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The Bookshelf
100 word reviews.....good or not so good.....a quick insight in whether to go for it or not.
Re-educated
Author : Lucy Kellaway
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Subject : Second career
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An absolute 5-star read. Lucy Kellaway is a brilliant journalist which makes for a brilliant journey through her change from journalist to teacher, aged 58. We all went to school, many of us are parents, and perhaps some of us often think, am I in the right career. The deeply personal insight Lucy offers to her life provides some terrific reflection for us all and reminds us that most of us have a safety net when we fail – education highlights where the safety net gaps are truly gaping for some students. The perfect read of learning as well as enjoyment.
The Art of Gathering
Author : Priya Parker
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Subject : Getting the best from meetings and events
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An interesting book but not one to rush out and buy. The concept is about the right numbers, right people and right spaces. There’s some interesting references to square feet per attendee, and why parties migrate to kitchens when the stragglers remain. There’s also some interesting pointers about staying resolute to the right attendees, and not be swayed when requested to have attendees at meetings or dinners who are not connected to the purpose. If you host lots of events, or wonder why things don’t often go to plan, this could be for you. Otherwise, keep swiping for more options.
Motherwell - A Girlhood
Author : Deborah Orr
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Subject : Personal Memoir
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Deborah Orr died in 2019. To anyone in their fifties, who grew up in Central Scotland, owes a huge thank you to Deborah for gifting her thoughts of her childhood to us. Motherwell brings alive urban Scottish life in a way that draws you to real people, real jobs, real Scotland – one that I totally resonated with. Deborah’s reflections go in various directions, not finding answers to everything, but providing such a comfort to read that someone else had the same questions and frustrations growing up. My only sadness is that Deborah is no longer here to talk about it.
Being Mortal
Author : Atul Gawande
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Subject : Mortality and a good life
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A good death after a good life – a crucial subject, and one that needs to be a more ‘normal’ conversation. After all, death is a certainty. Atul takes you by the hand and tells a careful, and sensitive, story of various wonderful people reaching the end of their life. Medicine remains determined to keep people alive, at the expense of enriched, albeit shorter, experiences. If the subject scares you, but equally makes you curious to understand better, this is the perfect book to learn ‘what matters in the end’. The story of the birds in the care home is wonderful.
Lockdown
Author : Peter May
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Subject : Fiction
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Published in 2020, Peter May had written this novel a number of years previously, exploring the fictional aspect of a ‘bird flu’ pandemic in London. It was never published, but then 2020 came along. A graphic novel, which explores an apocalyptic London, which is well described, and with characters that demonstrate the extremities of human behaviour in such an environment. The story is far fetched, in as much as it is packed into too short a timeline, and perhaps one to avoid if the current reality is difficult to cope with. That said, a good novel from an excellent author.
Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down
Author : Haemin Sunim
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Subject : Reflection & Mindfulness
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How to be calm in a busy world, something we all strive for, at least sometimes. Rooted in Buddhist thinking, the book is a series of essays and reflections (originally social media posts) by Haemin Sunim. Covering a whole series of life subjects, including Rest and Relationships, there is, like so many books, nothing new here, but by reading it slowly, absorbing the thoughts, and enjoying the illustrations, it will definitely help frame your thinking. My favourite quote – ‘Admiration does not come easily. Rather than setting a goal of becoming rich and powerful, aim higher: becoming admired in your field.’
Olive, Mabel & Me
Author : Andrew Cotter
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Subject : Autobiographical Reflections
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Are you remotely interested in dogs, mountains or good writing? Well, you could do worse than lose a few hours with Olive and Mabel. Andrew Cotter’s two, now famous, labradors, are the trigger for a book that wanders through routine life, and less routine mountain expeditions, punctuated by the wit normally preserved for sports commentaries, particularly rugby and golf. As a big fan of Andrew as a journalist/commentator, I was left thinking what was the real purpose of the book, but there are plenty moments to smile and also to reflect on the things that are truly important in life.
Now You're Gonna Believe Us...
Author : Andrew Robertson
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Subject : Sport - Football
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There are two types of reader. One perseveres with books no matter what, the other doesn’t. Had I been the latter, I would have put this aside after a couple of chapters. The story of Liverpool’s league winning season through the experience of Andy Robertson needed a lot more support from the publisher – he’s a world class footballer not a writer. Perseverance, however, brought me to the chapter covering March 2020, the arrival of covid, and a fascinating insight around a night that brought thousands from Madrid to Liverpool. It left me questioning why the UK government didn’t act sooner.
Sweet Sweet Revenge Ltd
Author : Jonas Jonasson
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Subject : Fiction
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Sometimes it’s fun to choose a book by its cover, and in this case I’d say it just about worked. A story of revenge, which entwines and unravels a broad mix of characters from across the world. And this was the key for me. Although a novel that gave me escapism and enjoyment, it was a story that also tackled cultural intelligence – the importance of understanding people who are different to us. Putting someone from the African savannah in a major city will bring challenge to many. A strong, underlying message about the strengths in diversity with lots to learn.
While there are a range of options to purchase books, I have, where possible provided a link in each review to uk.bookshop.org (a website providing local bookstores with access to an online customer base.