Brian's 2013 Book Log

[Brian.]

I've spent the day trying to move things around in my lounge so I can have a bit of office space. I don't have a whole lot of room in my apartment and I have far too many unread books. I arranged another pile of books to give away and the thought crossed my mind 'Why not give them all away?'. I've spent the last few hours looking to see what books are either available on my kindle or from my local library and so far there is only 1 that isn't available. So I've now got to decide whether to give them all to charity and 'borrow or digital' only, or not. 

 

[Devi]

That's pretty brave of you, I don't think I could ever decide that.

[Brian.]

That's pretty brave of you, I don't think I could ever decide that.

 

Well I haven't taken the final leap and done it yet but I definitely feel like I'm leaning that way. My final aim is to condense 5 bookcases down to 1 as there are some technical books that I will need to keep.

[chesilbeach]

I've done pretty much the same thing Bryan.  I cleared my TBR last year, and now I only buy physical books if they're something special - I still insist on buying at least one book if I manage to find an independent bookshop to visit, but I try to make it a book I think I'll want to keep and re-read or because they're beautiful editions, or because they're not available in ebook format.  For my main reading, I just buy ebooks now, and my shelves are no longer groaning under the pressure and weight of books!  I'm not a big re-reader, so most of my books go to the charity shop anyway, and the majority of books left in the house that aren't simply waiting to be read, either belong to my partner, or have sentimental or aesthetic value.

[Athena]

Wow Brian, that's pretty brave! I don't think I could easily do it, I love the feel and look of my physical books. I love to look at my book cases. You just don't get that with an e-reader, or if you borrow the books.

 

If you decide to do it though, I wish you luck and strength. It must be difficult but it's probably nicer to have a lesser cluttered place (the amount of clutter a person prefers over another person, differs per person I've read, so it's really up to you.).

[dex]

Good to see your enjoying jo nesbo, steer clear of the bat and you should enjoy them. I've lent mine out.

[Brian.]

Well the first batch of books has gone to the charity shop, only another 5 or 6 trips should do it I also finished The Leopard by Jo Nesbo, it's a fantastic book and a review will follow at some point later this week.

[Athena]

I haven't got that one, but I have a few other books by her. Look forward to see the review. Glad to hear it's going well with your books-to-charity-shop, you must be dropping off a lot of books if you need to take 5-6 trips .

[Brian.]

I haven't got that one, but I have a few other books by her. Look forward to see the review. Glad to hear it's going well with your books-to-charity-shop, you must be dropping off a lot of books if you need to take 5-6 trips .

Nesbo is a dude

 

I do have a lot of books to donate but one of the other reasons it's going to take so many trips is because I have to carry them. The charity shops are in a pedestrianised area of the town which means you can't park outside the shop. I think they prefer donations in smaller chunks anyway because it makes it easier for them to sort.

[Athena]

Whoops! In the Netherlands Jo is a woman's name so that's why I thought that .

 

That makes sense, our charity shop is in such an area as well.

[Brian.]

The Leopard by Jo Nesbo

 

 

Synopsis
In this electrifying new addition to Jo Nesbø’s internationally acclaimed series, Harry Hole must confront the darkest demons in his city—and in himself. Inspector Harry Hole has retreated to Hong Kong, escaping the trauma of his last case in squalid opium dens, when two young women are found dead in Oslo, both drowned in their own blood. Media coverage quickly reaches a fever pitch. There are no clues, the police investigation is stalled, and Harry—the one man who might be able to help—can’t be found. After he returns to Oslo, the killer strikes again, Harry’s instincts take over, and nothing can keep him from the investigation, though there is little to go on. Worse, he will soon come to understand that he is dealing with a psychopath who will put him to the test, both professionally and personally, as never before.

(taken from goodreads)

 

My Thoughts

My reading mojo has been a little up and down recently so I really didn't know what book to read next. I have also been fairly short of time meaning my chances to read have been few and far between. This is the last Nesbo book that I actually have on my bookshelves so I decided to read it as I think I am two behind in the series already.
 

After the previous case Harry Hole is a broken and lost man and the book starts with a female detective having been sent to find him. This coincides with a new group of chilling murders which are wonderfully sadistic in their invention. The detective with an addictive personality was risking become a bit repetitive but there is a twist on this in the book which added a fresh perspective to it.

 

It feels as though Harry's lifestyle has taken a toll on him during the reading of the book. He remains pretty sharp mentally but age is catching up with him. He still remains the same determined, dogged and self destructive detective of the past but there is more reflective aspect creeping in. He also seems to be more vulnerable than he has in the past.

