100 books

This is one mammoth book. Genuinely, it 800 pages and on each one is some little gem of knowledge about London. Its taken me about four months to wade through it, but I;m glad I did. Ackroyd's great- because he is a classy historian who doesn't discount teh spiritual element of any city. Whilst he doesn't mention the history of the church (this is a truly social history in that sense) he does talk about the strongholds and foregeign gods of the City. Anyone who would seek to make a difference in London would be well advised to read this- its salutory warnings of the resilience of the City are spot on. I like it!

The blurb on the back of this book is all about Paula being agreat athlete and all that. It even includes the Dailiy Mail's "Britain's greatest ever woman athlete" (which I'm sure they saida bout Kelly Holmes too). Good as these things are, the fact that they are on the back of the book should betray the fact that although a great runner, Paula is not a great writer. Now, I'm not the most linear person in the world, but this book is just a bit confusing sometimes. It kind of flits all over the place.. I get the impression that it was put together almost by a series of interviews and no-one bothered to link then very well. (I guess the pressure of getting the book out soon after the Olympics took its toll). However, as an insight into the life if an athlete its great... and a bit gross. Hernias, incontinence, fluid, jabs, tears, deep friction.. all a bit vomit inducing (oh and there's vomit in there too). Aside from the grossness, I'm left with th...

Big ole long book this one! In the first fifty or so pages I wasn't sure I was going to make it through to the end. But then Mandela's story started to sync up with the history of South Africa and I got a bit more hooked. Nelson Mandela is like many great men. Determined, resolute, stubborn, and flawed. I'm not sure he would say anything else. Like so many in leadership there comes a point where family is neglected. In his latter years he fronts that up, in fact the whole book mellows. Its left me with a couple of questions. The first is around the way that Mandela deals with Winnie's downfall. He seems so supportive, and yet has no hesitation in binning her. I think its to his credit in some ways that he leaves out the details of intensely personal things. My other question is slightly politically hertical. I can't help but winder if Nelson Mandela was orchestrated to come to power. As I understand it he was one of a number who went to jail. He was...