Why we sleep - Matthew Walker

Description

Sleep is one of the most important aspects of our life, health and longevity and yet it is increasingly neglected in twenty-first-century society, with devastating consequences: every major disease in the developed world - Alzheimer's, cancer, obesity, diabetes - has very strong causal links to deficient sleep. Until very recently, science had no answer to the question of why we sleep, or what good it served, or why its absence is so damaging to our health. Compared to the other basic drives in life - eating, drinking, and reproducing - the purpose of sleep remained elusive.

Now, in this book, the first of its kind written by a scientific expert, Professor Matthew Walker explores twenty years of cutting-edge research to solve the mystery of why sleep matters. Looking at creatures from across the animal kingdom as well as major human studies, Why We Sleep delves in to everything from what really happens during REM sleep to how caffeine and alcohol affect sleep and why our sleep patterns change across a lifetime, transforming our appreciation of the extraordinary phenomenon that safeguards our existence.

Review 

Matthew Walker obviously knows his subject very well and is passionate about it, however, the level of this book is more that of a text book than for the average reader. He does say he will find it a compliment if anyone falls asleep reading his book and I have to say it did induce sleepiness in me more than once!

Despite it being a little hard to wade through there are some gems of advice worth mentioning. Like you cannot combat tiredness when driving. All those tips you think you have he warns - forget them - you cannot beat sleep. So the message is do not drive if you are feeling sleepy. 

I did find some of the findings repeated within the book from a very slightly different angle, to the academic it matters, to me a casual reader I got annoyed with the repetition. This isn't the first book I've read on sleep so a lot of the material I was aware of, apart from of course the authors own research.

The most interesting thing I learnt from this book is that there is a direct correlation between the rise of heart attacks and the commencement of daylight saving. There is also a reduction in heart attacks when daylight saving ends. Like a lot of very interesting statements in this book, especially regarding Alzheimers,  I was disappointed that there is seemingly no follow through for them - they are just research findings.

I'm giving this book four out of 5 stars purely because it is a little heavy going, however, if you are reading this for your studies I think you would give it 5 stars.

The Woman in the Window - A J Finn

Description

What did she see?

It’s been ten long months since Anna Fox last left her home. Ten months during which she has haunted the rooms of her old New York house like a ghost, lost in her memories, too terrified to step outside.

Anna’s lifeline to the real world is her window, where she sits day after day, watching her neighbours. When the Russells move in, Anna is instantly drawn to them. A picture-perfect family of three, they are an echo of the life that was once hers.

But one evening, a frenzied scream rips across the silence, and Anna witnesses something no one was supposed to see. Now she must do everything she can to uncover the truth about what really happened. But even if she does, will anyone believe her? And can she even trust herself?

Review

There are a lot of psychological thrillers around at the moment and as I began to read this one I did wonder what was going to be different - would I just work out what had happened.

I gave myself a pat on the back as I thought I had this book all sewn up - I had guessed the big reveal. Except that there were then more reveals, and more and I began to not know whether to believe what I was reading or not. 

It is difficult to belive this is a first book. I think this is just a genius plot. Anna plays old movies on a loop and at times the dialogue from those movies becomes intermixed with real life - or does it? Anna doesn't leave the house and the depth of writing about Anna's agoraphobic condition was outstanding and thought provoking. There were twists and turns which left me reeling as I had to re evaluate continually towards the end of the book what was happening.

I would love to say more - but it would really give the game away. So I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars and my thanks to Netgalley for a copy of the book to review.

Uncommon Type - Tom Hanks

Description

A collection of seventeen wonderful short stories showing that two-time Oscar winner Tom Hanks is as talented a writer as he is an actor.

A hectic, funny sexual affair between two best friends. A World War II veteran dealing with his emotional and physical scars. A second-rate actor plunged into sudden stardom and a whirlwind press junket. A small-town newspaper columnist with old-fashioned views of the modern world. A woman adjusting to life in a new neighborhood after her divorce. Four friends going to the moon and back in a rocket ship constructed in the backyard. A teenage surfer stumbling into his father’s secret life.

These are just some of the people and situations that Tom Hanks explores in his first work of fiction, a collection of stories that dissects, with great affection, humour and insight, the human condition and all its foibles. The stories are linked by one thing: in each of them, a typewriter plays a part, sometimes minor, sometimes central. To many, typewriters represent a level of craftsmanship, beauty and individuality that is harder and harder to find in the modern world. In his stories, Mr Hanks gracefully reaches that typewriter-worthy level.

Known for his honesty and sensitivity as an actor, Mr Hanks brings both those characteristics to his writing. Alternatingly whimsical, moving and occasionally melancholy, Uncommon Type is a book that will delight as well as surprise his millions of fans. It also establishes him as a welcome and wonderful new voice in contemporary fiction, a voice that perceptively delves beneath the surface of friendships, families, love and normal, everyday behaviour.

Review

I'm going to have to admit upfront that I just love Tom Hanks - everything he does and he seems like a great guy too. I also love typewriters. So, unbiased review - really!

