I Read, Therefore I Blog

The Blurb On The Back:

When the first edition of this book was published, the United States was in a time of recession, financial crises and growing unemployment. Sound familiar? Many companies rose to acclaimed success from these conditions by improving the quality of their products and services by shifting control from top management to employees closer to the work. This revised and updated edition of The Empowered Manager casts fresh eyes on the theory and practice of optimizing the human system in your organisation in the context of how today’s businesses are changing at the speed of technological innovation.

Business has changed a lot in thirty years, but the philosophies and practices managers use to lead teams are still stuck in a patriarchal mindset. This brilliantly reimagined Second Edition is for everyone who wants to be a force for change and improvement in a stagnant workplace culture where safety, advancement, control, and the desire to hold someone else responsible is forefront on people’s minds. The potent blend of theory and actionable practices provides a clear path for embracing the technology eliminating the tedious tasks from employees’ job descriptions and empowering them with the abilities to better serve customers. Whether you’re a manager or an employee, the inspiring guidance inside lets you step out of the negative office politics fuelling the status quo and gives you the skills to act with autonomy and compassion in service of a vision in order to “own” the performance of your team.

Bring out the entrepreneurial spirit in your entire team and get them invested and excited about the work by:
- creating a unit that exemplifies your deepest personal beliefs about your employees and the organisation and puts in place the systems to make it a reality
- developing high-integrity strategies for neutralising adversaries, motivating fence sitters and focusing mostly on allies
- mastering practical tips for aligning your vision with everyday practice, including how to handle meetings, restructure teams, and manage communications.

The Empowered Manager, Second Edition gives you a clear path to becoming the leader your organisation needs to positively impact performance, build accountability and enhance job satisfaction for everyone – including top management.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Peter Block is an organization development consultant and founder of Designed Learning (a consulting training services provider). In this fascinating book he examines the characteristics of patriarchal organisations and negative politics and how they disempower and demotivate employees and explains how to use more entrepreneurial ways of working so that workers have more control of their work and take more responsibility.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

”I am just a child,” says John. “How can I be at war?”

It’s 1918, and war is everywhere. John’s dad is fighting in the trenches far away in France. His mum works in the munitions factory just along the road. His teacher says that John is fighting too, that he is at war with enemy children in Germany.

One day, in the wild woods outside town, John has an impossible moment: a meeting with a German boy named Jan.

John catches a glimpse of a better world, in which children like Jan and himself can come together, and scatter the seeds of peace.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

David Almond’s historical novel for children aged 9+ has a sparse plot told with a dreamy magical realist quality that highlights the brutality of war and the damage that it wrecks on those subjected to its jingoism and which is sympathetically illustrated by David Litchfield who brings Almond’s themes to life with beauty and sensitivity.

WAR IS OVER was released in the United Kingdom on 1st November 2018. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

The world almost conquered famine. Until the 1980s, this scourge killed ten million people every decade, but by the early 2000s mass starvation had all but disappeared. Today, famines are resident, driven by war, blockade, hostility to humanitarian principles and a volatile global economy.

In Mass Starvation, world-renowned expert on humanitarian crisis and response Alex de Waal provides an authoritative history of modern famines: their causes, dimensions and why they ended. He analyses starvation as a crime and breaks new ground in examining forced starvation as an instrument of genocide and war. Refuting the enduring but erroneous view that attributes famine to overpopulation and natural disaster, he shows how political decision or political failing is an essential element in every famine, while the spread of democracy and human rights, and the ending of wars, were major factors in the near-ending of this devastating phenomenon.

Hard-hitting and deeply informed, Mass Starvation explains why man-made famine and the political decisions that could end it for good must once again become a top priority for the international community.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Alex de Waal is Executive Director of the World Peace Foundation and a Research Professor at Tufts University and in this compelling read that’s by turns fascinating and horrifying, he seeks to counter the Malthus theory that famine is an inevitable consequence of overpopulation by arguing that famines result from political decisions and war and that famines have been decreasing in magnitude over recent years and could be eradicated altogether.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Kim Lord’s face looked back at me, disguised in paint and the features of a murdered woman.

Revered artist Kim Lord is about to unveil her most shocking show yet: Still Lives, a series of self-portraits in which she impersonates the female victims of America’s most famous homicides, from Nicole Brown Simpson to the Black Dahlia.

As celebrities and rich patrons pour into L.A.’s Rocque Museum for the opening night, the attendees wait eagerly for Kim’s arrival. All except Maggie Richter, museum editor and ex-girlfriend of Greg Shaw Ferguson, Kim’s new boyfriend. But Kim never shows up to her party and the crowd’s impatience slowly turns to unease.

