Wayne Dyer

Advantages: Funny, modern and different
Disadvantages: A bit egotistical and lacking in morals

...Geoff Dyer is definitely an author with a personality. In 'Yoga for people who cant be bothered to do it' he narrates his rather random travels around the world with a cynical and witty (depending on your opinion) voice. He seems to spend most of his time either high on drugs or drink, complaining about the local culture and sleeping with girls. I suppose he could be seen as the epitomy of the modern traveller! The thing with Dyer is that he doesnt do justice to the countries he is visiting. Whilst you get some interesting snippets of information, I expect accidently, he revels in telling of his innermost ponderings and experiences with people, and that is really what this book is about. I wouldnt buy this book as a travel book. To be fair, you're not going to learn an awful lot about the countries he visited, in fact I'm struggling... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Intriguing, cleverly written
Disadvantages: Confusing ending, pretentious in places

...In the eighteenth century, Nicholas Dyer, an apprentice of Sir Christopher Wren, is responsible for the building of six churches across London. But Mr Dyer is not all he seems. He practices the Dark Arts and wants to introduce his religion into the bodies of the churches that he is building. This means he is forced to lead a double life and when someone gets in his way, he gets rid of them as only he can. Two hundred and fifty years later, a detective called Hawksmoor is brought in to solve a selection of murders, all with the same modus operandi, committed in the grounds of different churches across London. Each time, there is no forensic evidence remaining to be able to link the murder to anyone. The dead are also very different, including children and the down and out. Is there a connection between the murders and Nicholas Dyer... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: a solid scholarly undertaking
Disadvantages: a long and detail read

...quipped that social history is economic history with the economics taken out. A better way to look at it may be that economic history could be said to be social history with the economics thrown in. To say that Dyers book is something of a landmark is not to overstate the case, not since M. M. Postans "The Medieval Economy and Society" has such an extensive study of the economic development of medieval Britain been undertaken. But whereas Postan wrote as an economist, Dyer is a historian through and through. His approach is document based and he allows the evidence to set its own agenda. Whereas Postan was well known for selecting evidence specifically to fit his pre-formed theory, Dyer doesn't allow himself to follow any line that isn't bourne out by the evidence. The book is divided into three sections. The Origins of the Medieval Economy... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful