Tim Martin

Vintage McEwan

Revisado: 09-23-22

What can I say, everything I expected and more. I'm already looking forward to a second, slower parse. Nicely narrated by Simon McBurney.

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Much to consider

Revisado: 04-04-21

As the risk of sounding cynical, I found the 'what it is to love' theme of only secondary interest here. I much preferred the AI implications, especially the known unknowns of how an AI 'reasons'. Even Klara's novel perspective of parceling stimuli into overlapping boxes was a useful reminder of how humans default to the human experience of awareness as the universal gold standard (spare a thought for the animal kingdom). Not wild about the narrator though - a more neutral accent would have suited me better... Juliet Stevenson I'm thinking would have been spot on.

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When ennui strikes

Revisado: 03-03-21

The eponymous character suffers under the weight of chronic ennui. But this is more a tale about the times than of the man. In particular a 19th century Russian mindset (an extended dream scene of Oblomov's as a child is brilliant). Stefan Rudnicki as narrator was an obvious if overused choice.

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Juicy scene-setter for the main course

Revisado: 03-02-21

A bite-sized starter for the Chronicles of Barsetshire series. Wonderful, brilliant, funny, poignant - but that could be any Trollope novel really. Simon Vance's narration is as usual, excellent - although Timothy West who has also narrated the Chronicles of Barsetshire is another master of vocal characterisations... we're spoilt for choice really.

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Not a world I know up close, nor would want to

Revisado: 03-02-21

An invitation to listen to someone's personal hell story is an ask, especially if it's a tale that's difficult to relate to (thankfully). But Smith's self-deprecating humour wins the day - it's both impactful and approachable.

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The whole jingbang, box and dice

Revisado: 03-01-21

Prof. Weil's 36 idiomatic and often personal lectures delight in many ways. It's a broad literary sweep, with a bouncing-off-the-walls plot summary of each work. Listening to select prose and poem passages in the original Russian provided additional texture and context - it's a beautiful language. The occasional Russian song thrown in was a bonus, although like me, Irwin's a singer best suited to shower-time! I'm nicely motivated to read the works I wasn't already familiar with, esp. Mikhail Sholokhov's 'And Quiet Flows the Don'. This course series goes straight into my top 10.

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Illuminating (pun intended)

Revisado: 10-11-20

I first listened to Wysession's 'How the Earth Works' and loved it - 'The Science of Energy' is just as good. Importantly, the series sidesteps any temptation to classify different energy options as a binary choice of 'good or 'bad'. Context is everything. Regardless, remember to turn that light off when you leave the room.

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Likeable bastard

Revisado: 09-26-20

The story of a dashing anti-hero, Grigory Alexandrovich Pechorin told from multiple perspectives. Captures the spirit of the times - especially in regard to personal honour lost and gained - but just as relevant today concerning our personal choices and their consequences. Once you've finished, look up Mikhail Lermontov's bio for a hard-to-match bitter irony.

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Blighters abound

Revisado: 09-26-20

Reads like a yarn from The Boy's Own Annual. Is that a bad thing? Not necessarily, it's all in your approach. But be warned - the 'coincidental' encounters that make up the storyline pile up like many lashings of butter on one very small crumpet.

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Coca + Kola

Revisado: 09-16-20

A well-researched insight into The Coca Cola Company - its genesis and the evolution of its non-standard business model. It also draws attention to the underlying dynamics that must facilitate many FMCG food brands operating at global scale, i.e. the disproportional use of local public infrastructure, the backroom lobbying, the suck of the raw resource inputs and their by-product outputs, and the (stealth) impact on our collective physical health. Highly recommended for business, health and history buffs alike.

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