The God Delusion

Richard Dawkins’ new book, The God Delusion is published today and over the weekend the publicity machine started up. On Friday Dawkins was interviewed on Newnight. The interview will still be available from that site until tonight’s edition replaces it later today. The Newsnight site also has some extracts from the book and a discussion… Continue reading The God Delusion

Universally Acknowledging Truths

Argh. They’ve done it again. A truth which has the downside of keeping many true artists poor in garrets and many false ones rich in mansions was universally acknowledged yesterday. (Pride, prejudice and happiness: readers choose favourite endings – Guardian) Is it too much to ask that just once a journalist can write an article… Continue reading Universally Acknowledging Truths

New Perl Books

I noticed that the O’Reilly stand at Opentech on Saturday had a few new Perl books. I think that a couple of these books are particularly important. Over the last few years I’ve heard a lot of people saying that Perl isn’t suitable for large scale programming projects as it doesn’t constrain programmers in the… Continue reading New Perl Books

Vernon God Little by DB Pierre

Amazon link This is book seven in my attempt to read fifty books in 2005. Another Booker Prize winner and another book I really didn’t enjoy. But whilst I can understand why people like the Rushdie, I can’t see any redeeming qualities in this book at all. The plot is predictable and the characters are… Continue reading Vernon God Little by DB Pierre

Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie

Amazon link This is book six in my attempt to read fifty books in 2005. Rushdie is one of those authors who I really want to like. Many people think he is one of the most important writers of the late 20th century. Like many people, the first of his books that I attempted was… Continue reading Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie

The Time-Traveller’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Amazon link This is book five in my attempt to read fifty books in 2005. In many ways this is a lot like Slaughterhouse Five. Henry DeTamble is adrift in time in much the same way as Billy Pilgrim but although she starts with a similar premise to Vonnegut, Niffenegger’s novel turns out very differently.… Continue reading The Time-Traveller’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Anyone You Want Me To Be by John Douglas and Steven Singular

Amazon link This is book four in my attempt to read fifty books in 2005. Here’s a good rule of thumb for choosing true crime books. Anything that is endorsed on the cover by Patricia Cornwall has a very good chance of being almost unreadable. On the front cover of this book Cornwall is quoted… Continue reading Anyone You Want Me To Be by John Douglas and Steven Singular