Tag: books

Mallee Stanley’s—You can’t clap with one hand

This is my seventh year at reviewing my best reads, but the first time I’m mentioning You can’t clap with one hand. It’s my third manuscript, but the first to be published. The blurb on the back cover reads:

Growing up in a South Asian household in Uganda, Guli becomes an expert at crafting successful schemes to outwit her father and his misogynistic ways. Years later, when Idi Amin seizes power, the Nile becomes a grim stream of death and Guli fails to outsmart her husband. His ambition blinds him and thrusts her in a perilous situation with long lasting consequences.

It was inspired by my time in Uganda during Idi Amin’s rule and I’ve written about some of those experiences on my travel blog on wordpress—From here to there.

Laura Bates’s—The New Age of Sexism

This is a very difficult book to read. It’s not the language—it’s the content. But an important present day view especially important for all women as it explores misogynistic software such as Deepfakes and Metaverse as well as the long term influences this has on men and therefore women’s safety and relationships. There are also chapters on sex robots, image based sexual abuse that is rampant. For example, in Korea, women fear using public washrooms because men are placing hidden cameras in them. Then the author fact checks AI and finds it is not always correct. Additionally, it is stereotyping its responses.

Well written and researched. I highly recommend this book.

Danny Craine’s—How to resist Amazon and why

This informative book is an eye opener for those purchasing from Amazon. It not only details the company’s treatment of its workers and its unscrupulous business practices, but also Jeff Bezos’s future plans are frightening. Although repetitive at times and focuses mainly on the company’s effect on the book industry, it is still an important read.

The world’s oldest operating bookstore

I haven’t posted a five out of five review in a while because I haven’t read anything lately, I consider that good, but also because I’ve been busy with research for an upcoming novel. I visited a London medical and a pharmaceutical museum where I took photos of medical equipment and pages of medicines used in earlier times. Between reading those notes as well as the history of the town where I’m setting part of the story, pleasure reading has slipped from my usual routine.

Continue reading →