Letter to a Christian Nation - Sam Harris

Picked it up more as an enjoyable indulgence than for serious reasons. I already have all my opinions on this subject. not much to say, really. Punchy, well-written, a bit arrogant. Mostly agreed with him. Would still recommend The God Delusion over this. Reading this almost straight after No Logo has certainly straightened things out. Strong as my opinions are, religion is by no means the biggest problem facing mankind. Corporate greed is. Maybe I'll invite Dawkins, Harris and Klein for a dinner party and a debate.

All Hail the New Puritans - Various

Picked it up because of the very intriguing "manifesto" really. I thought the stories were not as groundbreaking and the manifesto and review quotes ("controversial" - really?) suggested, but they are very good, most of them. Immediate, plot-driven, straight-forward and totally unpretentious. Alex Garland's one especially, about a journalist at a Grand Prix race track, is so vivid and photographic (in more ways than one) that it has lodged in my head firmly. The world needs more short stories.

No Logo - Naomi Klein

Best non-fiction book I've ever read (not that I read that many). Calm, coherent, thorough, assertive and enlightening. Not only does it not come across as vitriolic left-wing ranting, it actually succeeds in showing the ultra-capitalist mentality to be the wrong-headed and crazed one. I found it simultaneously empowering - because it makes sense of so many things - and depressing - because it came out 12 years ago and the movement Klein observed seems to have fizzled out.