Euan Lawson
July 2024 reading
- Great Britain by Torsten Bell
- The Score by Richard Stark
- Bringing Down Goliath by Jolyon Maugham
- In My Time of Dying by Sebastian Junger
- Ten Myths About Israel by Ilan Pappe
- A Day in the Life of Abed Salama by Nathan Thrall
- The Art of Noticing by Rob Walker
- The Jugger by Richard Stark
- Always Take Notes. Edited by Simon Akam and Rachel Lloyd
- The Seventh by Richard Stark
There is some good myth busting hard facts in Bell’s book, Great Britain - but I also found it curiously lacking in ambition in some ways. There’s a whiff of incrementalism about it, rather than radicalism. That’s not entirely fair as the changes Bell proposes would make be significant but if you are seeking revolution then you might find this a rather cooling proposition.
I thought Maugham’s book Bringing Down Goliath was excellent. I had been put off reading this by some suggestion about the general tone of Maugham. Early reviews had indicated Maugham was somewhat pleased with himself, if not outright insufferable. I only picked up hints of this, perhaps largely because I was primed for it, and I regret not reading it sooner. It’s also very evident that Maugham has made a good few enemies and trodden on toes. I suspect this has bled into some reviews but I found it powerful and compelling.
I’ve read most of Junger’s work and his book on dying and death, after a close scrape himself, is as good as anything he has put together. One of things I appreciate about all Junger’s books, and this seems like a small thing, is that they are just as long as they need to be to tell the story. Too often, authors feel compelled to hit the magic 100,000 word mark and books can feel strung out and etiolated.
I had read reviews of A Day in the Life of Abed Salama by Thrall but I was keen to read some kind of specific book about the Israel-Palestine conflict - hence I went for Ten Myths About Israel. Now, I am fully aware that Pappe has a very particular position, but I found it incredibly helpful to sketch out the outlines of the conflict. Thrall’s book is remarkable and perhaps even more devastating, though quietly, in its condemnation.
I am now a subscriber to Rob Walker’s Substack, The Art of Noticing, and this is a lovely book, brimful of ideas and creative energy.