The Undoing Project

Michael Lewis’ fascinating story about behavioural science and some of the key Israeli psychologists who’ve contributed to current thinking on the discipline has been a very enjoyable read and may affect how I interview job candidates in future as well as make me question myself more in my assumptions both professionally and privately. This book should be recommended reading for anyone involved with decision making, especially when those decisions may have significant impact on others.

The Undoing Project

Foundation and Empire

I recently re-read Isaac Asimov’s seminal sci-fi epic Foundation after a very long time. Foundation and Empire is the next book in the series. I’m probably spoilt from reading the likes of Iain M. Banks, Stephen Baxter, and Alastair Reynolds so I found the foundation books a bit dry, a bit to serious. I miss the fun and invention of some of the more modern authors.

Foundation and Empire

Alien Clay

Great to get a book gift I really enjoyed from my fabulous eldest daughter. There are some interesting and innovative biological ideas in Alien Clay from Adrian Tchaikovsky (writer of Children of Time, Children of Ruin and Shards of Earth that I’ve previously read). A combination of sci-fi with a touch of horror. Will continue to read his stuff.

Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant

After reading Redhead by the Side of the Road from Ann Tyler back at the beginning of lockdown, I recently read what she considers to be her best novel – Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant. The story focusses on a family in Baltimore, Maryland who struggle through a marital breakup, jealousy love and loss. I think many readers would find some aspect that resonates with their own life. Like one of my other favourite authors – John Steinbeck, I found this story has stayed with me for a while. A great modern American novel.

Fated

Fated from Benedict Jacka was a good recommendation to me by a colleague when I mentioned that I’d been reading Mick Herron’s Slow Horses series and Ben Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London. Fated is a magical fiction thriller story set in modern London. I will read more from Alex Verus series in future.

Consider Phlebas

I first read Consider Phlebas from Iain M. Banks over 28 years ago when I was on an overland journey to the Munich beer festival in a camper van with some friends. This was my introduction to the world of The Culture and Banks’ visionary description of a highly liberal, extremely technically capable, but morally ambiguous galactic civilisation largely run by sentient machines.

Real Tigers (Slough House)

I enjoyed Mick Herron’s book Slow Horses so have started to read more of the series on Kindle. Very enjoyable, good characters and it’s fun following the locations on Google street view.