ut Spam Nation is more of a fun mystery novel as it’s mostly a story about two rival spammers, who probably do as much to undermine their industry (for lack of a better word) as they did to start it. Continue reading
Category Archives: Non fiction
Book review: Superior
Superior is an examination of scientific racism, talking to scientists, anthropologists, historians and a whole host of other people. It also talks to some obvious racists, which is kind of fascinating in itself. Continue reading
Book review: Future Crimes
Future Crimes is a very detailed book, looking at all various ways that technology can be exploited for nefarious purposes. It’s a really good read, though it leaves you with a lingering paranoia about every device in your home. After the chapter on IoT (internet of things) devices, I googled whether our robot vacuum had a vulnerability (it did). Continue reading
Book review: Astounding
Astounding is a history of the golden age of science fiction, specifically focussed on John W. Campbell Jr., L. Ron Hubbard, Robert A. Heinlein and Isaac Asimov. And it is quite frankly, bloody brilliant. Continue reading
Book review: The Narrow Corridor
I know you don’t often have sequels to non-fiction, but The Narrow Corridor feels like a sequel to Why Nations Fail. It expands on the themes in the first book, why nations do or don’t manage to have stable democracies. Continue reading
Book review: The Library Book
The book’s hook is the fire that broke out in the library in 1986. Interwoven is the story of Harry Peak, the only ever suspect in the case. Harry Peak really isn’t a sympathetic character (to me, at least) Continue reading
Book review: Memoirs of Lenora Christina
How to describe these memoirs? They are alternatively absolutely hilarious and mind numbingly dull. She is obviously incredibly privileged and it comes across in really funny ways throughout the memoirs. Continue reading
Book review: The Spanish Ambassador’s Suitcase
The book publishes ‘amusing’ dispatches from ambassadors in posts around the world, mostly from the 1960s on. While in the introduction of the book, the editors talk about some of the racism that permeates some of these dispatches, sadly lacking is a similar apology for the rampant sexism. Continue reading
Book review: Why Nations Fail
Why Nations Fail is an interesting examination of the reasons why countries fail to build functioning democracies and economies. It’s ultimate argument is that it comes down to whether or not a state can build and maintain inclusive institutions – such as political representation and property rights Continue reading
Book review: The Gendered Brain
Anyway, The Gendered Brain takes a look (okay, an axe) to the belief that men and women’s brains are different. It looks at decades of scientific progress on the subject, poking holes in badly constructed studies and highlighting the social conditioning that happens as a person develops. Continue reading
Blogendorff 