Microsoft .NET: Architecting Applications for the Enterprise, by Dino Esposito & Andrea Saltarello

This book is very specific to its title: it details how a developer might like to structure applications in an enterprise that uses .NET. It's quite low level with big chunks of code included, & therefore different to other architecture books I've read. The section on defining the DAL details how to write your own O/RM which I found a bit excessive. When considering architecture it's usually from a higher level perspective so this level of detail was surprising. However there were some good discussion points, debated in a refreshing conversational style.
3/5

A World Without Bees, by Alison Benjamin & Brian McCallum

Written in a somewhat journalistic style to describe the latest affliction that is wiping out colonies of honeybees with potentially dire consequences for humanity. An interesting rather than enjoyable read, some parts seemed a bit repetitive as though the subject was being stretched to fill the book. What's clear though is that the situation is very serious & action should be taken to find out what's affecting the bees as a keystone species, & what this means for our wider environment.
3/5

The Gamekeeper's Son, by Mark Cringle

Engaging recollections of a Norfolk country life in Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk, at the turn of the 19th Century. An enjoyable read with a few entertaining anecdotes, although the sum of the tales didn't add up to a wholly satisfying book. I felt a bit more could have been made of the tales to shed more light on the fascinating life of the man whose tales they were.
3/5

The Wild Places by Robert Macfarlane

An elegant & evocative description of whether the wild exists anymore in the UK & if it does, what characterizes it. The author makes his way to some remote, & not so remote corners of the British Isles & Ireland, & records his feelings & experiences. It might not sound like much but it nicely captures & reinforces the virtues of being outside & of reconnecting with the outside world. It's something that is often preached about as being a good thing without it being obvious why: this book helps explain why. He interweaves all this with some history & some very personal memories which, for me, made it much more than just a description of the places he visited.
4/5

Enterprise Architecture As Strategy, by Jeanne W. Ross, Peter Weill, David C. Robertson

Interesting discussion on why & how enterprise-level software architecture can & should contribute to the overall success of a business, but often doesn't. As such it's high-level & without any discussion of implementation technology but is very stimulating & refreshing as a consequence. Invaluable for every software developer who wants to appreciate the business consequences & contributions of the code he or she writes.
4/5

The White Tiger, by Aravind Adiga

Blistering satire on India's economic miracle which, through the eyes of a lowly chaffeur, exposes many of the truths behind the hype. It gripped me pretty much from the first page, I also found the insight into India & its culture interesting as it's not something I knew much about before. The skeptic in me always doubts the praise heaped on books nominated for various awards but I couldn't argue with the awards this one has garnered (the Man Booker prize 2008), consequently it's a 5 out of 5 from me too.

Patterns of Enterprise Application Architecture, by Martin Fowler

Seminal work on the practical implementation of patterns in architecture. The first section is a very illuminating & conversational discussion on when & why to implement patterns, which almost its own makes this book a worthy purchase. The second section is an in-depth dissection of each of the discussed software patterns, probably much more useful as a reference.
4/5

Lean Software Development: An Agile Toolkit, by Mary & Tom Poppendieck

Commonsense book describing the principles of agile software development & some ideas of how to implement it. Even though it's mostly theoretical the examples from other industries, as well as IT, stimulate thinking along practical lines. A very worthwhile read when contemplating adoption of Agile practices.
4/5

To See Every Bird On Earth, by Dan Koeppel

Fascinating account of a man's obsession with 'Big Listing' as many of the world's 10,000 bird species as possible. His son, the author, details how the obsession grew in relation to personal family occurrences like divorce & ill-health. Often I found that these intense personal recollections overshadowed further exploration of the commitment & dedication (not to mention the logistics) of the people, like the author's father, who strive to see thousands of species of birds. So, a book as much about a family as about ornithology & consequently slightly lacking in both.
3/5

Programming WCF Services, by Juval Lowy

Authoritative & detailed book on one of Microsoft's latest technologies by a renowned expert in the field. Almost no stone is left unturned within the scope of the book so not recommended for absolute beginners at all, but most useful for practictioners or pending exam sitters.
3/5

Blood River: A Journey to Africa's Broken Heart, by Tim Butcher

Another excellent travel book which documents the amazing story of a journey down the Congo river, through the most dangerous country in the world. The hardships faced make for a compelling read & these are expertly interwoven with the accounts of historical travellers as well as with updates on the contemporary politics of the region. There's also a passionate & well-reasoned argument as to why the country has failed so badly & what might be done to help get it back on its feet, though that possibility does seem remote. It's never certain that the author will reach his goal & I was gripped until the end as a consequence.
4/5

Crow Country, by Mark Cocker

It was a nice surprise to be transported back to a place I've been lucky enough to visit within in the first chapter of this book, ostensibly about rooks, by one the UK's pre-eminent natural history authors. Buckenham Carrs is the location & the description of a huge rookery there leads onto an exploration of various pastoral themes in the British countryside interwoven with the author's life in East Anglia as a personal backdrop. For me the best parts were Cocker's descriptions of the historical Norfolk Broads which teemed so much with wildlife that the fish literally jumped into the nets, poignant because now so much of that apparent Eden has been lost. The discussion of why people become so engrossed, even obsessive, when it comes to enjoying wildlife & nature are also beautifully mused upon, & which is an often overlooked subject. Some of the more prosaic descriptions of rookeries were obviously not as captivating & a few photos would have been nice but maybe to the detriment of using one's imagination. Above all I enjoyed the descriptions of my home county Norfolk which particularly resonated with my visits to some of the landsacpes described so well.
4/5