My 2023 Reading List
As the year draws to a close, I thought it would be a good idea to do a quick run through of the books I have read during 2023.
1 - Permanent Record (Edward Snowden)
This was the result of a library trip with my children. Did not really know what I was looking for but saw this on display and recalled all the stories around Edward Snowden releasing the files and thought it might be a good read. It held my interest but I don’t think it gave anything away that we hadn’t already seen or heard. (2/5)
2 - Sold Out (James Rickards)
I picked this book up from the library when returning my Permanent Record. It is supposedly a book explaining what went wrong with supply chains but ends up blaming most of it on vaccine mandates in the US. Not a book I would recommend reading. (1/5)
3 - Jews Don’t Count (David Baddiel)
This was an interesting book highlighting some of the ways the Jewish people are portrayed in the media, and how antisemitism isn’t treated in the same way as racism towards other cultures or races. (4/5)
4 - Lessons In Chemistry (Bonnie Garmus)
I had seen a lot of people posting about this book on Instagram and noticed that it was on sale on Google Play one day so decided to take the plunge. It is a really good read and definitely a book I would recommend to anyone. (5/5)
5 - Atomic Habits (James Clear)
A book I had seen mentioned on YouTube numerous times by different creators I watch. It is a productivity book pointing out ways that numerous small changes can make a really big difference in mastering something or changing habits. (3/5)
6 - The Last Devil to Die (Richard Osman)
Part 4 of the Thursday Murder Club series of books, and just as good as the first three. It is a really good series and one I always look forward to. Has a Hetty Wainthropp Investigates vibe to it with a really wonderful set of characters and humour. (5/5)
7 - Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow (Gabrielle Zevin)
A book about young game developers and relationships. Well written, witty and makes it all feel like it could be a true story. Interested now to read more of Gabrielle’s books. (4/5)
8 - Make Time (Jake Knapp & John Zeratsky)
Chose this book after a recommendation by Ali Abdaal. A productivity book with plenty of useful hints in how to make the most of the time you have available and how to focus better on the task you prioritise. A really good book that doesn’t just tell you one way of helping but gives plenty of ideas and lets you decide which ones work best for you. (4/5)
9 - Sapiens (Yuval Noah Harari)
This book always seems to be part of everyone’s recommended reading list, so I thought I would give it a try. It attempts to find out what makes us unique as a species and how we managed to become the dominant species on earth. Trying to fit so much history into one book must have been hard but Yuval manages it well and it was a very enjoyable read. (4/5)
10 - The Secret (Andrew Child & Lee Child)
Book number twenty eight in the Jack Reacher series and just as exciting as the previous twenty seven. This book takes us back to Reacher’s army days and delivers the usual brand of Reacher Justice. (5/5)
11 - Bad Luck and Trouble (Lee Child)
I re-read this book as Series two of Reacher on Amazon Prime is based on this novel so just wanted to refresh myself in time for it’s release in December. You don’t mess with the special investigators! (5/5)
12 - The Christmas Appeal (Janice Hallett)
I wanted to squeeze in a festive book before the end of the year and found this when browsing through Waterstones. It is written as a series of correspondence between the characters of the book in letters, emails, text messages etc. And it is a really refreshing take on a book. (4/5)
Weekend Trip to Prague
I recently took a long weekend trip to Prague with a group of friends. We planned this trip as a little celebration because we have all recently turned 40 or are due to turn 40 soon. The trip was excellent and plenty of fun was had along the way.
Prague itself is a beautiful city, with plenty of history and scenic views. The prices compared to other capital cities around Europe are excellent. You can have plenty of food and drink and be shocked at how little it cost you once you get the bill.
A couple of years ago, I bought myself a cheap DSLR camera (Nikon D3400), I decided to take this along on the trip and see if I could get some decent photos whilst out walking around the city. Quickly realised though that I don’t really know how to use the camera to get the best out of it. I really like photography though so it is probably about time I took myself on a course and actually learned how to use it properly.
Here though are a few of my shots that I managed to get.
Prague1
Prague 2
Prague 3
Prague 4
Prague 5
Hello World
Welcome to my blog, The Gambol
welcome
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Thanks
David