BOOKS I'VE READ IN 2024

 Books I've read in 2024 (in no particular order):

The Sunday Times Investigates - Reporting That Made History (2021) Edited by Madeleine Spence

A brilliant compilation of scandals over the years including The Tale of Kim Philby; The Thalidomide Scandal; Bloody Sunday; Colonel Gaddafi and the Miners' Strike; Cash for Questions Tracing the 9/11 Attackers; The FIFA Files; and Failures of State: The Covid-19 Pandemic.

Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder (2024) by Salman Rushdie

Extraordinary account of a near-fatal attack on his life, his slow recovery, his love for his family and friends, reflections on humanity, with occasional flashes of humour.  I wish he did not have to write it, but I'm glad he did.

To the End of the Rhine (1987) by Bernard Levin

Holiday reading on a cruise along the Rhine!  Useful for travelling anecdotes.

Politics on the Edge (2024) by Rory Stewart

At last, a book about a politician and politics that holds the interest from start to finish.  Remarkably candid, informative and witty. 

Blowing the Bloody Doors Off (and Other Lessons in Life) (2019) by Michael Caine

A book that is both entertaining and strangely dull, from such a natural raconteur.

Erebus: The Story of a Ship (2019) by Michael Palin

The true story of maritime adventures and expeditions, with particular focus on HMS Erebus's disappearance in the Canadian Arctic, with 129 crew members.  160 years passed before the wreckage was found.  A wonderful book, researched thoroughly and written beautifully.

Auntie's War (2018) by Edward Stourton

The story of the broadcasting challenges faced by The BBC during the Second World War, amidst intense political (Number 10, Winston Churchill et al) wrangling to seize control of the corporation.  At its core, the book emphasises the powerful role radio played in truth-telling and propaganda. Extraordinary work.

The Sunday Times - A Life in the Day (2021): Words of wisdom and Domestic Details from the Rich and Famous, edited by Richard Woods

A fine selection of 100 celebrity profiles that first appeared in The Sunday Times magazine.  

The Wichita Lineman: Searching in the Sun for the World's Greatest Unfinished Song (2019) by Dylan Jones

A great book telling the story of songwriter Jimmy Webb, his successes with Glen Campbell and others, and a focus on the song that Bob Dylan called "the greatest song ever written".