Reading - September 2023

Parliament of Whores by P.J. O'Rourke (1992)

OK, so this book is over 30 years old, but what it describes are eternal truths. And yes, it's about the US government, but what it tells us applies to all governments. And it does so very amusingly. An absolute classic for anyone who wants to know about these things, and anyone who refuses to take it too seriously.

Jury of His Peers by Debbie Macomber (1986)

An old, old Silhouette romance, repackaged to look more now but showing its age in many ways, most notably by having the woman flip-flopping between extreme emotions, often within the space of consecutive paragraphs, and the man being all stoic and then almost forcing himself on her. Not a great read these days. Only one thing puzzles me though: if this was published in 1986, why is the guy consulting "GPS on his phone"?

The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy (1905)

I first came across this novel as a teenager, in the Reader's Digest condensed edition - which is in fact how I read  it this time too, exactly the same copy. That first time, I remember being completely surprised by the revelation of the Scarlet Pimpernel's true identity, whereas now I can see that it's telegraphed with flashing lights, so that doesn't say much about my ability to work out plot in advance (although nothing has really changed in this respect). I have no idea what has been edited out, but as it stands now it is a short, entertaining read.

The Rainmaker by John Grisham (1995)

I've read this many times - and I always enjoy it, the court scenes in particular - but it never really struck me before how critical this is of law education and practice. Law students are mostly portrayed as greedy and snobbish; lawyers themselves are those, plus amoral. The system is geared towards those who can afford to play the game. There's a side-swipe against the ridiculous health care system in the US. For all the engrossing plot, it's pretty damning.

The God Desire by David Baddiel (2023)

A brief but engaging discussion of a number of thoughts around the non-existence of God. It's not going to change anyone's mind, but then no book like this will. Of more interest to me personally are Baddiel's observations on the experience of being both (culturally) Jewish and an atheist, but these are more on the subject of what purpose religion serves in society and less about whether God exists. For what it's worth, I agree with Baddiel: obviously God doesn't exist, and anyone who thinks otherwise is just engaging in wishful thinking.

Mother Tongue by Bill Bryson (1990)

As good a primer and introduction to the story of English as the casual reader needs, in particular along with its sequel, Made In America. Very readable, amusing - laugh-out-loud funny in places - and learned without being overbearing (and, unlike Bryson's later books, about the right length). Brilliant.

A Question of Us by Mary Jayne Barker (2019)

A funny, sweet, bawdy at times and very English romcom about friends who slowly realise their feelings for each other. The characters and their bants were very convincing, although possibly a bit laddish. Ultimately though, the two main characters were engaging and you just wanted them to get together ... and the inevitable last-minute roadblock wasn't too annoying or frustrating.