 

There is also a good mix of old and new characters in the book. Oleg & Rakel for example feature in the book but not heavily, I really liked this as it added some freshness to the story but maintained the connection to the past. There is new 'enemy within' but one who's relationship with Harry is complicated and something I think most of us can relate to in the work environment.

 

There are loads and loads of twists in the story, some I picked up on and others which left me stunned. At one point I actually swore out loud at what I had just read which elicited some funny looks from my work mates. There are a lot of geographical locations in the book so you need to keep on your toes so that you don't get lost.

 

This is a fantastic book. Every time i pick up the next Harry Hole book I expect a drop in performance but each one has been better than the last.

 

5/5 (It was amazing).

 

[Brian.]

Undercover by Paul Lewis & Rob Evans

 

Synopsis

The gripping stories of a group of police spies - written by the award-winning investigative journalists who exposed the Mark Kennedy scandal - and the uncovering of forty years of state espionage.

This was an undercover operation so secret that some of our most senior police officers had no idea it existed. The job of the clandestine unit was to monitor British 'subversives' - environmental activists, anti-racist groups, animal rights campaigners.

Police stole the identities of dead people to create fake passports, driving licences and bank accounts. They then went deep undercover for years, inventing whole new lives so that they could live incognito among the people they were spying on. They used sex, intimate relationships and drugs to build their credibility. They betrayed friends, deceived lovers, even fathered children. And their operations continue today.

Undercover reveals the truth about secret police operations - the emotional turmoil, the psychological challenges and the human cost of a lifetime of deception - and asks whether such tactics can ever be justified.

(taken from goodreads)

 

My Thoughts

I was handed this book by someone who found it as they thought I might find it interesting. I hadn't heard of it before but I was familiar with the story as it caused quite a large media scandal in the UK when it emerged.

 

The first thing that should be pointed out about this book is that it is a work of non-fiction and at times I found the level of 'deep cover' incredible. Undercover police officers were living and working with activists of various persuasions for up to 6 years at a time. They lived in bedsits funded by the police and only when home to their families on a very infrequent basis. The other aspect that makes this level of police investigation startling is that this wasn't aimed a terrorists but animal rights and climate control activists.

 

Initially I disliked the officers who were undercover. I saw there actions as an abuse of civil rights, especially when they had relationships with members and in some cases had children with them. As I read further however I started to feel sorry for them because I felt that initially they got into the work with the right kind of motives but ended up mental broken by the whole process. Many of the officers involved ended up feeling as though they had become the character they had become to infiltrate the activists and their old self was left behind.

 

As is often the case when these things happens the people left damaged are the public who were investigated and the officers involved. Senior police officers who ran these units clearly did it with little regard for the mental well being of their officers or the activists involved. This all happened at great expense to the British taxpayer.

 

Another thing which the book highlights is the purposeful way in which 'terrorism' laws are loosely defined to allow the authorities to spy on the general public. This has become an increasing civil liberties issue the UK especially in the bigger cities. Photographers have had equipment seized and been arrest for merely photographing buildings in London. The buildings in question are not ones which are protect by law and the police are clearly abusing their power in this case.

 

This is a great book which I think many people would enjoy.
 

 

4/5 (I really liked it).

 

[Athena]

Nice review, this book sounds interesting. However, I don't really follow some of the news so I'm not sure if I would understand it completely (ie. I haven't heard of Mark Kennedy (in my defense, I have heard of John F. Kennedy)). Still, it was nice to read your review . What will you read next?

[Janet]

Whoops! In the Netherlands Jo is a woman's name so that's why I thought that .

It is in the UK too - it's an understandable error as men are usually Joe, not Jo. 

[bobblybear]

I've added Undercover to my wishlist. I sounds vaguely familiar so perhaps I have read about this in the media.

[Brian.]

The Art of Running Faster by Julian Goater & Don Melvin

 

 

 

Synopsis

The Art of Running Faster challenges the stereotypes of how distance runners should train. Readers will learn how to overcome factors that prevent them from running faster and avoid injury with correct running technique. Author
and former world-class runner Julian Goater shares personal experiences to help in applying each suggestion.
(taken from goodreads)

My Thoughts

It feels like so long since I managed to finish a book and write a review. I really want to have the time to read but I've been quite busy due to the fact that I have just started an engineering degree. Because of time constraints it feels like it has taken me forever to get through this book. I don't recall exactly where I bought it from but I suspect that I picked it up in Foyles due to it's specialist nature.

