Kiron Reid

One of the funniest, most well observed and wonderfully well written books on Europe and Europeans - places people and culture. At times vulgar or slightly mean but Bill Bryson laughs or mocks at himself and America as much as others in an intended lighthearted way. I've been to quite a few of the cities that Bill Bryson covers, some recently (like Stockholm now, Amsterdam in April, Aachen a couple of years ago), some longer ago (Vienna, Brussels, Belgrade) or long ago, I've been to 12 of 22 entries and every one I remember is totally accurate - at least at the time and for the time Mr Bryson is writing. A wonderful read for travel or home with coffee or beer (or wine or tea).

The plot of this book is incredibly timely. I'm reading it in June and July 2025 and I checked when it was published as it could have been three weeks ago. I was really surprised that Adam LeBor wrote this thriller in 2016. The plot is both somewhat obvious in broad terms but also rather complex. Reading it slowly I'm struggling to recall who is who. Many of the main characters are quite sympathetic so I wonder if modern Netflix BBC Amazon Hollywood Channel 4 any producer action drama thriller style they will mostly be killed off and any chance of a happy ending dissolve in unnecessary excessive violence American style. But so far I'm impressed by this book being 138 out of 448 pages in.

I really like this book by Peter Finch and John Briggs. It is readable, interesting, useful and a nice design (not very practicable to take out on one of the walks though would slip in the back of a backpack). I really like the wide variety of books published by Seren Books a very well regarded Welsh publishers. The only flaw with Walking Cardiff is that it could really do with an overarching map - for those of us who don't know the districts of Cardiff very well or how they join together. That may include regular but occasional visitors like me or presumably many residents who don't know many of the different districts. Visiting family in Canton this week I have enjoyed reading the book and walking half of the Ely walk, parts I know fairly well but can see the changes since Peter Finch's text and John Brigg's quality photographs, as well as the things that are the same. It is also enjoyable reading about other locations in the city that I pass by or visit.