I did put this book at the top of my TBR pile and then read it in between another book. I don't like reading a whole set of short stories in one go, but I am a little sad now they are all read. BHowever, I've found out that the audio version of the book is read by Tom Hanks - I think I need to get it and hear them now too.

On that note, I did have Tom Hanks voice in my head whilst reading. Specifically his voice from "You've got Mail" (which also featured typewriters briefly) where he does read aloud a lot. This seemed to suit the timbre of the stories which are also very American, with some terms from way back that I have to admit I was not familiar with.

One character does crop up a couple of times, but otherwise each story is about a different person and situation. Some of them I found the typewriter connection to be a little tenuous and one I had to scan re read as I couldn't remember anything about a typewriter. 

I have two faves in this set of stories. One is a lady who buys an old typewriter for £5 bucks and her journey to get it fixed. The other combined into the mix another of my fave themes - time travel. I definitely could read this story over and over and it reminded me of Jack Finney's work.

In another story the typewriter takes the character back to recollections at hearing different parts of the typewriter, and as I read it, so did I - it was so spooky. Things I had not thought about for years - another one I would love to re-read. This book has got me hankering after getting an old typewriter - just like one I trained on years and years ago before my career went in another direction. I admit to having had a look online - oh Tom Hanks what have you started.........

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars and my thanks go to netgalley for an advance copy of the book for review. 

Boundaries - Jennie Miller and Victoria Lambert

Description

A four-step programme to help develop self-esteem, create time to do the things that nourish and fulfil you, discover a deep sense of calm, and achieve healthy control over your life, home and work, co-written by psychotherapist and relationship expert Jennie Miller and award-winning journalist Victoria Lambert.

The need to understand where to draw the line has never been more acute, with new online trends seeping quickly into our consciousness often before we’ve had time to consider what personal boundaries they might require. Covering email etiquette, office politics, healthy parenting, dating among the over 50s, oversharing, relationships and more, there is no other book that deals effectively and practically with the embryonic and ever-evolving relationship codes of today.

Discover how to set personal boundaries in the most important aspects of your life: from sleep to fitness, diet to social media and computer usage, and build the self-confidence that results from learning to care for yourself. Then you can progress to applying that knowledge to all aspects of your life including work, home and relationships.

With anonymised cases from Jennie’s clinical practice, Boundaries contains exercises, motivational quotes, statistics, and clearly signposts when exactly you need to bring in the boundaries.

Review

I'm always looking for enlightenment into personal development so when I received this book I dived right into it. I found it very easy to read and understand with well laid out headings across the four steps. 

Step 1 Me, myself, I

Step 2 The workplace

Step 3 Love and intimacy

Step 4 Your family and other animals  

The most noticeable thing about this book is how very up to date it is with dealing with issues like social media boundaries both at home and in the workplace. I've never personally read anything in a book like this before and if you are starting out in the world of work (or indeed aren't sure about protocol) then this is a good guideline to set you on the right path regarding how to behave on social media. It also tackles the subject of bullying at work - again I haven't seen this met head on before and am pleased to see this advice.

Throughout the book there are real life case histories so you can relate to how the advice works in real life. There are also little insights which make it seem like the book is a bit of a mind reader! How did you know I just thought that when I read the heading "Fitness"???

I found the first step the most useful for me. This is a book you can refer to again and again at different points in your life and you will find some sound guidance and advice.

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars. I received a paperback copy of the book from HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review.

The Group - Mary McCarthy

Description

THE GROUP follows eight graduates from exclusive Vassar College as they find love and heartbreak, forge careers, gossip and party in 1930s Manhattan.

THE GROUP can be seen as the original SEX AND THE CITY. It is the first novel to frankly portray women's real lives, exploring subjects such as sex, contraception, motherhood and marriage.

Review

This is a book that I have had on my TBR list for ages and I decided I would get it read over the Christmas break. At 437 pages that should have been doable, but I didn't reckon on the small typeface (I'm reading the paperback) and the language which takes a little getting use to.

I recently saw the film "The Greatest Showman" which I loved. However, I was a little critical as most of the women wore false eyelashes and the song which Jenny Lind sings whilst absolutely fantastic is nothing like a song she would have sung in those days. My point is this; whilst I felt that was not realistic of the time, this book is realistic, and I struggled with it! Set in the 1930s with the language of the time felt like wading through so many unfamiliar words, I thought I would never finish the book.

Seen as the "Sex and the City" of it's time and indeed with a forward in my copy by Candace Bushell the book is certainly very liberal for both the time it is set in and the era it was published in being 1963. 

When the book begins all the characters are all produced at once and I felt I would never remember who they all were (and I didn't most of the time). Then the book takes one or two of the characters to focus on in each chapter through the 1930s and ending at the time of the 2nd world war. Different aspects of each of their lives are written about from marriage, birth, motherhood, affairs of the heart and ageing parents.

It was a journey through American  social history for me, although these ladies are all ex Vassar (which is very laboured throughout) and from "society" so not a true cross section of history. However, I was a little shocked at some of the things described - especially towards the end of the book regarding a convalescence stay, which I won't spoil for you.

