LEIGH FORBES: Books of all Sorts

19th December 2017
by Leigh Forbes
Comments Off on Island on Fire: the extraordinary story of Laki, the volcano that turned eighteenth-century Europe dark

Island on Fire: the extraordinary story of Laki, the volcano that turned eighteenth-century Europe dark

Alexandra Witze and Jeff Kanipe. A brilliant book, which looks at the 1783 eruption of Laki, one of Iceland’s most damaging volcanoes, as well as others in Iceland and around the world. Drawing from the eyewitness account of local minister, … Continue reading

29th September 2017
by Leigh Forbes
Comments Off on Your Brain Knows More than you Think: the new frontiers of neuroplasticity

Your Brain Knows More than you Think: the new frontiers of neuroplasticity

by Niels Birbaumer. Niels Birbaumer writes about his research in the field of neuroplasticity (the brain’s ability to learn new things), and the application of neurofeedback (learning to ‘shape’ the brain by using thought/reward techniques), to investigate such issues as … Continue reading

13th August 2017
by Leigh Forbes
Comments Off on A Soldier’s Best Friend: the canine heroes of Afghanistan

A Soldier’s Best Friend: the canine heroes of Afghanistan

by Stephen Paul Stewart. In A Soldier’s Best Friend, Stephen Paul Stewart provides an insight into the lives of police and military working-dogs, both present and past – focussing on the role of explosives-tracking dogs on tour with UK forces in … Continue reading

13th August 2017
by Leigh Forbes
Comments Off on Caliban’s Shore: The Wreck of the Grosvenor and the Strange Fate of Her Survivors

Caliban’s Shore: The Wreck of the Grosvenor and the Strange Fate of Her Survivors

by Stephen Taylor. The Caliban Shore accompanies the survivors of the East India Company’s schooner, “Grosvenor”, after she was wrecked on the south-east African coast in August 1782. The story starts in India as passengers and crew make preparations to … Continue reading

3rd June 2017
by Leigh Forbes
Comments Off on The Badass Librarians of Timbuktu

The Badass Librarians of Timbuktu

by Joshua Hammer. The Bad Ass Librarians of Timbuktu tells two stories: one about thousands of ancient manuscripts – on such subjects as history, science, Islamic law, conflict resolution, and poetry – and the librarians who sought to first preserve, then … Continue reading

21st May 2017
by Leigh Forbes
Comments Off on Denali’s Howl: The Deadliest Climbing Disaster on America’s Wildest Peak

Denali’s Howl: The Deadliest Climbing Disaster on America’s Wildest Peak

by Andy Hall. A well-researched and well-written account of the 1967 disaster on Alaska’s Denali, the highest mountain in North America, drawn from contemporary records and reports from, as well as modern-day interviews with those involved. In the summer of … Continue reading

16th February 2017
by Leigh Forbes
Comments Off on Making Peace with Depression: A warm and wise companion to recovery

Making Peace with Depression: A warm and wise companion to recovery

by Sarah Rayner, Kate Harrison,and Patrick Fitzgerald. A perfect book for people who feel controlled by depression: a superbly structured and well thought-out guide to the issues involved – without the pages of dry theory or patronising dictates, or list … Continue reading

10th February 2017
by Leigh Forbes
Comments Off on Blink: the Power of Thinking Without Thinking

Blink: the Power of Thinking Without Thinking

by Malcolm Gladwell. This book looks at how we instinctively know when something is right or wrong, based on our ability to “thin slice” a situation.  Citing examples of art experts spotting a fake (that months of research had validated), a tennis … Continue reading