I haven't been reading books this year, so I'm glad I managed to read 4 books this month. It isn't as easy as it used to be, this reading thing, but I've found that watching less tv makes it easier.
The first book I read was The Talented Mr Ripley by Patricia Hightower which I really enjoyed. I remember watching and enjoying the film adaptation some years back and so I thought I'd give the book a try. I found I like her style and her imagery is so vivid, I'd really like to read more books in the Ripley series. I was also excited that it appears as one of the 1001 books to read before you die. Its always fun for me when I find I've read a book on that list.
Where's the chicken is a short book that asks the reader and society at large to think about what the unseen problem in a crime situation is. It also asks (and gives suggestions) about what we can do to promote peace and reduce or avoid crime in order to create a safer society. It gives examples of the sorts of solutions people come up with when they ask these kinds of questions and suggests that even a perfect police force is not enough to create safety and security.
Ja No Man by Richard Poplak is an autobiography by the subject on growing up as a white boy under Apartheid.
How to be an Intellectual is a funny read by Nick Kolakowski on maxims to employ to become an intellectual. I love list books and this one is a lovely one.
I'm curious about what else he has written, he comes across as a fun conversationalist. I just might read a classic after reading this book, he recommends a few that he made sound quite tempting.