At the beginning of the book they talk about marketing, and it was only after a couple of references when they talk about going to the market, that I realised this is the term for shopping at the market! To my 21st century eyes I had to re read passages like this as the meaning was so different. There is one part which covers a birth. I was bemused that the Doctor tells the patient to put on fresh lipstick and powder and to stop screaming!!!!! 

As I mentioned the book was written in 1963 and yet it feels like it was written in the 1930's. The author has really captured the nuances and speech of the time. I think it deserves five stars both for the writing and capturing a part of history - this is the closest thing to a time machine you could wish for!

Happiness for Humans - P Z Reizin

Description

Don't tell anyone, but Jen is one of my favourite people.

(Machines aren't supposed to have favourites. Don't ask me how this has happened.)

Jen is sad. Aiden wants her to be happy. Simple? Except that Jen is a thirty-something woman whose boyfriend has just left her and Aiden is a very complicated, very expensive piece of software.

Aiden knows Jen inside out. With access to all her devices, he knows her most played song, can find her favourite photos and single out the insta-quotes which most inspire her. Based on observations and unique algorithms, he has calculated that Jen should find a new man to achieve optimum wellbeing. And with the whole of the internet at his disposal, he doesn't have to look far to find a perfect specimen and engineer a meeting. Except Jen seems to be remarkably unwilling to fall in line with Aiden's flawless plan.

Can a very artificially intelligent machine discover emotional intelligence in time to fix Jen's life? And find out what exactly does make human beings happy?

Review

If you like films like I Robot and the TV series Humans, then this is the book for you. It's along those lines but with so much humour and also a little unnerving glimpse into the future too.

When we first meet Jen she has just broken up with her boyfriend of 2 years. Aiden is her AI friend he watches old films with her and wonders what cheese tastes like.  So, what else would your friend do for you but have your back. Aiden although constricted by the confines of not actually being human begins to "sort" out things for Jen in the real world. What ensues is both hilarious and at times strangely frightening.

Aiden is not alone he has an accomplice AI Aisling and together they begin to put the world to rights as they see it. Meanwhile Jen has a couple of romantic entanglements orchestrated by Aiden. One that seems to be so perfect for her and yet she decides to break off further contact - or does she? Enter a third AI Sinai - which totally blew everything I thought was going to happen out of the water.

This is such a charming, clever and amusing story - it takes such unexpected turns and isn't quite like anything I have read before. A real page turner with a scary insight into what the future might hold for humans - after all we already have Alexa don't we!  One of my favourite lines from the book is when one of the AI starts to "see" an Amazon algorithm - and all the recommendations she has for him!

I'm giving this book five out of five stars - in fact it deserves so much more! My thanks to Netgalley for an advance copy of the book for review. 

Happiness for Humans is out on 4 January 2018.

Three Things About Elsie - Joanna Cannon

DESCRIPTION

There are three things you should know about Elsie.
The first thing is that she’s my best friend.
The second is that she always knows what to say to make me feel better.
And the third thing… might take a little bit more explaining.

84-year-old Florence has fallen in her flat at Cherry Tree Home for the Elderly. As she waits to be rescued, Florence wonders if a terrible secret from her past is about to come to light; and, if the charming new resident is who he claims to be, why does he look exactly a man who died sixty years ago?

From the author of THE TROUBLE WITH GOATS AND SHEEP, this book will teach you many things, but here are three of them:
1) The fine threads of humanity will connect us all forever.
2) There is so very much more to anyone than the worst thing they have ever done.
3) Even the smallest life can leave the loudest echo.

REVIEW

What an unusual read this book is, so many facets to it and running through it a little whodunnit too. It's not often I read a book and think I'm so glad I got to read this story - but this is one of those books.

The book opens with Florence aged 84 lying on the floor of her flat wondering if anyone is going to find her. She begins to recount events from her life over the past 60 years and more recently at the Home for the Elderly that her flat is a part of. From time to time the narration leaves the events and comes back to the present day and Florence who is still lying on the floor.

Throughout the book we meet the people in Florence's life - of course Elsie, the people who work at the home and various other characters that she encounters through little jaunts. The description of her time in Whitby was wonderful. I know Whitby fairly well and I could tell the author did too, I was there with Florence and her friends walking along seeing what they saw in glorious colour.

The plot construction is marvellous but to say would give too much away as there is more than one secret to uncover in this utterly enchanting read - a glimpse into seeing things through someones older eyes.

You don't just get to see things through Florence's eyes though. There is also Simon the Handyman who makes discoveries of his own about his life and Miss Ambrose who has probably been on a course for whatever life throws at her, except her own life!

So many beautifully written and evocative sentences too. My favourite was "three generations of women balance their lives on top of each other, like tiers on a wedding cake". The battenburg cake on the cover is also a charming but sad part of the story too.

I could go on and on about this book, but really you just need to read it for yourself.

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars. My thanks go to Netgalley for an advance copy of the book which is out on 11 January 2018.