Nick Ryan – NickFromTipp

Money

An enjoyable narrative woven by Irish economist David McWilliams about the use of money, currency and finance throughout human history. I’m a regular listener to McWilliams’ podcast with his collaborator John Davis on Spotify. Reading this book, it was fun hearing the author’s unique perspective on historic and economic upheavals such as the South Sea Bubble, the American Civil War, and the hyperinflationary period during the Weimar Republic in post WW1 Germany. The book has an extensive citation list and index so would also be a good reference for anyone interested in or studying macroeconomic history.

The Seventh Son

A holiday read and my first time reading Sebastian Faulks. I was interested in the main premise of the book around genetic engineering and resurrecting extinct human species. I’m a regular science fiction reader and enjoy speculative explorations about “what if”. However, that needs to coincide with plausible characters who react in a reasonable way. I found some of the plot a bit far-fetched. This book didn’t do it for me.

SS-GB

My first time reading Len Deighton. He is probably most well known for the film adaptation of his book “The Ipcress File” starring Michael Caine. SS-GB is a murder mystery set in an alternative history where Britain lost the war against Nazi Germany and is under occupation. Readers of Robert Harris’ “Fatherland” or Philip K. Dick’s “The Man in the High Castle” will enjoy this book immensely. The atmosphere of tension, fear and claustrophobia Deighton conjures is palpable. It reminded me (in a good way) of John Le Carré’s work.

Polostan

This is the first in a new spy thriller series from Neal Stephenson. This book covers an interesting period of history during the aftermath of the Russian revolution and the American Great Depression. Hot takes: I did not realise where polo horses were bred in America. I also did not realise that American companies and architects helped design some of the Soviet Union’s blast furnaces for steel manufacturing. Great book and will certainly read the follow-up instalments.

See also Seveneves and Fall or Dodge in Hell.

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.

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.

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.