Books read September

Not a good month for reading. Work kept me busy and often too tired to read much.

The Shock Doctrine — Naomi Klein
An excellent overview of how neoliberal capitalism evolved itself over the past thirty years and how much it depended on brute repression to do so.

English History 1914-1945 — A. P. J. Taylor
A huge, traditional history of the UK from the start of the First World War to the end of the Second. Taylor’s emphasis is firmly on the political side of things, both domestic and foreign. This can be dull, but it’s clear to see why A. P. J. Taylor became such a popular historian, as he manages to keep things interesting at all times.

Complicity — Iain Banks
A reread of the first Iain Banks (as opposed to Iain M. Banks) book I ever read. This is a nicely paced thriller that’s now slightly dated.

Soul Music — Terry Pratchett
Another reread, of one of the slighter Discworld books. Fun as always.

An Ocean of Air — Gabrielle Walker
A somewhat disappointing look at our atmosphere, from an author who did far better in Snowball Earth.