Books

The future of physical book shops is not looking bright. Apart from the fact that many people couldn’t be bothered to read (or, even in developed countries, can’t read), there is the entire digital thing. Books are cheaper and quicker to get in electronic form, and a variety of websites deliver cutting edge references on [...]

Jon Krakauer’s book Where Men Win Glory is one of the most thought-provoking I’ve read. On one level, it’s the story of professional footballer Pat Tillman’s life, ending at the hands of ‘friendly’ fire that the US Army did its best to obfuscate. It’s a heartbreaking story, made more tragic by the knowledge that dozens [...]

I have to admit to having been very reluctant to start reading The Last Resort, Douglas Roger’s family-based account of the crisis in Zimbabwe (or Zimbodia, as a Sunday Times satirist calls it). By default, any white person in Zimbabwe (especially an exile), is a victim, and there are only so many victim stories one [...]

I’ve just finished reading Predictably Irrational. It’s written by Dan Ariely, a professor of Behavioural Economics, and the book is essentially constructed from his extensive research material. The insights into human behaviour, especially with regard to the choices we make as consumers, are absolutely fascinating. This book is an obvious must-read for anyone involved in [...]