BookReviewBlog.co.uk
I have enjoyed reading since I was a child of about 6 years old, encouraged by my mother, and have amassed a very large collection as I find it difficult to part with books.
In August 2007 I began a project that had been in my mind for some time; to write short book reviews for my whole collection - an ambitious project but hopefully one that will be appreciated by book lovers.
Here I have written 10 short reviews as an introduction to bookreviewblog.co.uk. Please visit the site and browse the ever-growing collection of book reviews.
The Twits by Roald Dahl
This is one of Dahl most hilarious books and must have been written when he was in a particularly mischievous mood. Although it is aimed and young children I would highly recommend it to adults who haven't yet read it. The illustrations add enormously to this story and really capture the vile character of the Twits.
Brilliant!
Read more about The Twits on my lens about the book: The Twits.
The Twits
Amazon Price: (as of 07/12/2009) 
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
Whilst the pace of this novel makes it a real page turner, the intricate puzzles are all too easily solved by the main characters and the conspiracy theory is far too quickly accepted. The writing style employed is quite formulaic and by the end I was tiring of the overuse of a number of phrases.
The real proof of the quality of The Da Vinci Code is in the ending, and it comes out seriously wanting with a truly pathetic finish.
A page-turner with a terrible ending.
The Da Vinci Code
Amazon Price: (as of 07/12/2009)
Gridlock by Ben Elton
This is one of Elton's earliest and funniest novels, satirising governmental and industrial reluctance to investigate clean energy and the inability to cope with traffic congestion. In addition to this are some superbly amusing characters and the author makes the bold move of making a paraplegic the hero of the story and the butt of many jokes.
Very funny and some thought provoking ideas.
Gridlock
Amazon Price: (as of 07/12/2009)
Congo by Michael Crighton
This is one of the worst books I have ever read in my life and I can only imagine that it sold on the back of the success of Jurassic Park. With a pathetic plot, characters from the pulp fiction writers' handbook and ludicrous gorillas this is a must read for all authors who want to know not how to write.
Toilet paper!
Congo
Amazon Price: $7.99 (as of 07/12/2009)
The Life of Pi by Yann Martel
With such an original story and brilliant character developments of both Pi and Richard Parker this book is a real gem and proof that winners of the Booker prize can be accessible to a wide range of readers.
One of my favourite novels.
Life of Pi
Amazon Price: $10.20 (as of 07/12/2009)
Animal Farm by George Orwell
This novel works on two levels; it is an interesting and amusing tale about animals taking over a farm but the underlying satire of governmental arrogance is excellent and as valid for democratically elected governments with their spin doctors and manipulation of statitstics as for the more obvious comparison with dictatorial regimes.
One read good, two reads better!
Animal Farm (Signet Classics)
Amazon Price: $9.99 (as of 07/12/2009)
Obelix and Co. by Goscinny and Uderzo
This is a very funny book with discipline in the Roman camp becoming lax as they get used to a procession of flambouyant Gauls entering their garrison and the absurd clothes the Gauls wear when they become rich are hilarious.
Excellent.
Read about all the Asterix books on my Asterix Books lens.
Asterix Obelix and Co.
Amazon Price: $9.95 (as of 07/12/2009)
The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
The Miller's tale and the Reeve's tale a particularly funny and there is a surprising amount of sex, swearing and general bawdiness here. My favourite moment is in the Miller's tale when one serenading lover puckers up for a kiss and finds himself embracing something unexpected: "a woman hath no beard. He felt a thing all rough, and long y-hair'd".
Surprisingly funny.
The Miller's Tale can be read in its entirity in old English here: Miller's Tale.
The Canterbury Tales (original-spelling Middle English edition) (Penguin Classics) (Middle_english Edition)
Amazon Price: $12.24 (as of 07/12/2009)
Green Eggs and Ham by Dr Suess
The poetry in this story is simple but amusing and the situations in which the Green Eggs and Ham are offered get ever more bizarre as the story progresses. This is a great book and the expressions of the characters as the Green Eggs and Ham are finally tried are brilliant.
Try it, try it, read this book. Try it, go on, take a look.
Take a look at my Green Eggs and Ham lens for a video of the story and a clip of Jesse Jackson reading the tale: Green Eggs and Ham.
