World Book Day
World Book Day is upon us again and this year rather than getting dressed up (much to Poppy’s disappointment) we thought we’d share a book recommendation (or two) from the team.
Enjoy!
Joshua
The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan is fantastic writing and excellent plot/character development. It’s an immersive world that hooks you in.
Jed
Okay, so my favourite book of all time is Eragon by Christopher Paolini. This book is a fantastic fantasy novel that I have read dozens of times and is very easy to get lost in. That said my favourite biography is by Edward V. Rickenbacker an American WWI and WWII flying ace. He was from my home state Ohio. He lived a fantastic life and overcame many challenges, his life story is utterly awe inspiring.
Poppy
I’m not sure it’s possible to pick just one book but I’m currently working through Phillip Pullman’s His Dark Materials again and absolutely love it. As a child (and adult) I loved the Lion Boy Series by Zizou Corder and would highly recommend!
Ty
I don’t spend a lot of time reading, but I did really enjoy Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton.
-I believe it was adapted to a TV series or a video game or something???
Jason
My favourite author when I was younger was Roald Dahl and The Twits was his best. Vivid imagery, devious tricks and a lesson about gaslighting that I only understood as I grew up. The Quentin Blake illustration at the start about beauty and personality has stuck with me always.
Later in life I discovered The Mythical Man Month by Fred Brooks. This book teaches you that “Adding engineers to a late project will only make it later”. It’s decades of software team management wisdom, compressed into a short book. Fred’s knowledge, even from the punchcard days, is just as applicable to today’s software engineering challenges.
Nico
I’d encourage anyone to read the sci-fi novel Snow Crash by Neal Stevenson. History, linguistics, religion, computer science politics and philosophy – Snow Crash has it all!
Neale
I always said that if the house was on fire, I’d carry my dog under one arm and my Lone Wolf & Cub books under the other.
A manga series from the 1970’s, writer Kazuo Koike and artist Goseki Kojima created an epic masterpiece set against a beautiful and brutal landscape. It genuinely changed my life. Set in medieval Japan it’s a story of honour and revenge whose influence is relatively unknown but far reaching (Star Wars The Mandalorian is basically Lone Wolf and Cub in space). I’d happily write about Ogami Itto & his son Daigorō all day, but sadly I was told I only had 100-word limit.
So, just go and read Volume One – The Assassin’s Road.
Toby
I used to read lot as a child, but not so much any more. Apart from climbing guidebooks – I get through loads of them.
My favourite series growing up was the slightly ominously named “Chronicles of Ancient Darkness” by Michelle Paver, which I think I loved because they were set in a very wild, stone age Europe.
My favourite book of last year was Grit Blocs by Dave Parry, but that is a bit more of a niche choice!
Satvir
I’m not much of a reader as I don’t find it particularly relaxing. But I like to cook – a lot. Jamie Oliver’s Ministry of Food inspired me to start, I can’t recommend a book highly enough.
Stephen
I generally don’t read books, but I do listen to them a lot!
I love a good Sci-Fi book anything from space and travel to magnetic wizardry. It helps me be creative and think outside the box, pondering possible future life and technology. 1980’s retro Ready Player One (read by Will Wheaton) by Ernest Cline was especially good.
I do like a good autobiography too – anything from Happy Sexy Millionaire to Will by Will Smith, they’re really feel-good happy books.
Ahnaf
If I had to choose one, I’d choose The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. It depicts the life of an Afghan boy going through the challenges occurring in the region in the 20th century. The way the author presents the protagonist’s personal life and entwins it with the political events in the same plot is what puts this book at the top of my list.
Pete
There are just too many to choose from. One book that really made me laugh out loud, from cover to cover, was Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency by the fabulous Douglas Adams. A thumping good detective-ghost-horror-who dunnit-time travel-romantic-musical-comedy-epic indeed!
Neil
4 Steps to an Epiphany by Steve Blank. It’s a must read. The only business book I’ve read cover to cover. My grandson on the other hand, is currently enjoying Just let me Sleep by Andrew Frinkle.
Maria
I couldn’t possibly choose one… so I’m going to recommend the entire Witcher series. It was my first big fantasy novel, the vast universe and the lore of which captivated me from the first sentences of the first book.
I love that it’s based on local myths, lore and legends, it goes far beyond a man killing monsters, there’s a lot of different forms of love explored in those stories. It’s something I will always go back to and re-read (and re-play it too!).