And Then You Die by Michael Dibdin
Sequel to "Blood Rain". Not one of Dibdin’s best – rather contrived, episodic, and with superficially-drawn characters. But it does leave the way open for the next book … .
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Teach Yourself PERL in 24 hours by Clinton Pierce
Phew! Finished it at last! You’d have to be seriously dedicated to work through the 24 chapters in this book at the rate of one hour each, even averaging over the whole thing. But it is good, and by the … Continue reading →
Medical Handbook for Walkers and Climbers by Peter Steele
This book will help you take the step from the standard first-aid course to simple expedition medicine. As the author says, read it at least once at home before throwing it in the bottom of your pack, where hopefully it … Continue reading →
The Creaky Traveler (in the North West Highlands of Scotland) by Warren Rovetch
This is really two books in one, part separate and part interwoven. The main book – about three quarters of the whole – recounts the author’s travels up the north-west coast of Scotland. The other book is a handbook of … Continue reading →
When We Were Orphans by Kazuo Ishiguro
A rather odd book. I’ve only read two of Ishiguro’s books – this and Remains of the Day – and it left me wondering if all his pricipal characters have a deep-rooted personality flaw. It’s certainly true here. The most … Continue reading →
Driving Over Lemons by Chris Stewart
After reading the book I’m certainly looking forward to my visit, but I don’t think I’ll be in the queue to buy the farm next door. Stewart is careful not to give away the exact location of their farm – … Continue reading →
A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle
A planned visit to Provence in April prompted me to read this book some 12 years after it was on the best-seller lists. It’s hard now to see what the fuss was about – maybe the TV serialisation was more … Continue reading →
Not Won in a Day by Bennett, Jack
As ticklists go, visiting the highest point in each state in the USA is one of the more bizarre. Those who follow this obsession are Highpointers. Jack Bennett is one such who, having completed the USA round, turned his attention … Continue reading →
Tibet’s Secret Mountain by Chris Bonington & Charles Clarke
Subtitled “The triumph of Sepu Kangri”, the book chronicles Bonington and Clarke’s reconnaissance of this mountain and their attempt to climb it in 1998. The climbing content is limited – the book is more a travel book about the remote … Continue reading →
Beowulf by Seamus Heaney (trans.)
Having scoffed at David Whyte’s references to this Anglo-Saxon poem, I thought I’d better read it. Strong shades of Tolkien, which is not surprising, as he wrote possibly the most influential critique of the work in the 20th century.
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