When Greg is arrested on suspicion of murder, it seems that life is imitating art. Has Kim suffered the same fate as the women in her paintings? As Maggie is drawn into an investigation of her own, she uncovers dark and deadly truths that will change her life forever …

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Maria Hummel’s literary thriller is a love letter to Los Angeles that’s strong in its observations of the modern art world and its inhabitants but the mystery element quickly tails off under the weight of Maggie’s backstory and the final quarter falls apart as she makes leaps of deduction based on a knowledge of the other characters that isn’t previously shared on the page, concluding with an overblown denouement that made me roll my eyes

STILL LIVES was released in the United Kingdom on 1st November 2018. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

1. How To Hang A Witch by Adriana Mather.

2. In Pursuit Of Memory: The Fight Against Alzheimer’s by Joseph Jebelli.

3. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black.

4. Satellite by Nick Lake.

5. The City Of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty.

6. East Of Hounslow by Khurrum Rahman.

7. The Woman In The Window by A. J. Finn.

8. Seventeen by Hideo Yokoyama.

9. Now We Are Dead by Stuart MacBride.

10. Why Democracies Need Science by Harry Collins & Robert Evans.

11. Bioinformation by Bronwyn Parry and Beth Greenhough.

12. Blackbird by N. D. Gomes.

13. Nancy Parker's Chilling Conclusions by Julia Lee.

14. There Was A Country: A Personal History Of Biafra by Chinua Achebe.

15. Star Wars The Last Jedi: Cobalt Squadron by Elizabeth Wein.

16. Summary Justice by John Fairfax.

17. A Spoonful Of Murder by Robin Stevens.

18. Hackerspaces: Making The Maker Movement by Sarah R. Davies.

19. Landscape With Invisible Hand by M. T. Anderson.

20. Can The Euro Be Saved? By Malcolm Sawyer.

21. London Rules by Mick Herron.

22. The M&A Formula by Peter Zink Secher and Ian Horley.

23. Rose Raventhorpe Investigates: Hounds And Hauntings by Janine Beacham.

24. The Art of Doing Business Across Cultures by Craig Storti.

25. The Playstation Dreamworld by Alfie Bown.

26. The Hamilton Affair by Elizabeth Cobbs.

27. What You Don't Know by Joann Chaney.

28. Amelia Fang And The Unicorn Lords by Laura Ellen Anderson.

29. Horace & Harriet Take On The Town by Clare Elsom.

30. Do We Need Economic Inequality? by Danny Dorling.

31. Basic Income And How We Can Make It Happen by Guy Standing.

32. What Everyone Needs To Know About Tax by James Hannam.

33. Scythe by Neal Shusterman.

34. Society Of Fear by Heinz Bude.

35. The Ascendancy Of Finance by Joseph Vogl.

36. Flying Tips For Flightless Birds by Kelly McCaughrain.

37. Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes.

