Should you read this book?

Another yes to this one. Period detail and attitudes. The casual humour of the trenches. How the old boys network and the class system work.

This one's a yes unless you're one of his children in which case you'll probably need counselling. The Financial Times says " Webb has written an engaging memoir that is a well-crafted rebuke to the orthodoxies of gender determinism." and I guess that's pretty much it. I enjoyed listening to it, even if it's mainly about his childhood which is normally the bit I skip in celeb autobiographies. He remembers his sixth form romances and fumbles and recounts them in excrutiating detail. I mean - who cares about that stuff? At the same time the impact of the death of his mother is the real heart break. His mini essays on gender are really good apart from the soppy ones at the end 

I listened to this one and really enjoyed it. I've watched Newsnight over the years, so lots of the Newsnight events he talked about I recognised. Maybe Newsnight fans will enjoy it most, then again, who else would read it? He was a reporter in Northern Ireland well before his Newsnight days. He brings his evaluative eye and stark summarising skills to the situation there, worth a read in itself. Later, he seems to get bored with his own book, asking himself a series of questions and answering them. He nearly stood as a Conservative MP (I'm on a Conservative MP autobiography roll here). But he's not that much of a git. If you want to know how Newsnight and shows like it work, it's the book for you.

This won the Pulitzer prize and is on the Booker long list. It's got an endorsement by Barack Obama on the front. That's a lot to live up to. I admit it's fiction so it shouldn't get on to this blog BUT I've read it and on to this blog it is getting. If you're used to the ideas of slavery - maybe watched Roots - you might get something from this book. I did. I think it was the incidental detail, the intricacy of law and racist religious argument, the sheer depth of the involvement of the whole society, from Blacksmiths forging gynaecological and other torture weapons, to ministers, maids...so many people involved in keeping the whole thing going. It's strong on plot and you wouldn't call it subtle.

Another great listen as Johnson reads it himself. Uniquely among political biographies he writes entertainingly about his own life -- normally I'm impatient for the behind-the-scenes famous stuff. He actually does the Westminster bit pretty cursorily. He is self-deprecating and intense and you have to admire his move from delivering letters to Cabinet member. So should you read it? If you like well-told tales and the background to events you remember.

This was pretty interesting - Brandreth was a Government whip for the final stages of the Major government. You'll enjoy it if you are interested in how those whips work and whether House of Cards (the British one) is really true. What got me was not so much the blackmailing of MPs to vote with the Government, but the arcane rituals of the Whips office - who must shut the door, who must pour out the wine....There is absolutely no philosophy in this book (political or other - is this to maximise his readership?) although he describes his wealthy lifestyle in detail (private jet to Venice, jet for lunch then opera at Verona), which is just before he decides to become an MP and presumably be horrified at ideas like the minimum wage. No social injustice is worth his comment, but what he ate and drank at this dinner and that with this celebrity or that certainly is. And that is a comment.

A very enjoyable read, although I only started a few chapters in when he got to Cambridge...must go back and read the childhood stuff now. He wants to evaluate himself all the time - so he shows off about some pretty show-off-able stuff (like running the marathon in 2 hours 30) and judges himself pretty harshly as an MP (sort of failed, disorganised wimpy rebel) and as a TV presenter. It's all very interesting, not least his sort-of campaigning for gay rights. He manages to stay a Tory despite Clause 28, of course. You'll like this if you like ironic, direct writing or want an inside view of the Thatcher / Major years.

Yes definitely. This is a history of modern Britain. Ok England. You can marvel at his never seeing his family, at the hours he was awake - his law job, MP ing, going to Ronnie Scott's at midnight. Ken met them all. Heath couldn't talk to women. Thatcher wanted to disband the NHS and move to the USA model. She opposed the unification of Germany and fought for Europe. The inside story of her take down. The smoothness and central control of Cameron. Ken is so plain speaking and normal. You have to remind yourself that his glee in imposing cuts on departments in his role as Chancellor wasn't quite so hilarious for people who don't share his lifestyle.

This is an excellent book. It's a sweeping history of the press and it's relationship with Government. Guess that doesn't sound too good but it IS. Amazing account of Peter Mandelson trying to get him sacked - pulling the many levers he has. Funny accounts of the tactics of journalists in the 50s "is there anything else you'd like to say Sir?" and how those attitudes have changed. A great mixture of anecdote and insight.

Yes. This should be read by everybody. It's a sort of tough talking friend. Why the early stages of relationships are so appealing. Why they are so disappointing after the early stages. Don't live your life looking for the affirmation of the early stages, unless you're a movie star.