Author: Colin Marks

Mine! is an interesting book that discusses the hidden rules of ownership – a subject that sounds simple until you get into those fiddly edge cases. For example, when your neighbour’s trees block your solar panels, who owns that light travelling over their property, or even the air space above or the minerals below their…

I love post-apocalyptic novels, and this one offers a truly fresh take. Instead of the usual grim world inhabited by zombies or ravaged by a natural disaster that leaves survivors fighting over Earth’s dwindling resources, this story is simply…nice. Yes, “nice” pretty much sums it up. Pleasant things happen. Not too much action, but enough…

Some interesting ideas, though some weirdly odd ones (language doesn’t evolve over millions of years apparently). Probably ground breaking in its day, but the writing style and general insights are showing their age. See review on Goodreads.

A good premise, but for me, the potential wasn’t quite realised. The writing is solidly in the ‘accessible’ camp, ideal for a low energy poolside read, but I suspect that was the intention so mission accomplished. I was skimming heavily towards the end, but I did want to get to the finish, so credit to…

Richard Koch was on the Tim Ferriss podcast (#466) a few years ago and gave an interesting interview, talking mostly about the Pareto or the 80/20 principle (20% of efforts drive 80% of results) but also more broadly. That interview is worth a listen. This book, however, definitely not. 80/20 is repeated so many times…

The Ministry of Time is an odd book! It starts well, with confident prose and engaging characters that develop nicely, and then things take a turn. A bit of tension is added near the start, then very little happens until the 80% mark, when the plot kicks in. The writing becomes sloppier, with odd turns…

Irvine’s book offers an excellent introduction to Stoicism, covering both its historical background and its practical applications in the modern world. He skillfully unpacks the teachings of key Stoic philosophers like Seneca and Marcus Aurelius, making their wisdom relevant and actionable for contemporary readers. While those already familiar with the source material might find less…

Interesting analysis of how well intended policies can have unanticipated side-effects, particularly when raising children to be independent, antifragile, first-principle thinkers. Superbly researched and clearly explained, well worth a read! See review on Goodreads.

Fourteen Days is a short story collection, themed around residents of a tower block telling nightly tales during the COVID lockdown. As with all collections, some hit, some miss, but on the whole, this was a good read. The ending felt rushed, and could have been developed, but I enjoyed this. Recommended for short story…

This book has been on my shelf for way too long. Yuval brings insight and clarity to any discussion – whether written or verbal. His strength is to link history to current affairs, and here, to the future. While I disagree with many of his predictions, his perspective is well researched, excellently communicated, and rationalised…