Jason Kitcat

Shy creatures – Clare Chambers

Several people recommended this to me in short succession. And how right they were!

A beautifully written novel with richly drawn characters. The book flits with ease between war-time 1940s Croydon and in the early 60s. The main character is Helen, an art therapist whose conscience is torn by the affair she is conducting with her married colleague. Things really get going when a mute man is discovered in a dilapidated house with a beard down to his waist. Family secrets are unearthed and relationships shift. Hugely enjoyable and superbly written.

When the Cranes Fly South – Lisa Ridzén

A superbly crafted book which focusses on elderly grandfather Bo as he struggles to keep looking after himself and his dog in rural Sweden. Family and carers do their best but Bo feels he is losing his autonomy. Portrays the difficulty men have in sharing their feelings and truths in such a poignant way. The flashes of memories, the reflections on life, this is a book rich in empathy.

Small Pleasures – Clare Chambers

1950s London – a 39 year old journalist who lives at home with her mother is tasked with investigating a woman’s claim that she had a virgin birth of her daughter. A beautifully observed novel, rich with carefully researched touches from the era, explores love and family through an intriguing plot. No spoilers but I’m not sure the ending was quite to my taste. I’m still ruminating on that. A good read, but I think Shy Creatures is the better book.

The Rest of Our Lives – Ben Markovits

A family prepares for their youngest child to leave for university. This was the moment when the narrator swore he would leave his unfaithful wife some 12 years before. The narrator departs on a road trip and we learn more about him and his family, how and why midlife has shaped the family to what they are today. A light read with poignant, well observed moments.

 

Extremophile – Ian Green

My eldest daughter picked this book up for me from the library. Usually I research a book before committing, but I went in cold on this one, and loved it. It brought me back to the wild energy of early cyberpunk novels: the edginess, the sense of possibility, the scary thought experiments, all wrapped in a good story. Think post-climate crash, bioengineering AI hacking in a world dominated by corporate interests. A great read.

The Good Enough Job – Simone Stolzoff

Do we need another book about work-life balance? Apparently we do because this one unlocked my thinking in new ways. Worth it just for the chapter on ‘vocational awe’ – the idea that your vocation is so important that the workers will put up with nearly anything just to keep their vocation.

This book helped me to realise how much of the ‘work must be a passion/calling/higher mission’ type narrative I have absorbed through my obsession with magazines like Wired and FastCompany back in my 20s.

‘Good enough‘ is such a useful term, in and out of work. It helps to challenge the perfectionism which can become untamed in our minds amidst so much pressure for perfect. The Good Enough Job doesn’t advocate the ‘tune in, drop out’ type approach; but does humanely challenge us on what success might mean for each of us.

The Guest Cat – Takashi Hiraide

A short but deep, rich book. I daren’t say a novel as there is suggestion it may be quite autobiographical. Regardless, it is beautiful. The author’s background as a poet comes through even in translation from Japanese as he carefully, richly describes wonderful little moments in life. There’s a wonderful passage when Chibi, the guest cat in question, cannot resist some fresh shrimp:

“Chibi couldn’t wait for the next mouthful. Perhaps the whole process had become too tedious, too painfully slow for her. I could see her slowly close in, inch by inch, her whole being focused on her prey. Here eyes narrowed like a warrior demon guarding the gate of an ancient temple…”

I read the book twice in quick succession because I felt there was so much to appreciate. It describes the life in a Tokyo suburb of a married couple without children in their late thirties, entranced by their neighbours’ cat.

The cat is described as slim and mostly white. And *spoiler alert* it dies when hit by a car. Astonishingly, the day I finished my second read, I passed some people tending to a slim, white cat on the side of the road in my village. It lay flat out with no blood but clearly dead, something I have never witnessed before.

Want – Anonymous, Edited by Gillian Anderson

Preparing for her role as sex therapist Dr Jean Milburn in the TV series Sex Education, Gillian Anderson read Nancy Friday’s My Secret Garden. A groundbreaking 1970s collection of women’s sexual fantasies, it smashed taboos and certainly left an impression when I read it twenty odd years ago. Anderson has followed a similar model in soliciting and collecting women’s fantasies for Want. But times have changed, illegal and morally dubious fantasies were not included in Want which makes it less ‘daring’ but still powerful. Some of the most memorable entries were the saddest contributions, those who lacked love and understanding so found comfort in fantasies instead.

Men Without Women – Haruki Murakami

This collection of short stories is all about men longing for, struggling with or mourning the absence of a female partner; hence the title. Short stories are best, in my view, when they build enough of a world to be believable, give you enough to satisfy and intrigue then finish whilst you still want more. Of course Murakami does this with aplomb and each story is a capsule filled with character and metaphor. Thoroughly enjoyable.