38. Did You See Melody? by Sophie Hannah.

39. The Echo Killing by Christi Daugherty.

40. The Confession by Jo Spain.

41. Zenith by Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummings.

42. The Whitby Witches by Robin Jarvis.

44. The Exact Opposite Of Okay by Laura Steven.

45. Refuge: Transforming A Broken Refugee System by Alexander Betts and Paul Collier.

46. This Book Will (Help You) Change The World by Sue Turton.

47. White Rabbit Red Wolf by Tom Pollock.

48. Rory Branagan: Detective by Andrew Clover and Ralph Lazar.

49. Purple Hearts by Michael Grant.

50. The Wonder Of Us by Kim Culbertson.

51. Can We Solve The Migration Crisis? by Jacqueline Bhabha.

52. The Colour Of The Sun by David Almond.

53. The Gender Games by Juno Dawson.

54. Not If I Save You First by Ally Carter.

55. The New Scramble For Africa by Pádraig Carmody.

56. Little Miss Lucky Is Getting Married by Roger Hargreaves, Sarah Daykin, Lizzie Daykin and Liz Bankes.

57. Small Money, Big Impact: Fighting Poverty With Microfinance by Peter Fanconi and Patrick Scheurle.

58. Speak No Evil by Uzodinma Iweala.

59. Star Of The North by D. B. John.

60. To The Edge Of The World by Julia Green.

61. The List by Mick Herron.

62. One Clear Ice-Cold January Morning At The Beginning Of The Twenty-First Century by Roland Schimmerlpfennig.

63. A New Politics From The Left by Hilary Wainwright.

64. The Golden Child by Wendy James.

65. Natboff! One Million Years Of Stupidity by Andy Stanton.

66. Come And Find Me by Sarah Hilary.

67. Directorate S: The CIA And America’s Secret Wars In Afghanistan And Pakistan, 2001 – 2016 by Steve Coll.

68. Night Of The Party by Tracey Mathias.

69. The Woman In The Mirror by Rebecca James.

70. The Power Of Yes by Abbie Headon.

71. The Case For A Maximum Wage by Sam Pizzigati.

72. This Is What Happened by Mick Herron.

73. Will Big Business Destroy Our Planet? by Peter Dauvergne.

74. The Joneses & The Pirateers: Search For The Phantom Lady by S. L. Westgate.

75. Lean Six Sigma For Leaders by Martin Brenig-Jones and Jo Dowdall.

76. Run, Riot by Nikesh Shukla.

77. The Real Politics Of The Horn Of Africa by Alex de Waal.

78. One Way by S. J. Morden.

79. All Systems Red by Martha Wells.

80. Embassy Of The Dead by Will Mabbitt.

81. Taylor & Rose Secret Agents: Peril In Paris by Katherine Woodfine.

82. Do Central Banks Serve The People? By Peter Dietsch, François Claveau and Clément Fontan.

83. The Shock Doctrine Of The Left by Graham Jones.

84. Wrong Way Home by Isabelle Grey.

85. Sweet Pea by C. J. Skuse.

86. In Bloom by C. J. Skuse.

87. Age Of Assassins by R J Barker.

88. Bad Blood by E. O. Chirovici.

89. The Ninth Rain by Jen Williams.

90. Happyville High: Geek Tragedy by Tom McLaughlin.

91. A Treachery Of Spies by Manda Scott.

92. The 57 Bus: A True Story Of Two Teenagers And The Crime That Changed Their Lives by Dashka Slater.

93. The Broken Ladder: How Inequality Changes The Way We Think, Live And Die by Keith Payne.

94. Phantom by Leo Hunt.

95. A Double Life by Flynn Berry.

96. The Court Of Broken Knives by Anna Smith Spark.

97. Under The Pendulum Sun by Jeanette Ng.

98. The Hunger by Alma Katsu.

99. The Goose Road by Rowena House.

100. The Grey Bastards by Jonathan French.

101. The Seven Deaths Of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton.

102. Solomon Creed by Simon Toyne.

103. Lethal White by Robert Galbraith.

104. The Quaker by Liam McIlvanney.

105. All The Hidden Truths by Claire Askew.

106. The Traitors: A True Story Of Blood, Betrayal And Deceit by Josh Ireland.

107. The Boy Who Saw by Simon Toyne.

108. Firefly by Henry Porter.

109. Cross Her Heart by Sarah Pinborough.

110. Blood Cruise by Mats Strandberg.

111. The Chaos Of Now by Erin Lange.

112. The Anomaly by Michael Rutger.

113. Dry by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman.

114. Her Every Fear by Peter Swanson.

115. The Drop by Mick Herron.

116. The Hope That Kills by Ed James.

117. Blackwater by James Henry.

118. The Last Place You Look by Kristen Lepionka.

119. She’s Not There by Tamsin Grey.

120. When Conflict Resolution Fails by Oliver Ramsbotham.

121. In Our Mad And Furious City by Guy Gunaratne.

122. The Legend Of Kevin by Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre.

123. Yellowhammer by James Henry.

124. Rosie Loves Jack by Mel Darbon.

125. Trans Global: Transgender Then, Now And Around The World by Honor Head.

126. What Is Race? Who Are Racists? Why Does Skin Colour Matter? And Other Big Questions by Claire Heuchan & Nikesh Shukla.

127. Winnie-The-Pooh Gloom & Doom For Pessimists by A. A. Milne.

The Blurb On The Back:

Why is it important to talk about race?
How does it feel to experience racism?
Why does skin colour matter?

Talking about race is often discouraged, but in this book we’re aiming to bring everyone into the conversation. We explore the history of race and society and discuss how racist attitudes come into being. We look at belonging and identity, the damaging effects of stereotyping and the benefits of positive representation. We talk about why its important to identify and challenge racist behaviour, wherever it exists.

Together with contributions from a range of writers of colour, including Inua Ellams, Derek Owusu, Nadine Aisha Jassat, Asim Chaudhry, Wei Ming Kam, Chitra Ramaswamy and Becky Olaniyi, we talk about our experiences relating to race and racism and discuss why skin colour matters.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Claire Heuchan is an award-winning feminist blogger and author and Nikesh Shukla a writer, editor and co-founder of The Good Journal and Good Literary Agency. In this necessary, fascinating and thought-provoking must-read non-fiction book for children aged 10+ they aim to start a conversation about race and racism and why it’s important to identify and challenge racist behaviour and include moving personal experiences from guest contributors.

