Listmania!
Books read in 2009
WatchmenWatchmen by Alan Moore
Buy new: £8.99 / Used from: £4.87
'A dazzling transformation was at hand for mankind.' A dark and highly layered graphic novel, with depth of characters so thick and broad, I was lost in this masterpiece from start to finish.
IrrationalityIrrationality by Stuart Sutherland
Buy new: £5.97 / Used from: £3.43
A very dense, example filled, read. And certainly no holding back by Sutherland. It's entertaining and informative - but it is a long read I think.
The Little Sister: A Philip Marlowe MysteryThe Little Sister: A Philip Marlowe Mystery by Raymond Chandler
Buy new: £5.79 / Used from: £3.00
My fifth Chandler novel. They're such addictive pleasures, I can't get enough of this author. Great writing style, and brilliant characters. Going to struggle when I've read them all.
The Long GoodbyeThe Long Goodbye by Raymond Chandler
Buy new: £5.82 / Used from: £1.77
The Chandler epic. It's a massive development from his earlier work, and it's brilliant, I enjoyed every page of it.
PlaybackPlayback by Raymond Chandler
Buy new: £5.47 / Used from: £0.01
The final novel. It's short and brisk - and it sums it all up for Marlowe. A satisfying close to one of the best characters I've ever come across. Chandler is my hero, terrific novels!
Six Degrees: The New Science of NetworksSix Degrees: The New Science of Networks by Duncan J. Watts
Buy new: £5.98 / Used from: £3.50
The science of networks is still developing, so don't expect the full answers here. It's a bit lengthly, and I think Linked is a bit better, but it was ok.
OutOut by Natsuo Kirino
Buy new: £5.96 / Used from: £0.01
Gloomy, depressing, and miserable. But not without merit, I found it quite a captivating read.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream (Harper Perennial Modern Classics)Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream (Harper Perennial Modern Classics) by Hunter S. Thompson
Buy new: £4.49 / Used from: £1.73
Majestic gonzo'ism. Hunter was a fine writer indeed. Read this whilst in Tenerife consuming vast quantities of alcohol, quite appropriate. Absolutely fabulous book.
R.G. Collingwood: An AutobiographyR.G. Collingwood: An Autobiography by R. G. Collingwood
Buy new: £18.48 / Used from: £15.94
Probably only interesting to a reader of Philosophy, or the History of Ideas. An interesting and frank insight into a thoroughly decent chap.
Ubik (Panther Science Fiction)Ubik (Panther Science Fiction) by Philip K. Dick
Buy used from: £2.35
Thought it was going to be tough, too geeky for me. But actually it's very strongly character driven, and quite a charming read. Enjoyed it.
The Girl with the Dragon TattooThe Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
Buy new: £3.95 / Used from: £2.25
Terrific. A refreshing crime novel. It does drag on at times, and it's a large book. But, it's very subtle and delicate, a quite fascinating read.
Down and Out in Paris and London (Penguin Modern Classics)Down and Out in Paris and London (Penguin Modern Classics) by George Orwell
Buy used from: £3.21
Orwell is one of my favourite writers, I enjoy anything written by the man. This was a ghastly account of his time in dire poverty in Paris and London, and it's absolutely fascinating.
The Third Policeman (Harper Perennial Modern Classics)The Third Policeman (Harper Perennial Modern Classics) by Flann O'Brien
Buy new: £4.98 / Used from: £2.16
One of the strangest books I've read. It's partly good, and partly a waste of time. Much of it lacks any coherence. But the ending finally brings something interesting back into the story. Odd.
Outliers: The Story of SuccessOutliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
Buy new: £5.96 / Used from: £4.19
I thought this would be a weak Gladwell book, capitlizing on his past two books success. But it's pretty good. Entertaining and enjoyable, sometimes enlightening.
The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big DifferenceThe Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell
Buy new: £4.96 / Used from: £2.18
I like Gladwell's style of writing, it's engaging and full of real life examples. This was a very entertaining read, with some highly quotable case studies in tipping points. Very good.
SnuffSnuff by Chuck Palahniuk
Buy new: £5.02 / Used from: £1.95
Overhyped for sure. At times quite funny, but only for a moment or two, it's not riproaring by any means. Quite boring on the whole, and pointless, but luckily it was short.
Winning UglyWinning Ugly by Brad Gilbert
Buy new: £4.74 / Used from: £2.78
For a notive tennis player, this book was absolutely fascinating. A passionate and fiesty account from legendary coach Brad Gilbert. Really good fun.
Web 2.0 Heroes: Interviews with 20 Web 2.0 InfluencersWeb 2.0 Heroes: Interviews with 20 Web 2.0 Influencers by Bradley L. Jones
Buy new: £10.54 / Used from: £1.50
A cosy warm chat with Web 2.0 famous people - but really, nothing new or insightful at all, seems rather dated, and lacking visionary opinions.