Welcome to Everytown - Julian Baggini

'A journey into the English mind' - says the cover, but to be honest I'm not convinced, unless the 'English mind' it means is the middle aged, male, liberal from the south.

Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy this book but I'm not sure that it would have been quite so interesting if I hadn't had a vague idea of the places mentioned, and if I hadn't known that he makes some really sweeping generalisations about the average person in the UK.

The premise of the book is that Baggini decides to go and live in the 'most typical postcode in the country' - this is the area that had the closest match of household types to the country as a whole, the place that has the most typical mix of wealthy pensioners, struggling families, aspiring singles etc......and it turns out to be S66 in South Yorkshire.  Maltby near Rotherham in fact.

Although his thoughts on what the 'average' person eats, drinks, does for leisure, where they shop or go on holiday, or what car they drive are interesting, I have to admit to hoping for a bit more of an insight into the people he met and their views and lives.  Instead the book seems to be about him, his prejudices and stereotypical assumptions about working class northern England.

Of course the 'average' English man (or woman) doesn't exist, and anyway it's necessary to realise that despite the fact that Baggini spent six months there he really was only seeing things from the outside.  He didn't appear to work for a living so I can only assume that those he got to know were aware of his 'project', and of course he saw everything through the lens of a middle aged man............

He also seemed to compare Rotherham unfavourably with other places - but not on a like for like basis.  Rotherham is a small ex-industrial town - not a city or university town - like Bristol (where I think he came from).

In comparison to a book a read a few years ago, also looking at the poorer inhabitants of South Yorkshire - Below the Breadline, this book seemed to lack something for me, perhaps it was that I found it difficult to identify with the author - or perhaps it was that I couldn't shake the feeling that quietly he was looking down on those he lived amongst for six months.

Bought on Green Metropolis

1st - 25th August 2011

A week at the airport – Alain De Botton

Despite my dislike of the expansion of airports, and the over use of cheap travel, I had been looking forward to reading this little book.   Not least as Terminal 5 is very much part of my history, despite never having been there – back in 2002 I worked for a few summer months on the large archaeological site which was to become Terminal 5, but at the time was a very loud patch of mud that still smelled of the sewage treatment works which were there before.

I've always been fascinated by transport hubs, airports, railway stations, bus stations – they are the best possible place for one of my favourite past-times – people watching!  Nowhere else is so fantastic for spying on the comings and goings (literally) of the general public.

I imagine that part of the reason the author took up the offer of spending a week with unlimited access to the airport and it's travelers had something to do with this.

Asked by BAA to spend a whole week solely within the confines of the airport; staying in an airport hotel, eating in airport restaurants and wandering at will.  He was given a desk at which to work, but also passes to go airside and into non-public areas – I'm jealous!

Using the process as titles for each section; arrivals, departures, etc – De Botton gives an entertaining and enlightening glimpse into a world that never sleeps.  Facts and figures are kept to a minimum, it's the human stories behind the luggage, vending machines and duty free shops that fascinate.

In a way it seems very brave of BAA to allow him free reign on what he wrote, even granting him an interview with the chief executive, Willie Walsh – something that De Botton admits wasn't as interesting to him as meeting the staff and customers.

The book in no way makes me want to visit T5, but it does confirm my interest in people watching!

Bought on Green Met.

Twilight and Philosophy, Vampires, Vegetarians and the Pursuit of Happiness - (ed.) Rebecca Housel & J Jeremy Wisnewski

I've always been interested in philosophy, not in an academic way, but the broad ethics and ideas involved; so this book certainly looked of interest.

Part of a series of philosophy and popular culture books, this volume draws together 18 articles from leading academics around the world to look at the philosophical themes within the Twilight series of books.

The articles are short and easy to read, and they certainly added depth to my reading of the Twilight series and their characters.

Themes such as whether immortality is something to be desired, what can the books tell us about god, is Carlisle really compassionate and the morality of Edward.

A number of the articles explore the theme of feminism in the Twilight books, even going so far as to discuss the similiarities between Bella Swan and Sarah Palin!

Actually when I stop to think about it Bella is very much not an empowered young woman; she moves to Forks so that her mother's new husband can move in, she has few interests or hobbies (other than Edward), she is able to walk away from her life both in Pheonix and Forks with no-one appearing to be bothered (friends?), and the only things she seems capable of doing are the laundry and cooking for her father - for everything else she asks a man (vampire or werewolf). It is as if Bella has no purpose or meaning except for that bestowed on her by the men who surround her.

As the article points out; her mother on seeing Bella and Edward together comments - 'the way you move - you orient yourself around him without even thinking about it ..... You're like a .... Satellite'.

I've never really been one to read 'notes' about books, or to study the stories in much depth, but these articles were really interesting and in my opinion added to my enjoyment and understanding of the series. I certainly came away from this book with a changed view of the characters that Stephanie Meyer's book - many of them not very flattering!

There are a number of philosophy and pop culture books available, I will be ordering some more (House, Alice in Wonderland, and possibly The Simpsons!).

Bought in Blackwells
12 - 26th January 2010