Benjamin Constant

Advantages: style
Disadvantages: plot

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Advantages: Clear concise overview of the development of the concept
Disadvantages: Obviously can't go into much depth, but neglects contemporary debate in favour of historical overview

...to write at length” (p.3-5). For the most part, he succeeds admirably, and this book will no doubt serve many well as part of an introduction to politics. Where he does stray, however, is in a propensity to, if not digress, bring in extraneous information but make little of the point. Too often an analogy or obscure reference is cited only to be almost instantly dropped (and often with too little reference to sources). It is as if the author were trying to show off his breadth of knowledge; or perhaps more like listening to the rambling anecdotes of an aged lecturer – whose meanderings, while interesting and informative, sometimes obscure the point he is trying to make. The argument, it seems, follows Aristotle; holding democracy necessary but not sufficient for good government, nodding also towards Benjamin Constant’s distinction of ancient... Read review

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Advantages: style
Disadvantages: plot

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Advantages: Beautiful, simple, thematically rich children's book
Disadvantages: none

...'s Jewish son-in-law, Benjamin, is attempting to smuggle 12 Jewish refugee children into Spain... and then German forces arrive to occupy the village and patrol the border. This is a stylistically simple, thematically rich and evocative little gem of a book. Delving into issues not often discussed in books about the war for children (the three or four most popular, such as Tom's Private War and Goodnight Mister Tom tend to focus on the evacuee angle), it is a beautifully written book that, although it was ultimately a children's book, finally put me in mind of that great adult's classic of complexity viewed through the eyes of a child: To Kill A Mockingbird. Waiting for Anya is told in very straightforward language, in the third person. It reads smoothly and paces itself beautifully between the internal wonderings of Jo, a boy who feels keenly... Read review

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Advantages: funny, emotional, easy to read
Disadvantages: I wasn't born in the 70s...

...I get through books far too quickly. So, when I noticed a "2 for £10" section on a recent trip to Blackwells, I took full advantage of it - "The Rotter's Club" being one of the books that appealed the most. The novel tells of Benjamin Trotter and his friends and their journey through adolescence in the 1970s. Being at a rather good school in Birmingham this stage of their lives is not only fraught with worry about girls and friendships, but also with the stress of exams and university applications. Add to this the fact that many of their parents work at the local car factory, which has its own problems, and you've got a story that's definitely interesting and worth reading. Benjamin is the main character in the story: a boy who is acknowledged as being a little "odd" - he alternates between being quiet and lost for words and very... Read review

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