Tag Archives: Haigh
Jeevan Vasagar – The Surge – The Race Against the Most Destructive Force in Nature
The one with the comedy dog The Surge is a trenchant analysis of the destructive power of water, a clarion call for recognising imminent dangers, and a panoramic narrative of human catastrophe and hubris. Some passages present as a cross … Continue reading
Dr Geoff Andrews – Radicals: The Working Classes and the Making of Modern Britain
Whither the Labour movement? One is struck by the heroic energy and fortitude of the working classes – working long and arduous hours, they found time and resources to educate themselves, to organise trades unions, to make brass bands and … Continue reading
Posted in Cultural History, Economics, History, Politics
Tagged Andrews, Books, Communism, Geoff, Haigh, Radicals, Tim, Working Class
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Nicholas Wright – Warhead: How the Brain Shapes War and War Shapes the Brain
War. Huh! (Dum dum dum!) What’s our brain good for? “Human brains were not built for comfortable lives”, writes Nicholas Wright. Which rather raises the question, what were they built for? Well, among other things, “Every human brain is built … Continue reading
Tom Doyle – Ringo: A Fab Life
In the 70’s, he was a happy drunk … by the 80’s, he was just miserable! It is 1962. Ritchie Starkey – better known by his stage name of Ringo Starr – is widely acknowledged as the best drummer in … Continue reading
Thomas Levenson – So Very Small: How humans discovered germs, uncovered infectious diseases, and deluded themselves that we had conquered them
“A gentleman’s hands are [always] clean” Infectious diseases caused by bacteria have killed well over half of all humans who have ever lived on Earth. Historically, bacterial infections have started major pandemics such as the bubonic plague, which is estimated … Continue reading
John Higgs – Exterminate/Regenerate: The Story of Doctor Who
Wot, no Daleks?!? If you had a time machine and could return to 1963 you would be surprised at the haphazard genesis of Dr Who. We think of it today as the eternal jewel in the BBC crown, but the … Continue reading
Julian Baggini – How The World Thinks
When we use the word ‘philosophy’ what we usually mean is “western philosophy’. But as the philosopher and bestselling author Julian Baggini points out in his new book, western philosophy accounts for only around 20% of the world’s population. Other … Continue reading
Posted in Cultural History, Philosophy, Religion
Tagged Baggini, China, Christian, comparative, Haigh, Islam, Julian, Philosophy, Tim
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Christopher Fowler – The Book of Forgotten Authors
Christopher Fowler is a good friend of this site, having appeared with us three times already. But then, he will keep writing books that we find irresistible. This time he has assembled an Aladdin’s Cave of writers who have been … Continue reading