 

This book has two parts, each split into a number of chapters, each covering a slightly different, but related aspect of how to train with the aim of gaining speed. Part 1 is based on the technique and skill of running itself and part 2 is about the training methods used to build speed.

 

At the heart of it, running is a very simple activity and one in which most runners don't receive any training. This make sense as running is a fairly natural action but Goater (and others) argue that you are taught to swim etc so you should learn how to run. Until recently I perhaps would have laughed at this assumption but this book prompted me to see a coach and it's something I wish I had done soon. In just an hour I learned loads about running technique and I am currently trying to unlearn all my bad habits. There is also a really good chapter on stretching and unlike some books it doesn't contain hundreds of stretches just some of the best ones to do.

 

The second part of the book details things like hill training, fartlek, speed work and recovery runs. Each of these is broken down and explained. There are also a number of examples of how you can structure these types of training sessions. It is also explained when it is best to do these types of sessions and how often, something which is essential to avoid injury.

 

In the early pages I was worried that I had bought a book far above my ability level as Goater mentions training twice a day. Thankfully this is only an isolated case and at the back of the book there are rough training schedules for all abilities. Another really good thing about the book is that at the end of each chapter there are a number of bullet points highlighting the key information. This is the kind of book you can read all the way through as I did or dip into and out of.

 

My only slight gripe about the book is that Goater continually talks about his career, races he did and Dave Bedford. I appreciate that at times he is using an example to illustrate a point but after a while this gets very repetitive.
 

4/5 (I really liked it).

[Athena]

Good luck with your engineering degree! What made you decide to go do that? My brother is studying mechanical engineering and my dad's a professor at the mechanical engineering faculty, in the subject of control systems.

 

I'm sorry to hear you haven't been able to do a lot of reading. I hope it gets better in the future.

[vodkafan]

Undercover sounds awesome.   Got to read this.

[Brian.]

Good luck with your engineering degree! What made you decide to go do that? My brother is studying mechanical engineering and my dad's a professor at the mechanical engineering faculty, in the subject of control systems.

 

I'm sorry to hear you haven't been able to do a lot of reading. I hope it gets better in the future.

 

Most of the qualifications in aviation are very technical but only recognised by the aviation industry. For that reason I decided to do an engineering degree so that I would have a qualification that would be useful both inside and outside the industry. It's going to take me quite a few years but hopefully it will be worthwhile in the end. I've already had to re-learn a load of mathematics that I had forgot since I last did any courses.

 

I'm sure that I will get more reading done once things have settled down, that's my hope anyway.

[Athena]

Good luck ! It sounds like it will be useful.

[Brian.]

Nice review, this book sounds interesting. However, I don't really follow some of the news so I'm not sure if I would understand it completely (ie. I haven't heard of Mark Kennedy (in my defense, I have heard of John F. Kennedy)). Still, it was nice to read your review . What will you read next?

 

Ooops, I managed to miss your question about what I will read next. At the moment I am reading a book by the personal trainer Vinnie Tortorich which I have almost finished. My reading mojo is coming back slowly and now I have got the hang of what I am studying I'm finding a little more spare time to read. I had a look at my stats and it turns out 14 books in July, 9 in August, 3 in September and only 1 so far this month.

 

I should be back to normal on the forum as well now that my studies have settled down. I've missed reading all the posts on here.

[Athena]

I'm glad to hear it's settled down and that you'll be able to read more books .

[Brian.]

Fitness Confidential by Vinnie Tortorich

Synopsis

America’s Angriest Trainer, Vinnie Tortorich, exposes the nasty underbelly of the fitness industry while getting you into the best shape of your life. For over 20 years, Vinnie has been Hollywood’s go-to guy for celebrities and athletes looking to get fit fast. Now, in this hilarious and often r-rated memoir, he holds nothing back. What’s the best piece of fitness equipment money can buy? What’s the fastest way to lose weight: diet or exercise? Why are health clubs worse than used car lots? In FITNESS
CONFIDENTIAL, Vinnie tells all. So get ready to get fit, get inspired and get the dirt with Hollywood’s most outrageous personal trainer!

(taken from goodreads)

 

My Thoughts

Due to the fact that my mojo is all over the place recently I have started a few books, only to put them down back on the shelf after 30 or so pages. I decided to not try and force it, and wait for the next book to come me. I bought this on my kindle after seeing it as one of those "people also bought" promotions when I bought Eat & Run by Scott Jurek.

