Tim Marshall - Prisoners of Geography ****
If you’re interested in current affairs and in particular global politics, then this book might interest you. It’s a pleasing mix of history, geography and geo-politics that provides a solid overview of why the world - and in particular, international relations - has turned out the way it has. There’s no great depth to it and it’s quite a short read, which will appeal to some more than others. It’s more of an overview than an in-depth study. I enjoyed it, particularly the last chapter on the Arctic.
Stephen King - 11.22.63 ****
This is one of my favourite Stephen King books. The central premise of the book revolves around history and time travel so how could I resist? Jake travels back in time to help people. A woman accidentally shot in a hunting accident and a family terrorised by a murderous husband and father help Jake gear up for his main mission: stop Lee Harvey Oswald from assassinating JFK. He ends up spending years in the past, gets a job, makes friends and falls in love. This takes up a lot of the book and some people might think it makes it long-winded and laborious. I often think King’s books are too long but not this time. At over 700 pages, it’s not a quick read but I was never bored. I enjoyed the immersion in the fifties and sixties. I love time travel and I used to be a history teacher so this book ticked all the right boxes for me.
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