A Geek in Korea by Daniel Tudor

The Complete Infidel's Guide to the Koran by Robert Spencer

He cherry picks, is biased... but Spencer is also appraising the Koran more honestly than many others who more blithely claim the book to be about peace.

The Koran by God translated by Abdullah Yusuf Ali and another by Tarif Khalidi

Hard to believe this book is the basis for a religion. Tedious, repetitive. Is almost a book of Chinese whispers derived from the Old Testament repeated ad nauseam.

The Koran: A Very Short Introduction by Michael Cook

Dull work that detailed some of the more boring details in slipshod manner.

The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ by Philip Pullman

Dictator by Robert Harris

Such jolly good fun. A bit rushed in the end. The whole series should probably have been a tetralogy than a trilogy, but that's a trifling criticism when compared to the galloping joy of reading the series.

In The Shadow of the Sword: The Birth of Islam and the Rise of the Global Arab Empire by Tom Holland

There was some really interesting content in here... most notably the dubious origins of what we think we know about Muhammad's life... but this book was far too long, covering too much minutiae in a narrative that was long-winded.

Lustrum by Robert Harris

Accidentally reread this -- I thought it was going to be the third of the trilogy, not the second. Even second-time round, I still thoroughly enjoyed it. Thrilling, fun, action-packed. All non-literary novels should aspire to be this good.

Eva Luna by Isabel Allende

A catalogue of bizarre stuff happening that nonetheless felt humdrum. Little sense of climax, suspense.

The Divine Comedy: Purgatory by Dante, translated by Clive James

It's a rollicking, picaresque tale about going through hell and back. Plus there's a bunch of highbrow references and allusions to the Bible, theology and Graeco-Roman mythology, which keeps academics employed debating minor points of long-forgotten arcana when not writing copious footnotes and prefaces and indexes to new translations. But essentially: it's a rollicking, picaresque tale that Clive James translates exceptionally well.

The Little Book of Economics by Greg Ip

The Battle for God by Karen Armstrong

Offered too much detail, not enough overview for my liking. Also a little repetitive about the difference between mythos and logos, which was a little frustrating because the explanation of mythos was a little lacking. Nevertheless, the rise of literalism in exegeses of holy books being due to the reign of logos was an eye-opening thought.

Latham at Large by Mark Latham

He's crazy. He's also compelling.

The Right Attitude to Rain by Alexander McCall Smith

What muzak should aspire to be.

The Pigeon by Patrick Suskind

Half-arsed. He can write, but half-arsed is still half-arsed. He might never write anything as good as Perfume again, but Suskind did indeed write Perfume.

Solar by Ian McEwan

How Animals Work by Knut Schmidt-Nielsen

Effective Javascript by David Herman

The Consolation of Philosophy by Boethius

Mrs Dalloway by Virgina Woolf