Recommended Reads
Book Reviews
Please see reviews from our Community below - please send your own reviews to info@islingtonclimatecentre.co.uk
No Straight Road Takes You There - Essays for Uneven Terrain by Rebecca Solnit.
Rebecca Solnit is a lovely writer but I was delighted and surprised to find these essays full of hope too. She believes change is rarely simple and direct. Rather than one event following directly from another, she sees it as a much more subtle process and says that if you stick to the straight roads, you miss so much else that’s out there. Unexpected consequences, imperfection, uncertainty, slowness and taking the long view are not always things we value or think deeply about, but they are important. She shows how and why they matter and in the process gives you a more profound understanding not only of climate change, but of the power of collective action, feminism and the rise of the far right. I came away inspired and feeling that it’s always worth trying to do something rather than nothing, because you never know where the something will lead.
Reviewed by Caz Royds
The Wizard of the Kremlin by Giuliano da Empoli
Written by French political journalist Giuliano da Empoli, the novel blends fiction with real political history in a gripping and unsettling way. The central character is fictional but clearly inspired by Vladislav Surkov, the longtime adviser and propaganda architect for Vladimir Putin. Almost everyone else appears as themselves, and what’s remarkable is that whenever an event seemed too improbable to be true, it turned out to have actually happened.
What makes this book so powerful is the insight it offers into why many people are drawn to strongman leadership — the sense of stability and security it can promise — and how that same leadership can become consumed with restoring national glory at any cost.
In an odd way, the atmosphere reminded me of The Master and Margarita — though I last read it 30 years ago, so that may just be a lingering impression of tone and mood.
It gave me a deeper perspective on modern Russia and the psychology of power. I can’t recommend it highly enough.
Reviewed by Anna Hyde
Ministry of the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson
I finally got around to reading Ministry for the Future over the Christmas holidays — yes, five years after everyone was saying “you’ve got to read this!” — and I found it completely engrossing.
Set in the not-too-distant future, it imagines in vivid and sometimes harrowing detail how climate change could reshape our world. But what makes the book so powerful is its sense of possibility: alongside the darker moments are thoughtful, practical ideas about how people, institutions, and countries might cooperate to make a real difference.
One of the things I loved most was recognising parallels with the kind of work we’re doing at Islington Climate Centre. It’s both sobering and inspiring to see those ideas reflected in fiction.
I’m so glad I finally read it. If you have too, I’d love to hear what resonated with you most — and whether you spotted those hopeful solutions woven into the story.
Reviewed by Anna Hyde
Politics without politicians : the case for citizen rule by Hélène Landemore
A slight cheat from me this time, because I haven’t read this book yet — but it’s next on my list.
Politics Without Politicians: The Case for Citizen Rule by Hélène Landemore came onto my radar thanks to a recommendation from John Mullen in our community. He mentioned hearing her on Start the Week, and she sounded so compelling that I went straight to listen myself — and then followed it up with this podcast Democracy Without Politicians: Hélène Landemore (Full Podcast Episode)
I found myself nodding along vigorously. Landemore speaks powerfully about the role of ordinary people, the importance of the commons, and the promise of deliberative democracy. But she also explores something deeper: the social glue that binds us together — perhaps even love — as a political force.
So this is more of a preview than a review. I can’t yet vouch for the book itself, but the ideas behind it have already made a strong impression on me.
Looking forward to diving in.
Reviewed by Anna Hyde