Agricola and The Germania (Penguin Classics), by Tacitus

Classical comments on Britain and Germany.
Mid-November 2014.
3/5.

The Art of Travel, by Alan deBotton

Enjoyable, considered, erudite - the usual superlatives I use for the masterful de Botton! Describes a few aspects of travel and skillfully ties it in with his own experiences, plus the work and experiences of various philosophers or artists down the ages. Makes you think, makes you realise.
Late October 2014.
4/5.

Women: A Novel, by Charles Bukowski

A litany of women are described in intimate detail during what the author describes as 'research'. Shocking at that level, but there is some depth that occasionally comes through. The book is consistent with the author's cynical and self-critical views on the other aspects of his life, although it can be glimpsed in this book that he enjoys his fame and the trappings it brings.
September 2014.
3/5.

The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work, by Alain deBotton

Erudite and well-read exploration of work. In places very amusing but it's the acute and accurate observations of people, places and habits, that are the strongest part of the book.
August 2014.
4/5.

Factotum, by Charles Bukowski

Not quite as amusing as Post Office, but more of the same; dry, witty, salacious and sad.
 July 2014.
4/5.

Post Office, by Charles Bukowski

Re-read of a classic; hilarious yet full of pathos.
July 2014.
5/5.

I'm not God, I'm just a project manager, by Men Whitaker

Not bad overview of the role in a sampler version, picked up from a conference.
June 2014.
3/5.

The Natural History of Selborne, by Gilbert White

A classic, full of charm and astute observations. It also made me realize that some of the supposedly contemporary dire environmental problems existed then too, i.e., unusual and extreme weather.
Finished June 2014.
4/5.

Carnivorous Nights; In Search of the Tasmanian Tiger, by Margaret Mittelbach and Michael Crewdson

Aiming for an off-beat travelogue, but comes across as a little silly & even pointless, though it is interesting to hear of people's alleged sightings of the titular animal, the interludes tend to be sentimental and childish. The whole book also seems to focus on the famous artist that accompanies them, but he's not that famous and not that interesting compared to the lost tiger.
Feb 28 2014.
2/5.

Zeno and the Tortoise, by Nicholas Fearn

A brief  but useful introduction to various philosophers and thinkers down the ages; many pithy explanations were excellent.
February 2014.
3/5.