In this week's Campaign there were a number of reading suggestions from the great and the good of Adland. Since the birth of Felix I haven't read much but in the past few weeks have suddenly got back into reading in a big way so thought that I would share some of my recommendations:
WORK: High Brow - The Filter Bubble by Eli Parisher
Usually I have to confess that I tend to think that "work-y" books (Black Swan, We First etc) should have have stayed a long article as opposed to be pulled out and out and out until they make a book. Not this one. Its bloody brilliant and covers so many more themes than the blurb alludes to. I had never thought about the downside to personalization and his investigation into creativity and innovation was sparkling. Huge, thought-provoking recommendation.
WORK: Low Brow - How To Leave Twitter by Grace Dent
Ok, so to appreciate this you have to be active on Twitter otherwise its going to seem like the most self-indulgant nonsense (and at times it verges dangerously close to it I have to say) but on the whole its the funniest, bitchiest investigation into what drives Twitter useage and addiction. Great fun.
NON-WORK: Fiction - Pigeon English by Stephen Kelman
I loved this book. Its a cross between season 4 of The Wire and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and Harriet The Spy and wow, does it stay with you! Loosely based on a real incident or an amalgamation of a number of incidents in Peckham and similar type London urban areas, its the story of an 11 year old boy and his world. It made me want to join a book club so that I could talk about it with other people, so if you read it and find it as moving as I did and want to talk just drop me an email. Just wonderful and utterly eye-opening.
NON-WORK: Non Fiction - Sister Queens by Julia Fox
I studied History at university and really enjoy finding out about areas of history that I know nothing about and this period in English and European history was one of them. Its a book about two Spanish sisters, daughters of Ferdinand and Isabella, Katherine of Aragon and Juana of Castile, mapping their lives from birth to their respective deaths. Its a story of politics, deception, religion and family. Totally gripping.
yeah huge fan of the filter bubble. It is interesting to hear the bad side of personalisation.
I did a little post on it thinking about the affect it has on our sense of discovery and in turn creativity
http://thingsdonotchangewechange.blogspot.com/2011/06/have-we-lost-our-love-of-serendipity.html
moving away from work. I will definitely have a look at Pigeon English. Thanks for the summary
Posted by: Mikej | Monday, 08 August 2011 at 10:08 AM
My holiday reading, all fiction (work related books or books on maths were long ago banned):
Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by John le Carré
Each one a sensational read. Cloud Atlas my favourite.
Posted by: Nick Bishop | Monday, 08 August 2011 at 01:13 PM