshit. Taken from The Guardian My Thoughts I've been aware of Ben Goldacre for a while through his Bad Science column on the Guardian website. Just like his column his book is a very humorous but alarming look at the bad science used by various people and organisations. How companies, especially those in the Phara industry twist trials to suit them is something that surprised me quite a bit. I'd always been aware that trial data can be used in clever ways to show certain things but almost rigging trials is shocking. He also pokes a lot of fun and bile at Homeopathy, something which has landed him with several lawsuits. The best part of the book for me is the section dedicated to two people in particular, Gillian McKeith & Patrick Holford. Both people are self acclaimed nutritional 'experts' who have made a lot of money giving advice. Holford has used data to prove that Vitamin C can be used to treat and cure various diseases including AIDS. This data came from 1 whack job scientist who has been discredited for his work. Gillian McKeith is also a nutritionalist who has made a lot of money giving advice under the title 'Doctor'. Goldacre points out that her qualifications are from an un-accredited establishment in the USA and that some of her advice is baseless. Its worth nothing that since Bad Science was published she no longer uses the title 'Doctor' after an advertising standard agency complaint. The stand out aspect of this book for me is that it has a good light pace to it even when dealing with serious matters. At no point does it get bogged down in scientific details and everything is well explained. 7/10 This book is a great read for those interested in the subject matter.

Well as usual life gets in the way and screws my first page layout etc up. Never mind, I shall post up some more reviews of books I've read as best as I can from my memory. My Booky Wook by Russell Brand Synopsis The story of Russell Brand, Tv personality, journalist, comedian and all round rogue. My Thoughts Russell Brand is an odd subject for me to delve into. On one hand he is a celeb of the 'Heat' magazine variety, the exact kind of stuff that repels me. On the other hand I do find him intriguing, he comes across as quite funny in his stand up and the amount his is loved and demonized in the press I find interesting. I didnt know a lot about Brand before I read the book and fortunately he does away with a lot of the younger years 'filler' that a lot of biographies are full of. The one thing that really stood out to me is that underneath all the bravado and acting up is a vulnerable individual who craves attention. His drug history is a little vague and certainly isnt covered in the depth that Anthony Kiedes does in 'Scar Tissue'. There is regret in the book but how sincere it is, is hard to judge. He does seem to have settled down somewhat now at least. 6/10 Its a nice easy read

I'm a bit unsure as to what to read next. I've started to read 'The Tibetean Book of Living & Dying' by Sogyal Rinpoche. Its a book I've attempted to read 3 times already but for some reason I've been unable to keep going through it. I'm determined to do it this time. To help along with that I've decided to read a fiction title or two as I'm going along as I think Sogyal Rinpoche needs some thinking time. This is where I'm not sure what to go for next. I've read the first 2 Steig Larsson books so 'The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets Nest' is a possibility. Also I've got a leaning towards another Orwell title and I've yet to read 1984. There is also my endless TBR list. So, any suggestions.

The Coming Insurrection by The Invisible Committee Synopsis The Coming Insurrection is an eloquent call to arms arising from the recent waves of social contestation in France and Europe. Written by the anonymous Invisible Committee in the vein of Guy Debord--and with comparable elegance--it has been proclaimed a manual for terrorism by the French government (who recently arrested its alleged authors). One of its members more adequately described the group as "the name given to a collective voice bent on denouncing contemporary cynicism and reality." The Coming Insurrection is a strategic prescription for an emergent war-machine to "spread anarchy and live communism." Written in the wake of the riots that erupted throughout the Paris suburbs in the fall of 2005 and presaging more recent riots and general strikes in France and Greece, The Coming Insurrection articulates a rejection of the official Left and its reformist agenda, aligning itself instead with the younger, wilder forms of resistance that have emerged in Europe around recent struggles against immigration control and the "war on terror." Hot-wired to the movement of '77 in Italy, its preferred historical reference point, The Coming Insurrection formulates an ethics that takes as its starting point theft, sabotage, the refusal to work, and the elaboration of collective, self-organized forms-of-life. It is a philosophical statement that addresses the growing number of those--in France, in the United States, and elsewhere--who refuse the idea that theory, politics, and life are separate realms. My Thoughts I'm not afraid of admitting that the subject matter is a bit above me. Politics in general doesnt hold a lot of interst in me, even less so French politics. One might wonder why would I choose to read a book like this. Well the simple answer is because I found it. I'm my job I find books that people have discarded all the time. Usually they tend to be stuff that is of little interst but every so often something intrigues me. The spiel on the back about it being linked to terrorism and it being used as evidence in a trail in France hooked me. Fortunately it is a short book, only just over 100 pages but I found it a little hard going in places. The translation is very formal and the subject matter handled in a pretty sterile manner. The basis of the text is an anti-capitalist's look at what is wrong in France and how they would fix it. Although the same 'wrongs' could be applied to most of the big European countries certain political acts in France are used as evidence and examples. There were a few things which struck a chord with me on a political level however I always feel that many of the texts are far to simple on their outlook. Things are often looked at on a very small individual level without taking into account how that bigger picture can be solved. A lot of the messages are anarchic in nature which I would assume why that have been used in trials as evidence. I wont give this book a rating as its not the kind of book I feel I can give a fair one to.