 

I had no idea who Vinnie Tortorich was and how justified he was in calling himself "America's Angriest Trainer" but the reviews were generally positive so I decided to give it a shot. I think the most important thing to say about the book is don't buy it if you are expecting step by step advice about how to lose fat and get fit. This isn't like your standard exercise book, its more of a memoir with some fitness advice thrown in along the way. Although I wasn't expecting this it turned out to be just what I needed to read.

 

Many times during the book I found myself laughing at some of his comments as they are witty but accurate. He has a very negative view on the whole 'health' industry, a view which I happen to share to some extent. He explains why all these fitness gadgets that are on sale are a waste of time and money and how buying a gym membership is fraught with traps. I know first hand that the gym sales pitch is spot on as I have experienced it first hand, this is one of the reasons I don't use a gym.

 

His advice on eating healthily is very simple, avoid sugar and avoid grains. A year ago I would have laughed at this and dismissed it but I happened to give this a go back in March and I have lost 35lbs. I had always thought that bread, pasta and rice must be good for you but it was one of the reasons why I struggled to lose weight every time I tried despite exercising a lot. I also know that the basic weight lifting exercises he lists are the most effective for those wanting to get fit.

 

The remainder of the book is about his fight with Leukemia and his attempts at riding a 509.5 mile bike endurance race. None of this is self promoting and it just comes across as a great story really well told. It made me want to get out on my bike a ride further than I have ridden before and I probably would have given it a shot had it not being pouring it down outside.

 

I really enjoyed this book and I'm glad that I found it.

4/5 (I really liked it).

[Brian.]

HHhH by Laurent Binet

 

Synopsis

We are in Prague, in 1942. Two men have been enlisted to kill the head of the Gestapo. This is Operation Anthropoid: two Czechoslovakian parachutists sent by London plan to assassinate Reinhard Heydrich—head of the Nazi secret services, 'the hangman of Prague', 'the blond beast', 'the most dangerous man in the Third Reich'.
 

Heydrich works for Hitler's most powerful henchman, Heinrich Himmler, but in the SS they say 'HHhH': 'Himmlers Hirn heisst Heydrich'—Himmler's brain is called Heydrich.

All the characters in HHhH existed then or still exist now. All the events depicted are true. But alongside the nerve-shredding story of the preparations for the attack runs another story: when you are writing about real people, how do you resist the temptation to make things up?

HHhH is a panorama of the Third Reich told through the life of one outstandingly brutal man, a story of unbearable heroism and loyalty, revenge and betrayal. It is improbably entertaining and electrifyingly modern. It is a moving, tense, and shattering work of fiction.

(taken from goodreads)

 

My Thoughts

I've had this book sitting on my bookshelf for a little while now, I think I bought at the beginning of the year after it was heavily pushed by Waterstones. I have to admit that my attention was grabbed by the striking cover and also the display in the store that was put together. I enjoy reading about WWII in both fictional and non fictional books so I thought that I would enjoy this one.

 

As I have read a lot about WWII over the years I knew the broad terms of the story but I couldn't recall if Heydrich survived the attack or not. This was a good thing for me because it meant that the story still maintained an element of surprise for me. I also learned some things about the Nazi occupation of Prague which I didn't previously know. The major Nazi characters were well known to me but there was some really good background on the parachutists and the civilians involved in the operation. Binet has clearly done a lot of research prior to writing the book.

 

Along the way Binet has a monologue going about how you should go about writing a novel based on true events. I didn't feel as though this added anything to the book but I didn't find it too distracting either. It could have been omitted without damaging the book and it's inclusion struck me as strange.

 

The story is well written and well covered but at times I felt as though something was missing in the writing. I can't say whether this was down to the translation, the author, or the disjointed chapter lengths but something wasn't right. Despite this I found the book to be an enjoyable if not amazing read.
 

3/5 (I liked it).

[Brian.]

Given my mojo and studies I have actually managed to get a decent amount of reading done this week. I've almost finished Forget You Had a Daughter by Sandra Gregory which has been pretty enjoyable. I'm off to Wembley later on to go to the latest NFL game to be held in the UK, I'm hoping the weather holds off until after the game as rain tend to spoil the spectacle. I've seen the 49ers play before and I have no love for the Jags but I am looking forward to see Kaepernick in the flesh for the first time. I have about 3 hours commuting time so I plan to take a small paperback with me for the journey.