My summer reading recommendations
As regular readers will have noticied, prior to yesterday I did not update Dale Street Blues for three weeks.
This was due to two weeks holiday and then a week of illness.
Anyway I spent a delightful fortnight in France with my wife and eight month-old son, during which I read two books that I would recommend to anyone with an interest in politics or social affairs.
The first is the book is David Brooks' The Social Animal.
This is not some dull policy book instead it tells the story of how we make concious and unconcious decisions and the affects they have on our lives. The story is told through the lives of two individuals Harold and Erica. It is a fascinating look at the unconscious.
The book may offer an insight into the ideas that may shape coalition social policy as David Cameron is said to have instructed the cabinet to read it.
The second book I read on my holiday is a must read. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is an incredible book about the woman behind cells known as HeLa. Usually I don't read books very quickly. But I sped through this book because it was so capivating and heartbreaking at the same time.
Henrietta Lacks has changed all our lives and this book is about her story and what happens when science, politics, ethics, and billion dollar industries collide.
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Dale Street Associates
David Bartlett
City editor of the Post and Echo covering politics, regeneration, and urban affairs.
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I think 'The Social Animal' would be facinating if it explored the conscious and unconscious decisions of Richard and Erika, but hey ho, no doubt your update here will have their ward colleague scurrying to the nearest Waterstones in order to make conversation with you.
If any Labour members can prize 'Das Kapital' from their paws, then I think its worth a read?
From me, I suggest you have a read of 'Friction' by Joe Stretch, about a group of nihistic individuals from nearby Manchester whose conclusions of life have been so withered after a string of failures. The end is suprising.
Cllr Janet Kent talked about the HeLa book in a speech directed at standards in public life not so long ago. Fascinating stuff!