Autumn 2013 El Narco by Ioan Grillo
6/10 So-so. Rich on colour but not very clear.
June 2014 The Emperors of Chocolate: Inside the Secret World of Hershey and Mars by Joel Brenner
6/10 Some interesting info but rather patchy (esp nearer the present) and with a poor match of detailed anecdote and bigger picture analysis.
August 2014 The Worldly Philosophers by Robert Heilbroner
7/10 Excellent for what it is and with a rather intriguing critique of the approach of modern economics at the end.
September 2014 - Greece The Mystery of Capital by Hernando de Soto
6/10 Basic concept is good and one gets it very quickly. However, historical and political analysis are weak and not especially convincing (perhaps it is aimed at US audiences which weakens it).
Oct 2014 What It Takes - the Road to the Whitehouse by Richard Ben Cramer
7/10 (9/10 for its genre) Vast and ambitious. After a very strong start it fades out ending with a whimper rather than a bang. Some parts are fascinating but it is overlong and suffers from an increasing incoherence towards the end. An incredible monument but it’s early promise of a political Iliad is only partially fulfilled.