Social Blunderer

Garthwaite’s depiction of her as an intelligent and fierce woman who passionately loves her husband, the Duke of York, is compelling. The book is at its best when the two of them verbally spar, Cecily, urging York to be more ambitious and ruthless in order to protect their family while York feels that this is best accomplished by being loyal almost to a fault.

That said the novel features significant time jumps which I felt a bit jarring. As a result, it drifted a bit in the middle until the final conflict is set up. Despite being told in the 3rd person, the narrative focuses on Celcily’s experiences and as result, I occasionally felt a bit lost as to the context in which certain things happen. I also took issue with the depiction of King Henry VI. While not a great king he did lay the foundations of institutions that the UK still benefits from today. For a novel looking to challenge traditional narratives, I felt more could have been done around this.

For the most part, Garthwaite writing is engaging. Cecily is a complex and formidable character that hooks you in. However, the book suffers from uneven pacing. I was tempted to give this four stars. A really good debut novel.

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As a huge fan of More or Less, I was very excited to be given an ARC from Netgalley.

How to Make the World Add Up is a deeply aspirational book. It convincing advocates that numbers and statistics have world-altering powers. Harford wants a world where we all better understand what these numbers mean, how they are calculated and collected, and what if anything we should do about them.

Harford’s writing is full of humanity. He knows for laypeople these are complex and often messy topics but he tackles them with such good nature and humour you can’t help feel enthused. The rules themselves are straightforward enough to follow and the examples Harford uses throughout to illuminate his points are thought-provoking.

Harford like the best communicators makes you feel smart for understanding the concepts he is explaining. How to Make the World Add Up features some of the best storytelling he has ever done and I think he a must-read for everyone unsure about what numbers mentioned to prove a point actually mean.

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This is a sobering polemic on political apathy and a visually stunning reminder of the genuine threat that democracies face.

It cleverly uses historical examples to validate the points about the actions one should take to safeguard their democratic freedoms.

By mixing photographs, collages, and illustrations, Krug expertly amplifies Snyder’s message. The graphic edition is eloquent and impassioned in its call for all of us to make every effort we can to avoid tyranny. It can be rage-inducing to read but at its heart is the significance of being kind, being active and, as the book itself puts it, not accepting the traps of inevitability.

Along with Save It for Later by Nate Powell, On Tyranny is another excellent example of how persuasive graphic novels can be when exploring themes as complex and as perplexing as what we can do as individuals to make our communities and counties better places to live and prosper. Highly recommended.

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One of the best history books I have read this year. Brown has a cinematic style of writing that is highly engaging. There is a rich cast of real-life heroes including soldiers Rudy Tokiwa, Fred Shiosaki and Kats Miho, and conscientious objector Gordon Hirabayashi. Brown’s has a knack for making you very fond of Nisei we meet meaning that every indignity that is placed upon them by a deeply racist American nation is also felt by anyone reading their accounts.

I got a real feel for the complex emotions and motivations that caused these men to serve a country that had treated them and their families so abominably. Even Hirabayashi who refused to enlist did so out of a sense of duty to America. In fact, Hirabayashi’s story might be my favourite, the bravery he needed was just as great as any of those serving in the 442nd.

It is wonderful that this book shines a light on the overlooked contributions Japanese Americans made in WW2. Despite all the awful things they endured I found the book uplifting. A must-read read for ww2 buffs.

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