You Are Here – David Nicholls

I’ve heard of David Nicholls’ work, especially One Day but never read any. You Are Here is beautifully written and cleverly structured. A headteacher invites a group of her friends on a multi-day walk, really with the aim of matchmaking. We follow two characters who are wonderfully portrayed as rather flawed but lovable individuals as they reluctantly engage with this forced socialising. Romance blossoms, but in such a subtle and real way. A real pleasure to read.

Butter – Asako Yuzuki

The butter yellow cover of Yuzuki’s book had caught my eye several times as I’d roamed London’s bookshops. That it combines food and Japan made it even more intriguing. It wasn’t long before my appetite could no longer resist. And what a treat it is! Absolutely sumptuous description of food and flavour, combined with a stark critique of the absurd standards women are held to. In simple terms this is a murder mystery, based on a true story: A woman who is accused of seducing and killing a number of lonely men while taking their money to enjoy fine dining. But that does disservice to the richness of this novel as it deftly explores the key female characters, and uses them to reflect on modern life in Japan, especially for working women. It’s truly a remarkably powerful and unique book that left me with lots to ponder, and eat. It really whetted my appetite, especially for the signature dish of hot rice with cold butter and a splash of soy sauce. It’s good!

The Gradual Disappearance of Jane Ashland – Nicolai Houm

An American woman wakes up alone in a tent amidst the Norwegian wilderness. Through a series of flashes forward and backwards we come to understand why. A beautiful study on loss and identity.

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running – Haruki Murakami

I am bang smack in the target market for this book: A keen runner and a fan of Haruki Murakami. It was unlikely I wasn’t going to enjoy this memoir of how running helps him to write. It delivered, in Murakami’s uniquely humble and personal voice. A lovely insight into the author, long distance running and glimpses on his approach to writing. Loved it.

Novelist As A Vocation – Haruki Murakami

A remarkably open and engaging series of essays on writing as a profession. Both general thoughts, such as on book awards, as well as very personal reflections on how Murakami approaches writing: Lots of rewriting and lots of running it would seem. Very enjoyable for any fan of novels or Murakami, ideally both.

Creation Lake – Rachel Kushner

Picked this up on a whim at the Trafalgar Square Waterstones and I did not regret it. A thought provoking, fresh and engaging tale of espionage. The female protagonist is some kind of spy/agent provocateur for hire tasked with undermining an environmental movement. Nothing goes quite as expected and you finish the book with lots to ponder. Which is the sign of a good book in my view.

Ultra-Processed People – Chris van Tulleken

I didn’t know Chris’s work on TV, radio or podcasts before reading this book. My partner immediately knew “oh he’s the one with the twin Xand”. I also knew much of what he wrote having read many books in a similar vein e.g. Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma, have supported the Soil Association and so on.

And yet this book did end up surprising and moving me. It brought together so many threads in a fresh and compelling way. It examines the economic incentives to ask “what is the purpose of an ultra-processed food?”, to which the answer is to make money. There are sections looking at how all the additives may confuse our appetite control, our gut flora and much more. It’s also incredibly non-judgmental which I think makes it far more approachable. A powerful read which led to me having another hard look at our food shopping habits.

Hunkeler’s Secret – Hansjorg Schneider

Another brooding short novel featuring a now-retired Inspector Hunker in and around Basel. Short, satisfying and thoughtful as it explores the role of the banking industry in Swiss society, what it means to be retired, and how Switzerland dealt with those escaping the Nazis. Great for those of us sorely missing Henning Mankell.

Death in the Blood – Caroline Wheeler

While the Horizon Post Office scandal was the largest miscarriage of justice in British history, the Infected Blood scandal was the worst treatment disaster in the NHS’ history. Thousands have died and thousands more suffer from terrible consequences of HIV, Hepatitis and more. Wheeler starkly sets out the human impact of terrible decision-making in both government and medical establishments, and even worse the attempts to avoid accountability as the impact of the errors became ever clearer. Anyone in public service should read this to help ensure we never see such disasters again.

Karla’s Choice – Nick Harkaway

In his foreword Harkaway freely acknowledges the immense challenge he faces in picking up his father, John Le Carré’s, characters and style. I’m glad that he tried because he totally rises to the challenge in a completely satisfying and authentic new addition to George Smiley’s career.

Le Carré was one of the finest writers of our time, so it really is no mean feat that the book feels like a natural addition to the world of Smiley, Karla and the Circus. Very much recommended, but best enjoyed with a decent number of other books in the series under your belt.

Speaking Truth to Power – Martin Stanley

A short book that could be summarised as “it’s really hard, and often there is little you can do to get the powerful to listen to advice” – though it is leavened with good advice on how to try your best to build your credibility and relationships to improve your chances. Definitely worth keeping close to hand if you work in public service.

When The Dust Settles – Lucy Easthope

I was beginning to doubt whether I could continue with this book given the harrowing opening chapter exploring how teams recover disaster victims in the toughest of circumstances. I’m glad I stuck with the book, despite many gruesome sections, Easthope leavens them with humour and huge heart. Her insights into how communities and public services can better prepare for, and respond to disasters is immensely powerful and important.

