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.