An autobiography from 1982 delivered with the charm and gentle irony that became the trademark of this famously well travelled documentary maker (http://www.alanwhicker.co.uk/ and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Whicker) 390 pages in Elm Tree Books ISBN 978-0241107478 Alan Whicker
Within Whicker’s World Read More »
A hugely informative book on the world’s mysteries from journalist and parliamentary sketch writer Simon Hoggart (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Hoggart and http://www.theguardian.com/profile/simonhoggart). From fire walking to the prophesies of Nostradamus, this pares the fiction from many popular theories, and urges us to educate ourselves through critical inquiry. Jeane Dixon claims she predicted the assassination of President Kennedy, and to
Bizarre Beliefs by Simon Hoggart Read More »
Dirt, soil, — it’s everywhere we go. It is the root of our existence, supporting our feet, our farms, our cities. This fascinating yet disquieting book finds, however, that we are running out of soil, and it’s no laughing matter. An engaging natural and cultural history of soil that sweeps from ancient civilizations to modern
Studs Turkel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Studs_Turkel) offers this invaluable sociological work from 1972 documenting the working lives of ordinary Americans. It is an exploration of what makes work meaningful for people in all walks of life: from Lovin’ Al the parking valet, to Dolores the waitress, from the fireman to the business executive, the narratives move constantly between mundane details, emotional
Working by Studs Turkel Read More »
Don Cupitt (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Cupitt) has been a theologian at Cambridge for over 40 years, writing over 40 books in that time. He came to public attention with the broadcast in 1984 of the BBC television series The Sea of Faith (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_of_Faith_(TV_series)). The programme dealt with the history of Christianity in the modern world, focussing especially on
Jesus and Philosophy by Don Cupitt Read More »
Echoing Edward Said’s belief that ‘Western humanism is not enough, we need a universal humanism’, the renowned critic Clive James (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clive_James and http://www.clivejames.com/) presents here his life’s work. Containing over one hundred original essays, organized by quotations from A to Z, Cultural Amnesia (2007) illuminates, rescues, or occasionally destroys the careers of many of the greatest thinkers,
Cultural Amnesia by Clive James Read More »
The World Until Yesterday (2012) is a visionary new account of humanity’s past from Jared Diamond (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jared_Diamond), author of the international bestsellers Collapse (2005) and Guns, Germs and Steel (1997), which have sold over 1 million copies and won the Pulitzer Prize. Indeed, anything by Diamond is worth reading and this is no exception. In The World
The World Until Yesterday by Jared Diamond Read More »
There are some pretty crude notions washing around in the Western world such as ‘science has debunked religion’. Rather than dying away, religion seems more resurgent than ever (especially, it is interesting to note, in the most technologically powerful nation on Earth). On the other hand the vast majority are woefully ignorant about the power and
Issues in Science and Religion by Ian G. Barbour Read More »
Jeffery Deaver (http://www.jefferydeaver.com/ and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeffrey_Deaver) practiced law before embarking on a successful career as a best-selling novelist. He has been awarded the Steel Dagger and Short Story Dagger from the British Crime Writers’ Association and the Nero Wolfe Award, and he is a three-time recipient of the Ellery Queen Reader’s Award for Best Short Story