Failed State – Sam Freedman

There has been a batch of books and articles in a similar vein recently, including Ian Dunt’s excellent “How Westminster Works… and Why it Doesn’t” and Rory Stewart’s memoir (see my previous notes). Essentially they argue that there is something broken in how our political and government institutions behave. Sam Freedman, a former education special adviser to Michael Gove, provides a robust and convincing addition to this theme.

Overall his argument is that government is overloaded by trying to do too much centrally in Whitehall, whilst outsourcing things which could never work as contracts, all of which gums up the civil service, Ministers and Parliament. The Executive have become overly powerful without sufficient checks and balances, and the current media ecosystem incentivises poor behaviours which exacerbate the other problems.

In essence Freedman argues that power should be dispersed, proper policy-making should be the focus (rather than chasing the media) and institutions should be strengthened to improve scrutiny. It is a compelling argument.

Intermezzo – Sally Rooney

Another stunning novel from Sally Rooney. I beautiful, considered study of grief, family and modern relationships. Yet again the dialogue is so fresh and portrayed in a remarkably authentic way. The depth she gives the two male lead characters is engrossing. A brilliant read which makes one think and feel in ways you hadn’t expected. What more can you ask for?

The City and Its Uncertain Walls – Haruki Murakami

I’m sure for some people Murakami books are a frustrating read. Not everything makes immediate sense, and there isn’t always the kind of resolution Western readers are trained to expect. But for others, including me, they open up windows to our souls that we’ve previously had firmly closed, curtains drawn.

The magic, symbolism, attention to details and curious storylines are all classic Murakami. Yet despite the familiarity of the themes, I found this to be a particularly powerful rendition. The conclusion had me gasping, and I have been left pondering all its possible meanings for some time. Completely wonderful.

The Unaccountability Machine – Dan Davies

Lots of great insights in this book and yet, I felt it a little meandering. Perhaps because I had studied quite a bit of Cybernetics at university, I didn’t need quite so much of the book to unpack the details.

The core ideas introduced are useful: accountability sinks for when a policy and not a person takes the blame, and how they are probably inevitable as organisations become more complex. The move to Friedman’s shareholder value above all else distorting corporate behaviour. How accounting and economics lead to false certainty on what is really happening in an organisation or economy. The many weaknesses in economic modelling. The negative impacts of private equity. How central banks failed to even account for the information which would have foreshadowed the financial crisis. Lots of intellectual stimulation but few proposals on how to address the challenges these insights raise. Solutions are hard it would seem, especially for an economist challenging the influence of… economists!

The News – A User’s Manual – Alain de Botton

There is a calmness and lucidity to de Botton’s writing which I find incredibly attractive. And when I’ve seen him interviewed he speaks in a similar way. I am no longer sure if I’m internalising his voice from those interviews or he is just brilliant at maintaining his written tone.

Regardless, if you ever have worried about what news consumption is doing to us, then this is the book for you.

Notes on a Scandal – Zoe Heller

What a nasty story! This is no criticism, I think Heller achieved exactly what she set out to: a growing sense of despair and disgust. Nobody comes out of this story well but you just keep wanting to find out where it will end up. The tale is of a middle aged teacher having a sexual relationship with a pupil, and how a colleague gets involved. I had been told there was a big twist in the story, but I disagree, it’s a slow burn. Either way, it’s a remarkably compelling book and yet distasteful. Worth reading but be prepared, it’s not going to be uplifting.

Unit X: How the Pentagon and Silicon Valley are Transforming the Future of War – Raj Shah and Christopher Kirchhoff

This book is in the style of many modern American business tomes: a first-person narrative. There’s some padding in there on sections of the authors’ careers and business interests that felt unnecessary. But the core of the book is that commercially available technology such as drones, AI and micro-satelites are transforming war in fundamental ways. Yet the Pentagon has failed to adjust to this in terms of strategy, tactics and most fundamentally procurement. In many senses this is an age old tale of an oligopoly of established suppliers preventing innovation that they see as counter to their interests, and probably impossible to them culturally (cf local government tech suppliers, airline manufacturers etc). The Unit X of the title is an innovation unit the authors were heavily involved with, which managed to unblock some of the rules around the Pentagon trialling, buying and using commercial tech without going through multi-year billion dollar processes that keep awarding contracts to the same few ‘prime’ suppliers.

I found the discussions on the implications for war, power projection and diplomacy interesting, as it’s a topic I first explored for a university dissertation some 25 years ago. But a lot of the innovation unit stuff felt too rooted to the Pentagon example, or a bit obvious e.g. Have a very senior stakeholder if you want to make progress; Having power over who you hire is really important. But not everyone will have learnt or read those points, so I understand why they were included.

It’s a quick read and useful insight into defence innovation.