WHAT IS RACE? WHO ARE RACISTS? WHY DOES SKIN COLOUR MATTER? AND OTHER BIG QUESTIONS was released in the United Kingdom on 11th October 2018. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

They can’t send you away. What will we do? We need us. I stop your angry, Jack. And you make me strong. You make me Rosie.

Rosie loves Jack. Jack loves Rosie.

So when they’re separated, Rosie will do anything to find the boy who makes the sun shine in her head.

Even run away from home.

Even struggle across London and travel to Brighton, though the trains are cancelled and the snow is falling.

Even though people might think a girl with Down’s syndrome could never survive on her own.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

It’s difficult to review Mel Darbon’s debut YA contemporary romance. Although she convincingly portrays a young girl with Down’s syndrome as a person with ambitions and emotions, a sex trade plotline struck me as implausible and seemed to show Rosie more as a victim driven by others than by her own desires, which undermined her agency such that the book ends up being about the reactions to Rosie and how they drive her than about Rosie herself.

ROSIE LOVES JACK was released in the United Kingdom on 6th September 2018. Thanks to Usborne Books for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Is it a bird?
Is it a plane?
No, it’s Kevin!

Kevin the flying pony blows in on a magical storm and – DOOF – crashes into the balcony outside Max’s flat.

As the storm waters rise and the town is besieged by creatures (naughty sea monkeys ahoy-eep-eep!) Max and Kevin set about putting things right.

With Max’s quick thinking and a constant supply of biscuits for Kevin, there’s nothing this heroic duo can’t achieve!

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Philip Reeve’s and Sarah McIntyre’s illustrated novel for children aged 8+ (the first in a series) is an absolute delight from start to finish, featuring the charming friendship that builds between a boy and a flying horse who, despite his strange appearance thinks he’s perfect as he is and which features cameos from Reeve’s and McIntyre’s previous collaborations (notably the naughty sea monkeys) and plenty of custard cream biscuits.

THE LEGEND OF KEVIN was released in the United Kingdom on 6th September 2018. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Bringing warring parties to the negotiating table is the aim of any peace process. But what happens when those negotiations falter and conflict resolution fails? Is everything lost, or are there prospects for meaningful change in even the most intractable of conflicts?

In this insightful book, leading scholar-practitioner in conflict resolution Oliver Ramsbotham explores the phenomenon of radical disagreement as the main impediment to negotiation, problem-solving and dialogue between conflict parties. Taking as his focus the long-running and seemingly irresolvable conflict between Israel and Palestine, he shows how what is needed in these circumstances is not less radical disagreement, but more. Only by understanding what is blocking the way and by promoting collective strategic engagement within, across and between the groups involved can deadlock be transformed.

Rich in detail and accessibly written, this book introduces a new and as yet relatively unexplored frontier in conflict studies. Its wider application to other phases, levels and war zones holds out rich promise for extending conflict engagement in some of the world’s deadliest and most difficult hot spots.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Oliver Ramsbotham is Emeritus Professor of Conflict Resolution at Bradford University and President of the Conflict Research Society and in this dense but accessible book aimed at non-academics with little knowledge of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, he analyses why traditional conflict resolution strategies fail and argues that highlighting differences and radical disagreement is a more effective way to achieve success.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Sarah Cook, a beautiful blonde teenager disappeared fifteen years ago, the same night her parents were brutally murdered in their suburban Ohio home. Her boyfriend Brad Stockton – black and from the wrong side of the tracks – was convicted of the murders and sits on death row, though he always maintained his innocence. With his execution only weeks away, his devoted sister, insisting she has spotted Sarah at a local gas station, hires PI Roxane Weary to look again at the case.

Reeling from the recent death of her cop father, Roxane finds herself drawn to the story of Sarah’s vanishing act, especially when she thinks she’s linked Sarah’s disappearance to one of her father’s unsolved murder cases involving another teen girl. Despite her self-destructive tendencies, Roxane starts to hope that maybe she can save Brad’s life and her own.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Kristen Lepionka’s crime novel (the first in a series) has a PI heroine who hits a lot of the detective clichés (an alcoholic whose private life is a mess) but puts enough of a spin on them to keep me interested (notably her bisexuality and the love triangle with femme fatale Catherine and Tom, her dad’s old partner) while the mystery unfolds at a decent pace and had enough twists and turns to hold my interest, such that I’d check out the sequel.