Review: The Dictionary of Coronavirus Culture

The Dictionary of Coronavirus Culture by Alan Bradshaw
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Deserves to be much more widely read - can't believe I'm the first and only reader of this on GoodReads! Inspired in part by Raymond Williams' "Keywords", essentially a book of short essays from academics from a wide variety of fields (transcribed and edited from podcast interviews recorded in Spring/Summer 2020), this covers a range of topics all linked (but not limited to) the pandemic - e.g. Clapping, Idleness, Statues, Social Distancing

The podcast > essay transition seems to work very well and I'm surprised it isn't used more often. Removing the interviewers questions, the text is tightly packed with insight and each essay is an excellent, accessible primer on it's specific subject.

A joy to dip in and out of over the past month, don't be put off by the slightly unwieldy title!

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Review: Abolish Silicon Valley: How to Liberate Technology from Capitalism

Abolish Silicon Valley: How to Liberate Technology from Capitalism by Wendy Liu
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Enjoyed this, more a memoir than a how-to on ending the tech industry (although this is touched upon). Interesting to hear Liu's very self-critical perspective as someone who had drunk the Kool-Aid on the Silicon Valley dream and came out the other side. As someone who works in IT, much of the book rang very true.

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Review: Blackface

Blackface by Ayanna Thompson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Clear and well-researched study on Blackface, a timely book on a tradition which still sadly insinuates society and one I only had a limited background of knowledge to.

There were some shifts in tone throughout the book, shifting from more dry histories to a more sarky style which didn't always work for me. Found Thompson's argument regarding "white innocence" particularly compelling and these sections were strongest in the book.

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Review: TV

TV by Susan Bordo
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

As noted by Bordo herself in the book, this wasn't originally intended as a book specifically about TV and it really shows - this is more of a personal reaction to Trump and the general move towards entertainment in TV news.over the past few decades (in the vein of the superior Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman). I enjoyed reading the book in general but it wasn't really what I had envisioned (or wanted) in a book on this subject.

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Review: The Culture Struggle

The Culture Struggle by Michael Parenti
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A short yet wide-ranging book, essentially an approachable primer on Cultural Hegemony. Found it a little too scattergun and it did feel like a collection of loosely linked essays (with some lax referencing at times) rather than a tightly structured thesis. The introduction and conclusion were strong though, and it's worth reading for anyone new to the concept of hegemony.

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Review: Apropos of Nothing

Apropos of Nothing by Woody Allen
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Decided to give this a go after reading What We Don't Talk About When We Talk About #MeToo: And Other Essays on Sex and the Mess of Life which gives a more nuanced take on the charges levelled against Woody Allen, however that was probably a mistake.

Enjoyed the opening section focusing on his youth and first steps into show business, but the almost constant name-dropping soon begins and it becomes something of a chore. There's little to glean here on his vast array of films - most warrant a few lines and talk of how beautiful or sexy the lead actress was (Allen definitely comes across as something of a creep). The CONSTANT self-depreciation is wearisome too, although that may be expected from Woody Allen.

The extended section combating the allegations from Mia Farrow is a real tirade and pretty much ruins the book, particularly on the self-narrated audiobook where Allen's anger is palpable. Even assuming the allegations are false against Allen and I can understand his wish to state his side of the story, he really doesn't come out well and is almost completely lacking in self-awareness. There were significant issues in their somewhat bizarre relationship and both parties appear as very damaged people using their children to maneuver a toxic breakup.

Hard to recommend, it passes the time and there's the odd decent one-liner but it left me with an even sourer view of the man sadly.

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