Should you read this book?

I feel like I needed this book a long time ago. All sorts of behaviour (mine and my family's) is now beginning to make sense. Susan Cain writes half narratively, very conversationally, and seamlessly introduces a wide range of research and ideas. Certainly want to use it at work and am now drastically reducing group work. Come on society let's wake up and value thoughtfulness a bit more.

This was ok. Interesting ideas linking twitter shaming to the stocka and thinking about the power of shame in other ways, like in prisons. Quite a lot of padding, I thought, as you followed the author chronologically so you left things then came back to them. Probably could have lost a third of the book, but it was an easy read so I didn't really mind. I don't really get what was so bad about the first example - this man who made up some Bob Dylan quotes. Apparently this mystification makes me typically British. Long term impact of reading the book - going to be realy really careful what I write in this blog.

Definitely read this one. McGartland is recruited into the IRA and simultaneously into the undercover security forces. He manages it for 4 years. The IRA work out that no plans he knows about ever work out and that he has too much money. I can't think what his long term plan must've been. Very interesting detail on how society is organised - not overtly but covertly.

Full marks to this one. I think it had everything a good book needs: well written with an engaging voice and I really learned a lot without even trying to - in this case more about how the political system operates. I didn't know, for example, that the top journalists and politicians have each others direct numbers and can text each other. I suppose I didn't realise the extent of the relationship. Next time a political editor speaks, I'm going to listen - their sources are better than I realised. If you followed the last election at all, I'd say you'd enjoy looking at it from a different angle in this book.

Thoroughly enjoyed listening to Steve Coogan. Read this on audiobooks - you can hear the impressions and he's really good at them, so I'd say better audiobook than print book. If you're 45 + this is a great book for really conjuring up the 1970s from a lower middle-class perspective (his categorisation, not mine). He really seems to have made it big through talent rather than connections - apparently having none in the business and being spotted by the Spitting Image producers. That's impressive. Basically I think Alan Partridge is a work of true genius and I was fascinated to hear more about how he did it.

The problem with the autobiography of a non-defunct politician is that they have to be so careful they can't really say anything. They have to be grateful and glowing about all sorts of people and bland enough to avoid any criticism. Irony out. So I gave up half way, but enjoyed some of the detail. She seems to have gone from successful lawyer and campaigner with impressive energy to someone who takes having staff and an office of people working for her as normal. (OK it was an abridged version on audiobooks.)

I can't remember why I decided to read this one, but it was interesting enough. Huge amounts of detail about drunken evenings- surprising they are still so important in the life of someone over 40. (Well mine don't seem important enough to detail - was drunk, behaved badly, end of. You can see why I'm not an author). His accidental route into show business IS interesting - always like it when someone hasn't got a fairy godmother getting them in.

The Daddy of all arguers and really brilliant at it. As far as I can see, a take down of nearly all opposing arguments. Particularly enjoyed the existence of God is not an opinion, the invisible best friend of the immature species Homo sapiens, if you want to know about fairies at the bottom of the garden, you'd better ask a fairyist.... I'm not sure he's right, but I'm sure he knows how to argue.

I love Dan Ariely's TED talks and his area of expertise ie behavioural economics. This book takes you quite slowly through a number of his theories, how they developed, his experiments, his methods, his results. Sometimes I wished it would go faster, but then I realised you kind of needed the build up and the rationale. Pretty male-students-in-University-in-USA centred, but I forgive it.

I was really inspired by this one. Obviously details about life in near space and what it does to the human body - which muscles atrophy if you're not careful are all fascinating. How people coped with landing - the Russians in the Kazak cornfield is memorable - and the sheer luck of getting on the programme (not being too tall or small for whatever space ship is being built when you're the right age) also interesting. Really loved his guide to life on earth - preparing for what you want. Still haven't managed to though. So, a brilliant guide, logical, insightful, inspirational with the predictable result of leaving me feeling I should have done it differently.