books read, 2010

[mastadge]

On target to complete the 50 Book Challenge this year. . .

29. Moonshine (2010) by Alaya Johnson [Amazon]
28. Banker to the Poor: Micro-Lending and the Battle Against World Poverty (1998, revised 2003) by Muhammad Yunus with Alan Jolis [Amazon]
27. Ship Breaker (2010) by Paolo Bacigalupi [Amazon]
26. Friction: An Ethnography of Global Connection (

Comments

[ryan_howse]

How was the Easterly?

[mastadge]

I liked it rather a lot, and I was often surprised, as I read it, because most of what I've read about his arguments casts them as far more extreme than they actually are. He calls for accountability and feedback in the realm of international aid. Aid has done a lot of good in particular cases, he says, but it's done it very inefficiently, and it often does what donors want rather than what the recipients want or need. He explains why imposing political and economic systems from the top down hasn't worked and won't work. For a popular book it's a very compelling read full of difficult subject matter enlivened by a readable style and a sense of humor.

[jeditrilobite]

The City & The City has been getting fantastic reviews. I have yet to read anything by China, but I kind of want to now. I also need to get my hands on Ship Breaker.

[mastadge]

Miéville has a new book coming out shortly that seems fun.

Ship Breaker was good, but it was a YA novel so quite a quick, easy read. Definitely Bacigalupi, but not as dark as some of his stuff.

[jeditrilobite]

I just finished 'The City and The City' - absolutely fantastic book - I really enjoyed every minute of it. My girlfriend stole my copy of Kraken, and told me that I should read it soon, so that's certainly being bumped up the list. Certainly worthy of the Hugo Award alongside The Windup Girl.