2312 by Kim Stanley Robinson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I’m not a slow reader and still this book took me a year on and off. The world-building and scientific extrapolation are great, the plot starts very slowly and the style makes it a slog, but at the end is a rewarding book.
Freedom (TM) by Daniel Suarez
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Not nearly as shocking as Daemon, but a worthy conclusion to a very interesting plot nevertheless. Its ideas on distributed systems, oligopolic capitalism , the hero’s journey and distributed economic & social networks will stay with me for a while.
Daemon by Daniel Suarez
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I saw a friend of mine had recommended this book and I had to check it out. Its mixture of IT security, philosophy, gaming, mobile technology, economics and intrigue makes for a very engrossing read that mashes up all sorts of disparate ideas into a very exciting plot.
The only downside I can find is a certain ignorance of Hispanic culture and Spanish spelling where relevant, which struck me as a little odd. Still,I cannot recommend it enough.
The Hunger Games Trilogy Boxset by Suzanne Collins
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Somewhere between post-apocalyptic sci-fi, the Japanese classic Battle Royale and a teenager telenovela, this is a seriously entertaining page-turner in the young adult genre. Good escapist literature, even if sometimes I was annoyed by the pumped-up teenage girl drama and continuous cliffhangers.
Barca: The Making of the Greatest Team in the World by Graham Hunter
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
If you are looking for an objective view, you won’t find it here. If you are interested in how FC Barcelona works and the main issues in the past 10 years (rise and fall of Rijkaard, the emergence and utter dominance of Messi, the Guardiola era) this is the book for you. I thoroughly enjoyed it, even if it did sometimes feel too fanboyish.
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I like books on history, science, science fiction and the odd work-related thing, so I didn’t expect to like this one so much. Couldn’t put it down during the Easter weekend. The richness of the story, the well-planned progression and the variety of characters lent it an air of authenticity, even if some minor facts would on a couple of occasions detract from the experience (if you are going to write Spanish phrases, make sure you know how they’re spelled). I don’t give 5 stars lightly, but to me this is a classic like “Forever War” or “I am Legend”, mixed with enough Anthony Beevor to suspend disbelief.
Instrucciones para vivir en México by Jorge Ibargüengoitia
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Aunque en algunos pasajes se nota que el libro fue escrito hace cuarenta años, su aguda crítica y excelente sentido del humor lo hacen más vigente de lo que debería para un país que ha cambiado tanto (y tan poco) como México. Recomendable.
Instrucciones para vivir en México by Jorge Ibargüengoitia
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Aunque en algunos pasajes se nota que el libro fue escrito hace cuarenta años, su aguda crítica y excelente sentido del humor lo hacen más vigente de lo que debería para un país que ha cambiado tanto (y tan poco) como México. Recomendable.
Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty by Daron Acemoğlu
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
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Maybe a little oversimplified in its application of their model of inclusive/exclusive political and economic institutions, but an interesting idea nevertheless.
Robert Enke was a German professional football goalkeeper who commited suicide at the top of his career, on the eve to represent his country at the 2010 World Cup. This book details his life, his career and his struggle with the pressures of professionalism and depression which led to his tragic end.
It is often unrecognized that a person’s mental health is as important as his physical one. Sadly it was only after this event that the German Football Federation started offering counselling to players.