Wellington Reads discussion

Welcome! This ongoing discussion is your place to share what you are reading and what you think about it!

I just finished reading Makers by Cory Doctorow, which I picked up after really enjoying Little Brother (also by Cory Doctorow :-)).

It was published in 2009, and is kind of a futurist take on what the Maker movement and 3-d printing could mean for our society (and business and industry...), especially in/after a recession.

I didn't enjoy it as much as Little Brother -- it kind of spans out over many years and I found the time leaps a bit disjointed and got a bit frustrated at some things he did (or did to) his characters, but I really really like his books, and it was really interesting to see where he spun the story out to... Anyway, I won't spoil it any more :-) For a first book by Cory Doctorow, I think I'd still recommend Little Brother -- it grabbed me more than this did (but I still enjoyed it!)

Am reading Hallucinations by Oliver Sacks on all kinds (visual, auditory, the blind) of imagined but no less real maladies of the brain. Have read and heard a few reviews commenting on his diminishing powers but all the elements are still there - empathy for his patients; joy for discovery and a good story and tons of footnotes...

Monty wrote: "Am reading Hallucinations by Oliver Sacks on all kinds (visual, auditory, the blind) of imagined but no less real maladies of the brain. Have read and heard a few reviews commenting on his diminish..."

This sounds very intriguing...would you recommend it for a 24 hour plane flight?? Actually, what books would we recommend for a very long and tedious plane journey??

I have nearly finish reading Barbara Kingslover's "Flight Behaviour." It hasn't taken hold of me as such as the "Poisonwood Bible" did, but its discussion about the environment, science and how scientists communicate to a sound-bite media, and how environmentalism is easy for those that can afford to be green, is very interesting...with a few lustings and Biblical references thrown in for good measure.

Perfect for dipping into, I reckon. Chapters are brief enough but substantial (if you know what I mean..)

Rebecca wrote: "I have nearly finish reading Barbara Kingslover's "Flight Behaviour." It hasn't taken hold of me as such as the "Poisonwood Bible" did, but its discussion about the environment, science and how sc..."

Same! I actually never finished Flight Behaviour, but I loved The Poisonwood Bible, Animal Dreams and especially The Bean Trees and its sequel. I feel slightly bad, but her book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle sort of got my back up at parts, and ever since, I think I give her books less time than I probably should...

Guilty confession :-P

I haven't read her other books - I must look them up!