I wouldnt let my review put you off, it makes many 'must read' lists for a reason, it just didnt float my boat. At the very least you could do what I do and give a book 100 pages to hook me in. If after that I'm hating it that much I usually stop reading.

Hi Poppy, we share similar thoughts about 'Faulks on Fiction'. Some of his heroes I thought were a bit iffy at best. However part of me wonders if he has done thing on purpose to stimuate debate and discussion about the show. It should be interesting to see who he will pick in up-coming episodes. I heard him mention Tess of the D'urbervilles a podcast so at least one of the characters in that books will be featured. I had to read the book at school and I hated it so I will be watching future episodes to see what he has to say about it. Your reviews are well worth the wait.

Hi Andrea, I've been meaning to read Crime & Punishment for a whilenow but I'm a little intimidated by the size and high esteem its held in. Who was the reader in the audiobook version you listened to?

The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Moshin Hamid Synopsis At a café table in Lahore, a Pakistani man converses with a stranger. As dusk deepens to dark, he begins the tale that has brought him to this fateful meeting... Among the brightest and best of his graduating class at Princeton, Changez is snapped up by an elite firm and thrives on New York and the intensity of his work. And his infatuation with fragile Erica promises entree into Manhattan society on the exalted footing his own family once held back in Lahore. For a time, it seems as though nothing will stand in the way of Changez's meteoric rise to personal and professional success: the fulfilment of the immigrant's dream. But in the wake of September 11, he finds his position in the city he loves suddenly overturned, and his budding relationship with Erica eclipsed by the reawakened ghosts of her past. And Changez's own identity is in seismic shift as well, unearthing allegiances more fundamental than money, power, and perhaps even love. (taken from Amazon) My Thoughts I've had this book sitting on my bookcase for quite a few months now. I forget when I picked it up but 2 things drew me towards it, the Man Booker nomination and the name Moshin Hamid. I hadn't read Hamid's earlier work and knew nothing of the book except that it is held in quite high regard. This was another book that I read in a few sittings, two if memory serves me correctly. Although this has happened for the last few books I've read it is not typical for me. This book slowly sucked my in until I just had to finish it then and there. As the story developed my emotions towards the two characters at the cafe table shifted several times. I say two characters but in fact there is Changez and an un-named American, I'm assuming Hamid did this to place the reader in the shoes of the American. If that was his intention it certainly worked in my cafe and I constantly held Changez with some level of suspicion. The title gave away that fact the Changez had an ulterior motive but I felt it wasnt as simple as that, especially towards the end where it turns out the American may have a secret. Initially I felt deeply for Changez, he is a stranger in a strange city trying to find his way, this is something I have experience and so I felt a certain affinity with him. With regards his relationship with Erica I felt less compelled to side with him. There seemed to me to be little in the way of truly understanding her emotions and feelings. The relationship of Erica and America as words wasnt lost on me and felt a little clunky at times as did the relationship as a whole. There was some tenderness and affection in the start of the relationship but as things went wrong I felt the approach was too cold and clinical. My biggest issue, and its not a huge one is Changez's feelings towards 9-11. It doesnt sit comfortable with me for a character to say that he felt some happiness over the attack while trying to act friendly. Everything seemed to be put at the feet of America while Changez portrayed no revulsion, guilt or sadness at what had occurred. One thing this books did was me was to keep me thinking it over for a few days, it really got into my head. I'm usually open to giving books away to people but I shall be keeping this one as I suspect I will read it again and again. Despite my small gripes I have to say that I thought this was an excellent book. Easy reading but thought provoking at the same time. 9/10