Green Eggs and Ham (I Can Read It All by Myself Beginner Books)
Amazon Price: $8.99 (as of 07/12/2009)
Earth in the Balance by Al Gore
Gore does an excellent job of putting over a vast amount of scientific information on a wide variety of subjects concisely, in an interesting fashion and most importantly in a logically argued way. One can only feel a sense of despair that Gore "lost" the presidential election after reading this.
Top quality.
Earth in the Balance: Ecology and the Human Spirit
Amazon Price: (as of 07/12/2009)
Visit bookreviewblog.co.uk
If these mini reviews have whetted your appetite for more, slightly longer reviews please visit my blog: Book Review Blog, which is updated regularly with new reviews. Latest Reviews on bookreviewblog.co.uk
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byFree Books
Check out a list of websites with free books available: free books.
My Other Book-related Lenses
-
Asterix the Gaul - The Characters
-
A little Gaulish village on the Armorican coast still holds out against the Roman forces in 50 BC by the fortune of having a village druid who has discovered a potion to give the Gauls superhuman strength - this is the premise for over 30 graphic nov...
-
Asterix Books by Goscinny & Uderzo
-
I have loved the Asterix books since I was a child and continue to enjoy reading them into adulthood. As a youngster, the combination of colourful illustrations and Roman bashing adventures were enough for me, but as an adult the books reveal a lot m...
-
Helm Bird Identification Guides
-
The Helm series of Field Guides and Identification Guides are a superb set of resources for birders, birdwatchers and ornithologists alike. I have been birdwatching for more than 30 years and as I have become a more serious ornithologist I have beco...
-
Green Eggs and Ham by Dr Suess
-
Green Eggs and Ham is one of Dr Suess's most enjoyable and amusing books, with a clear message to unadventurous children and adults alike. With wonderfully strange situations in which to try Green Eggs and Ham, superb rhyming text and the surreal ill...
-
Online Book Reviews
-
Book Review Blog is my attempt to write short book reviews on all the books in my large collection. Since I have been collecting books since I was about 10 years old this could prove to be something of a massive project. The project began in Septemb...
More Book Related Lenses
-
Ten Must-Read Classics of Great Literature
-
Because I love to read good books - I want to have the honor of introducing you to ten favorite classic novels that have enchanted and entertained readers for decades. I feel one of the saddest effects of modern society has been to take young people...
-
Charles Dickens ~ Books, Bio & Links
-
Full Name: Charles John Huffam Dickens Pen Name: Boz Born: February 7, 1812 Nationality: English Family life: Grew up working in blacking factory while family lived in debtor's prison. Best known for: "A Tale of Two Cities", "Great Expectat...
-
The Twits By Roald Dahl
-
The Twits is a revolting tale of two disgusting people written by the prolific children's author, Roahld Dahl. The Twits is rather a short book, with short, simple chapters and is suitable for fairly young children in this respect. There is much to a...
-
Graphic Novels
-
Graphic Novels have seen a huge surge in popularity in recent times, and are a great way of crossing great story telling with beautiful art. The surge in popularity of graphic novels have made some names like Frank Miller household names, and has led...
Book Lover Feedback
Tell me what you think of these mini reviews and share your thoughts.
Sunfish wrote...
You've got quite a variety of genre here...
I've had "The Life of Pi" for a while and keep meaning to read it. Sounds like I should. Thanks for the reviews.
Posted August 25, 2008
ElizabethJeanAllen wrote...
Great lens. I love to read and I love to write book reviews. You did an excellent job.
Lizzy
The Weekend Reader
Posted July 26, 2008
EelKat wrote...
Thanks for joining my group for book lovers (http://www.squidoo.com/groups/WhatsOnYourBookShelf)! I'm adding this lens as a featured lens on the group's "mother page" lens.(http://www.squidoo.com/OneWritersBookshelf).
Posted April 02, 2008
Intuitive wrote...
Interesting concept for a lens. :) Great book list, too.
Posted November 19, 2007
About The Lens Author
Lensmaster nickupton, aka nick upton, has been a member since June 23 2007, has rated 77 lenses, favorited 62, and has created 49 lenses from scratch. This member's top-ranked page is "Thailand Travel Advice: 10 Things To Avoid Doing In Thailand". See all my lenses
by nickupton
Having been a birdologist since the age of seven I am something of an ornithological recluse. However, I managed to gain adulthood, if onl... (more)
