Wish I could read more. There was a time when I was in college (and even better unemployed!) when I was ickle that it was the meat and drink of every day. I commuted a lot on buses and the DORT so it meant I had lots of time to do it I suppose and there have been a fair few times in my life since then when I’ve done the same (there was even a period a couple of years ago when my commute was a couple of house on Bus Eireann a day wither way – pain in the arse but a reader’s heaven)
At the moment what with the working, the kiddies and the 24 hour blogging(!) I find I have less time than I’d like, but I make up for it by buying stuff I like the look of when I see it and then reading three or four at a time.
At the moment I’m reading this for work purposes (but enjoying it a lot nonetheless)
Still dipping in and out of this. Got it in the brilliant Oxfam bookstore on Parliament Street for €4. It’s a 40 year old and out of print pictorial history of Portmerion – the village in Wales they filmed The Prisoner in. It’s completely fascinating.
This I’m reading for the second time for work purposes. He knew in the 60s the issues that would face media today.
And this is my current fiction fix. Only starting it but it’s great so far.
Am always looking for recommendations. What are you reading at the moment and is it any good?
3 thoughts on “Beautiful, Beautiful Books…”
So you still haven’t read Black Swan Green then? ref:
http://ricksbreakfastblog.blogspot.com/2007/07/geek.html
Read the Garry Kasparov book after you had mentioned it on the blog. A good read – thanks for tipping it.
If you are at all interested in why we do the things we do – there are 2 books I have recently finished that I would highly recommend
‘Made to Stick’ – Why some ideas survive and others die. Authors : Chip Heath and Dan Heath. Real eye opening stuff. Takes a leaf out of Malcolm Gladwell’s ‘Tipping Point’ and shows you the tree. Essential reading for a media person such as yourself as is my next selection…
Influence. The psychology of persuasion. Authour : Robert B. Cialdini.
Although the title sounds like a dry academic book, this definitely isn’t. Answers many questions on human behaviour and how we are influenced on a daily basis. I learned something about toy companies that every parent should know but doesn’t…. You need to know this well in time for Christmas so you won’t be ripped off.
So that’s my two recommendations to you (along with the Black Swan Green of course)
Enjoy, and do me a favour that when you find out about the toy companies in the Influence book, you will do some follow up and do an expose on air to blow their big scam to pieces.
Alan
About 10 years ago I got “The Golden Gate” by Vikram Seth for my birthday. On opening it I found it was written entirely in verse – contents, aknowledgements, the works! Since then I have read it at least once a year and given it to countless people as a gift. The story itself may not have held up had it been written in prose but I loved it. The characters are very real. It has the added advantage of being quite short and (time allowing!) you could finish it over a weekend.
Still in my pile Alan! Genuinely! Thanks for the recommendations, keep them coming.
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