Reviews and Comments

More a collection of chapter-sized mini-books, this is well worth a read for the insights into the footballing world. 'Why England Lose' isn't answered so much as turned on it's head - the seem to do slightly better than they should due to population size and economic development. The chapter on the transfer market was probably the most interesting, especially the section on how managers are (not) chosen.
Overall, a good book deserving of a place on the bookshelf.

Grand reading for the holidays

Classic Deighton, but I'm not as enamoured with the 'Harry Palmer' books as most. There you go, can't win 'em all. An enjoyable read.

"I have decided to take whatever my disease can throw at me, and to stay combative even while taking the measure of my inevitable decline. I repeat, this is no more than what a healthy person has to do in slower motion. It is our common fate."

An amazing book from Hitchens, well written and easily read, impossible to forget. It's a short book, yet it benefits from a slow reading. There is plenty of food for thought on the process of dying, I'd strongly recommend this book. Carol, his wife, closes out the book with an incredibly sad final chapter.

Hitchens died before the end.

Don't we all, I suppose.

"Death has this much to be said for it:
You don't have to get out of bed for it.
Wherever you happen to be
They bring it to you - free."
- Kinglsey Amis

Solid thriller.

An absolutely fascinating history of the economics of Nazi Germany's war effort. Highly readable, it makes an excellent case which explains the rationale behind some of the decisions taken by Hitler and the basic economic issues that constrained the Nazi war effort and fed into such horrors as the Holocaust and the Hunger Plan. Fascinating and highly recommended.

Reasonable potted history of aircraft, with some interesting little details about each design. Best bit is the lovely cutaway diagrams, which are sadly lacking any list of components. This leaves identifying what each part is for up to educated guessing.

Fascinating and absorbing read, detailing the background and buildup to the war and the social and political changes thereafter. It's impact on the collective memory of each nation involved is shown, and the Russian signposts to the recent Crimean crisis are now all too obvious in hindsight.

Good short overview of the average landser's life on the eastern front during the years of constant retreat for the German Army. The descriptions of the small scale tactical actions in the varied terrain of the Eastern Front are very interesting, and show how much planning, effort, manpower and logistics go into even the smallest of unit actions.

An absolutely fascinating look at the source of road danger, and how the general approach to road safety is misguided. A must read for anyone interested in the areas of walkable cities, cycling and benign modes of transport. Written in 1993 and sadly still very relevant. Out of print, but available second hand or in PDF form from rdrf.org.uk/death-on-the-streets-cars-and-the-mythology-of-road-safety/

Colquhoun and Mills excel yet again in the third volume of Charley's War. Hard to believe such a hard hitting anti-war strip got printed in a boys comic at all.