Massive figure in the backroom comedy firmament Joel Morris dissects the frog, but in a way where there’s plenty of laughs, LOADS of nods to the comedy industry, and generally provides what amounts to a very simple distillation of a
The Importance of Being Interested
Robin Ince’s passionate outpouring about the many and wondrous ways in which science excites and unlocks creativity & wonder. I love Robin & his work dearly, however I can categorically state that he’s a difficult author for a new parent
Who Owns History? Elgin’s Loot and the Case for Returning Plundered Treasure
Geoffrey Robertson here dissecting the matter of the Elgin Marbles – their ownership, the truths and myths surrounding the British Museum’s claim on them, and a wider exploration of the matter of cultural properties appropriated by other countries through a
Lawfare
(Subtitle: “How Russians, the Rich and the Government Try to Prevent Free Speech and How to Stop Them”) This may well have been my first Audiobook, bought partially for cost reasons but also as it was read by the author.
How They Broke Britain
Taking a moment out of trying to get people to justify their opinions on radio, James O’Brien has assembled an excellent if not totally depressing case outlining how a handful of key individuals colluded, conspired, and/or coincided to take Britain
The End Is Always Near
I’ve said before, a challenge with reading books by people whose voices you know well (in this case, podcaster Dan Carlin) is that you read their every word in the cadence of their speech. Luckily in this case it didn’t
Work! Consume! Die!
There’s no doubt that Frankie Boyle is one of the sharpest and simultaneously bluntest comic minds of our time – however this book genuinely read like someone had thrown together a list of topics and then collated a bunch of
Clubland: How the Working Men’s Club shaped Britain
A history of the Working Mens’ Club movement, told through the eyes, experience and research of master beer writer Pete Brown: never delivering anything as dry as a pure history, but sure learns you up on a lot along the
Independent Scotch: The History Of Independent Bottlers
A much more engaging read that David’s last book… Broadly hanging off the idea of presenting a history of independent whisky bottling, this entertaining tome serves mainly for the author to spool out some anecdotes and make 2 points. But
Bibliomaniac: An obsessive’s tour of the bookshops of Britain
Robin Ince is a singular treasure, and I think only he could put together a story like this in a way I’d thoroughly enjoy reading so much. On face value a narrative of his tour around Britain promoting his previous