By BRUCE DENNILL & LISA WITEPSKI
100 Documents That Changed The World: From Magna Carta To WikiLeaks by Scott Christianson
The Trouble With Goats And Sheep by Joanna Cannon
Homo Deus: A Brief History Of Tomorrow by Yuval Noah Harari
Perfect Crime by Helen Fields
The 30-Year Safari: A Celebration Of Getaway Photography, edited by Justin Fox
Homeward Bound: The Life Of Paul Simon by Peter Ames Carlin
Any publication involving a list is going to be subjective, so there won’t be universal agreement on whether the documents and ideas collected in 100 Documents That Changed The World are the best choices in terms of their long-term influence on the world. But what is gathered together in this hardcover volume is undeniably interesting, and put together in way that makes it easy to read quickly, learning about a huge range of historical milestones without ever getting bogged down in reams of detail. The entries are arranged in chronological order, starting with Chinese text inscribed on bamboo in 2800BC and running all the way through to the secret files learned by Edward Snowden. What is fascinating is the range of types of document that have patently had a lasting impact, from literature (The Iliad, War & Peace and other works) via scientific papers (from Da Vinci and Newton, among others) to contracts (the Lousiana Purchase; the Hitler-Stalin Non-Aggression Pact) and cultural phenomena (the Kama Sutra, Apollo 11 Flight Plan, First Tweet and more). This is a wonderful resource for readers of any age; something to hold on to and refer back to repeatedly. – BD
Grace is a ten-year-old girl living in a small English village is which all is not well. Because she is only a child, her perspective is embellished by imagination and a lack of the perspective that comes with the tough lessons of adulthood. This makes her an interesting narrator, as the story that unfolds in The Trouble With Goats And Sheep is not just a straight sequence of details, but also the unfolding of a child’s creativity and the eccentricities that adds to the story. Grace lives on The Avenue, a small, foible-filled community from which a woman has disappeared, setting off a series of rumours, endless gossip and, in Grace and a young friend, the impetus for a mission to solve the complex scenario by finding God, wherever He may be. The book is a quirky, warm ensemble drama and comedy with a number of threads running concurrently – the girls’ quest; a middle-aged man still under the thumb of his mother; a bullied wife and a number of sweet neighbours with flawed motives. Some subplots are more satisfying than others, and it’s possible that the book draws out its ideas for too long, but there is some wonderful writing (thought-provoking phrases, generally elegant prose) and an easy readability throughout. – BD
Yuval Noah Harari is a professor of history who thinks like a philosopher, but – importantly – doesn’t write like a scientist. What he does do, though, is present hugely thought-provoking material, and reams of it, in a way that makes it compelling to read, discuss and debate. His observations (always confidently stated) regarding where humankind is now, and where we’re likely to be in the future, resonate strongly with more cliched commentaries on what is now prioritised and how, in lives lived online, the focus of our attention is changing, with knock-on effects in a myriad areas of our societies and communities. He postulates, in Homo Deus, that happiness, immortality and power are now the remaining areas on which our species will now focus, with every other worthwhile goal achieved – giving the book’s primary title some heft. Harari doesn’t mind treading on every toe necessary to maintain his philosophies’ momentum, meaning that traditional religion, for instance, receives short shrift as humanism takes centre stage (though the possibility of artificial intelligence ruining the party soon is raised). This is the sort of material that allows almost all readers to find a thread with which they identify or agree tremendously strongly, while those same readers will shake their heads at other, often associated, ideas in the same book. Definitely worth reading, though it may prove its own point by not becoming a beacon from which to navigate onwards. – BD
I always think that police thrillers have a dreadful tendency to fall into stereotype territory. Somehow, Perfect Crime manages to sidestep this trap neatly. Instead, author Helen Fields has created a world that feels real, with characters who are relatable and human and who, because of that, experience their world of horrors in a particularly stomach churning way. DI Callanach is faced with a series of murders that look like suicides, but as each death becomes more macabre, it becomes clear that there is something far more sinister in the offing. Genuinely creepy and disturbing, especially because of the callous treatment of vulnerable characters, which sticks in the reader’s craw, this is the perfect read for a long weekend, or as a palate cleanser before you pick up some heavier material. It’s fast paced and moreish and Field’s penchant for unpredictable twists makes for great satisfaction. – LW
A fixture in one or another way in the lives of South Africans with a yearning to explore their country and those around it, Getaway magazine has always had as one of its strengths some sublime photography. This is and has been the work of both the photojournalists who roam Africa putting together the publication’s features, but also of the professionals and members of the public who send in their offerings to the Getaway Gallery section in the hopes of both having their photographs published and winning the monthly prize. Sensibly, The 30-Year Safari doesn’t try to display too much of what must now be a gargantuan database, rather cherry-picking a few examples of the best work from the last decade (the book’s title remains valid, given that it’s part of the magazine’s anniversary celebrations) and sorts them into sections that focus on people, animal behaviour, marine and aquatic environments, landscapes, macro photography and birds. It’s simple, striking photograph-and-caption stuff, and nothing more is needed: the pictures are expected to speak for themselves and they do. A no-brainer as a gift for a tourist who’d like memories of the African wild to take home with them, and an excellent choice for fans of both local culture and wildlife and the art of great photography. – BD
Homeward Bound is not an authorised biography of the hugely gifted and incredibly influential singer-songwriter Paul Simon, which is not surprising, given that the only facet of the man’s make-up as legendary as his musical output is his unwillingness to play nicely with those around him. He is a singular talent, but also an insular one. Peter Ames Carlin notes this reasonably and dispassionately throughout his conscientiously researched text, giving the narrative a good balance. Also on that side of the equation are the instances, throughout his long career, when Simon’s laser focus on succeeding at all costs has left friends, colleagues and lovers at the roadside. Beyond that, though, is the richly detailed story of a now sixty-year career that has positioned Simon as one of the most significant artists in musical history, with his work crossing genre and cultural boundaries around the world even as he became one of America’s most prominent artistic spokesmen. There were cycles in which Simon’s projects were not successful, and Carlin examines the curious mixture of fretfulness and unalloyed self-belief that helped the artist get through those. The unpacking of the moments in which Simon’s most enduring hits were written, in which Calin shows a keen affinity for the complexities of inspiration and creation, are fascinating, offering fans another facet to appreciate when they listen to their favourite Simon albums. It’s possible that Simon might not like this distillation of his life (it’s unlikely that he’s read it), but it’s the product of some superb journalism and hard graft on the author’s part. Detailed and satisfying. – BD
